Notre Dame Crushes Stanford 58-7 Before BYU Showdown

Notre Dame strengthened its position among college football's top teams by defeating Stanford 58-7 in South Bend, Indiana, on Saturday, October 10, 2026. The No. 3 Fighting Irish improved to 6-0, extended their winning streak to 16 games, and recorded their largest margin of victory in the series as they prepared to visit No. 8 BYU the following weekend.

According to the New York Times, Notre Dame produced a season-high 361 rushing yards while quarterback CJ Carr completed 14 of 20 passes for 181 yards and three touchdowns. The Irish have spent just 7 minutes and 44 seconds trailing opponents throughout their first six games, highlighting their control of the schedule so far.

The victory also showcased improvements across Notre Dame's backfield and defensive line. Freshman running back Jonaz Walton broke free for a 97-yard touchdown, while Aneyas Williams added a 70-yard touchdown reception from Carr. Nolan James Jr. scored twice in the first half.

Notre Dame's next challenge will come against BYU, followed by a November 7 matchup with No. 4 Miami. The upcoming games will test a team that has dominated its opening schedule but now faces opponents expected to provide tougher competition.

Notre Dame's running backs deliver explosive plays

The Irish had struggled to produce explosive runs earlier in September, raising questions about whether their running backs could provide enough big-play potential. Walton's 120-yard performance against North Carolina the previous week offered encouragement, and his long touchdown against Stanford provided another significant breakthrough.

Walton's 97-yard scoring run recalled Jeremiyah Love's 98-yard touchdown against Indiana in the 2024 College Football Playoff. Williams also demonstrated his versatility by turning a reception into a 70-yard score, while James contributed two touchdowns through physical running.

Although Stanford's run defense offered a limited measure of the backfield's strength, the performances showed that Notre Dame could generate long gains from multiple players. The development addresses a concern that had persisted during the early part of the season.

Boubacar Traore creates turnovers

Defensive end Boubacar Traore continued his strong season by producing another early turnover. According to the New York Times, he recorded a sack that resulted in a fumble during the opening stages of the game, marking his second consecutive week with an opening-game disruption that led to a turnover.

Jaiden Ausberry recovered the fumble after Traore rushed around the edge and reached Stanford quarterback Davis Warren. Later in the first half, Traore intercepted Warren after dropping into coverage and returned the ball 18 yards. Both turnovers set up quick Notre Dame touchdowns.

Traore's emergence follows a difficult recovery from a torn ACL suffered against Louisville two years earlier. His progress has added another productive defender to a unit that underwent significant changes during the offseason.

Notre Dame strengthened its defensive line by bringing in coach Charlie Partridge and adding transfer players Francis Brewu from Pittsburgh, Keon Keeley from Alabama, and Tionne Gray from Oregon. Bryce Young and freshman Rodney Dunham have also contributed to the revamped group.

Noah Grubbs strengthens his position as backup quarterback

Quarterback CJ Carr left the game in the third quarter, allowing Noah Grubbs to handle most of the remaining work. Although the official depth chart continued to list Grubbs and Teddy Jarrard with an either-or designation, Grubbs directed two fourth-quarter touchdown drives.

Grubbs completed five of seven passes for 56 yards. His first scoring drive ended with Walton's 40-yard touchdown run, while the second concluded with Javian Osborne's first career touchdown, a 3-yard run.

Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman has said the team does not need to alternate its backup quarterbacks solely to obtain a better evaluation of Jarrard. Freeman also addressed the value of giving both players opportunities to gain experience in games.

Freeman explained that evaluating the two backups involves balancing playing time with the opportunity to assess their performance in actual game situations.

"You want to get them both in there to get game reps and game eval," Freeman said. "But that's always uncertain. How

The quarterback competition remains relevant as Notre Dame considers its roster plans for the coming months. Grubbs' extended playing time against Stanford provided additional evidence of his current role behind Carr, with BYU next on the schedule.