No. 11 Notre Dame hosts Stanford in the battle for the Legends Trophy

NOTRE DAME – No. 11 Notre Dame leads Stanford 42-7 in the fourth quarter at Notre Dame Stadium.

Play is currently suspended due to a lightning strike in the area.

After a slow start, the Irish gained clear control of the game.

Notre Dame's opening attack was negated by self-inflicted wounds. Just days after Marcus Freeman proclaimed, “We can't hurt Notre Dame” while discussing unforced errors, Notre Dame's first series stalled when a 19-yard run by Riley Leonard resulted in a holding penalty against Anthony Narrowly destroyed. There was also a dropped pass on the first series as Notre Dame handed the ball to Stanford after gaining just 14 yards.

Stanford responded by marching 63 yards on its first possession, capped off when change-of-pace quarterback Justin Lamson pushed the ball across the goal line from a yard out, giving Stanford a 7-0 lead midway through the first quarter took the lead.

The offense showed better balance and execution on the second drive. The Irish rushed for 75 yards on 12 plays, a mix of seven runs and five passes. Riley Leonard capped the game with a six-yard touchdown run, his eighth rushing touchdown of the year, to tie the game at 7-7.

Notre Dame's defense turned the field over and momentum increased early in the second quarter. With Stanford facing fourth-and-5 at the Irish 41, Howard Cross sacked Cardinal quarterback Ashton Daniels for a loss of seven yards. Cross' second sack of the game gave the Irish the ball just short of midfield.

Seven plays later, Notre Dame took the lead. Leonard was the catalyst, rushing for 30 yards before hitting Jayden Thomas on a slant for a 15-yard touchdown that put the Irish ahead for the first time, 14-7.

The Irish continued to be plagued by errors. On Stanford's next possession, a Benjamin Morrison interception was negated by an offside penalty from RJ Oben. The Irish defense forced a punt, but was almost immediately sent back onto the field after a turnover. On the very first play of Notre Dame's fourth possession, Beaux Collins caught a 16-yard pass but was deflected while being tackled, giving Stanford the ball near midfield.

For the second time in the first half, Notre Dame's defense forced a turnover on downs, giving the Irish a chance to take control before halftime. Aided by a first down reception by center Pat Coogan, who caught a deflected pass and rolled it 12 yards, Notre Dam marched deep into Cardinal territory in the final minutes of the half and then cheerfully signaled for the first down. After a 4th down conversion, Leonard hit Kris Mitchell for a five-yard touchdown with 1:11 left in the half to give the Irish a 21-7 lead.

The second half for Stanford started ominously as Stanford clumsily blocked the opening kick while going out of bounds on a three-pointer. The Cardinals were able to move the ball 36 yards, but the drive stopped abruptly when Josh Burnham correctly read an option play and plucked the Daniels pitch out of the air near the 30-yard line and sent it to the returned to the 17-yard line.

Notre Dame only needed two plays to cash in. Jadarian Price ran the final 16 yards for a touchdown and led 28-7.

The Irish continued to exploit cardinal errors. On the next series, a harsh passer penalty on 3rd down kept Notre Dame's offense on the field. Jeremiyah Love made the Cardinal pay with a 39-yard touchdown run, increasing the lead to 35-7.

Riley Leonard puts the finishing touches on his best game in a gold helmet before the end of the quarter, hitting Beaux Collins for a 53-yard gain.

That set up Leonard's third passing touchdown, a five-yard strike to Eli Raridon that extended the lead to 42-7.

The Irish are looking for their fourth straight win of the season.