How Notre Dame football graded out in runaway win over Stanford

PALO ALTO, Calif. — Notre Dame football continued its West Coast mastery of lowly Stanford with a 49-20 romp in Saturday night’s regular-season finale.

The ninth-ranked Irish (10-2) beat the Cardinal (4-8) for the sixth time in seven tries, including four straight blowouts at Stanford Stadium by three touchdowns or more.

More: Notre Dame football vs. Stanford live score updates

Here’s the report card for the Irish.

Offense: A

Heisman Trophy candidate Jeremiyah Love gave everyone a scare when he made two first-half trips to the medical tent and another to the locker room after taking a knee to the rib area. Love, who broke Jerome Bettis’ program record for single-season touchdowns on the game’s first series, returned to the field for one more first-half carry and started the second half as well. He and Jadarian Price ended the half with 34 combined scrimmage touchdowns, more than nearly 50 total teams had entering Saturday’s play.

Defense: A-

A 39-yard field goal with 2:38 left in the first half marked the first points off the Irish starters since Pittsburgh’s field goal with 13:55 left in the second quarter on Nov. 15. The last touchdown against the Irish starters came against Navy on Braxton Woodson’s 2-yard run with 11:02 left in the second quarter. Leonard Moore set up the fifth first-half touchdown with his seventh career interception and fifth of his sophomore year.

Craig James: Talking Notre Dame duo with Pony Express Award co-founder Craig James

Special teams: A

Luke Talich took a Josh Burnham pop pass on a fake punt and took it 84 yards for the score. Matt Jeffery alertly pounced on a Stanford squib on the opening kickoff. James Rendell punted just once in the first half but killed a pair of second-half punts inside the 20.

Coaching: B+

Complementary football reigned again as all three phases were too much for the 4-win Cardinal, even on Andrew Luck Bobblehead Night. Reinserting Love into a blowout after he was shaken up proved a curious move.

Overall: A

This was Notre Dame’s 10th straight win and its last “data point” as Dec. 7 and Selection Sunday nears. The Irish made the most of it. Now it’s up to the College Football Playoff Selection Committee.

This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Notre Dame football passes final regular test with flying colors