A look back at recent memorable matchups between Notre Dame and Stanford

SOUTH BEND, Ind. (WNDU) - Saturday marks the 38th meeting all-time between Notre Dame and Stanford, and it’s a rivalry that goes back to the 1925 Rose Bowl.

Knute Rockne and the Four Horseman defeated Pop Warner’s Cardinal team 27-10. Elmer Layden scored three touchdowns for the Irish — one rushing touchdown and two returned interceptions.

In 1989, the Legends Trophy was created. The trophy honors both the winning team and the first game played between the two universities in the 1925 Rose Bowl.

It consists of Irish crystal and California redwood — two symbols of the universities. It also lists the scores of each game played since 1925.

“It’s an important rivalry for our program,” says Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman. “Obviously, two years ago, they came in here and they beat us. And last year, in the second quarter, we were down, I think, 14 to 13, at one point. So, we really have to prepare.”

Let’s now take a look back at some of the more memorable matchups between these two teams, starting with 2012.

2012: No. 7 Notre Dame 20, No. 17 Stanford 13 (OT)

The Irish hit a field goal with 20 seconds left to tie the game and send it into overtime. Stanford drove the ball down to the Irish 4-yard-line.

The Irish stopped the Cardinal three consecutive times to make it fourth-and-goal from the 1-yard line. Stepfan Taylor was called short of the goal line in a very controversial call to some.

Notre Dame would go on to win the game 20-13 and would go on to have an undefeated regular season before falling to Alabama in the BCS National Championship Game.

This win has since been vacated after all wins from Notre Dame’s 2012 and 2013 seasons were vacated by the NCAA due to the use of ineligible players.

2014: No. 9 Notre Dame 17, No. 14 Stanford 14

Notre Dame and Stanford were tied at 7 going into the second half in what was a very cold and rainy game.

Stanford scored a touchdown with three minutes left in the game to go up 14-10.

Everett Golson and the Irish capped off a two-minute drive, hitting Ben Koyack in the end zone for a 23-yard touchdown to win the game.

2015: No. 9 Stanford 38, No. 6 Notre Dame 36

Notre Dame saw its playoff hopes come to an end in a back-and-forth game that had 10 lead changes.

Down 35-29 with 6:48 left in the game, the Irish drove 88 yards in 15 plays to take a 36-35 lead with just 30 seconds left in the game.

But the defense could not hold Stanford, who drove 45 yards in just 28 seconds to kick a game-winning field goal.

2018: No. 8 Notre Dame 38, No. 7 Stanford 17

Tied at 14, Notre Dame took the lead at the end of the first half with a Chase Claypool touchdown.

The Irish would put this one away in the fourth quarter thanks to a quick series of big plays. After pushing their lead to 14 on an Ian Book touchdown pass to Miles Boykin, Te’von Coney would pick off Stanford quarterback K.J. Costello on the very next play from scrimmage.

Notre Dame’s first play after the pick was a 35-yard touchdown pass from Book to tight end Alizé Mack, giving the Irish a 38-17 victory and their first win over a top 10 opponent since 2012.

2022: Stanford 16, Notre Dame 14

In Freeman’s first game against Stanford. Joshua Karty kicked three field goals for the Cardinal to lead them to a 16-14 victory over the Irish.

The loss dropped the Irish to 3-3 on the season, but they would turn things around, going 6-1 down the stretch to finish Freeman’s first season at the helm with an 8-4 record.

2023: No. 18 Notre Dame 56, Stanford 23

Trailing 13-7 after the first quarter, the Irish came back to win in dominate fashion.

Audric Estimé ran for 238 yards and four touchdowns, leading the Irish to a 56-23 victory to take back the Legends Trophy.

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