Notre Dame Running Backs Lead Notre Dame To Record Breaking Win Over Stanford

Notre Dame, Ind. - Three Notre Dame running backs combined for 380 total yards while CJ Carr had a ho-hum day at the office as the Fighting Irish (6-0) cruised to a 58-7win over hapless Stanford. Nolan James, Jr, Aneyas Williams and Jonaz Walton combined for five touchdowns as well in Notre Dame’s fourth straight win over the Cardinal (2-4). 

Walton cracked the century mark on the ground for the second straight week thanks in large part to a 97-yard touchdown run on his first carry of the game. He tallied 181 rush yards to go with 28 more through the air. He scored on a 40-yard run as well and averaged 13.9 yards on 15 total touches in the game while setting the program's freshman single game rushing record.

James had 73 rushing yards and scored on runs of two and 31 yards. Williams finished with 98 yards from scrimmage, including a 70-yard touchdown catch. Freshman back Javion Osborne entered the game late and scored his first career touchdown to give the Irish backfield six total touchdowns in the game. The 51-point margin of victory is Notre Dame's largest in 40 meetings with the Cardinal. 

Meanwhile, Carr was his efficient and decisive self while going 14 of 20 for 181 passing with three touchdown passes to three different receivers. He ran five times for a career-high 41 yards as well. It was his third consecutive game with at least three touchdowns to bring his season total to 16 through six games.  

Boubacar Traore established his presence with authority immediately. His strip sack of Davis Warren, who was 12 of 22 for 144 yards, on the game’s first play from scrimmage was recovered by Jaiden Ausberry at the Cardinal 20 and James scored from two yards out four plays later for the first points of the game.  

The Irish defense forced a pair of 3-and-outs by Stanford, and the offense reached the end zone for a second time on its third drive of the game. Carr hit Jaden Greathouse with a three-yard slant for the receiver’s second TD in as many weeks.  

Walton was No. 3 in Notre Dame’s running back rotation, again, but he made the game’s biggest play when he went 97 yards on his first touch of the game to put the Irish up 20-0 on the first play of the second quarter. Spencer Porath missed an extra point for the first time in his career on the kick try afterwards. 

Porath made up for it with a 33-yard field goal the next time the Irish had the ball. The Irish settled for the kick after gaining just four yards after Traore intercepted Warren to give the Irish the ball at the Cardinal 19. 

The Fighting Irish started their next drive at the Stanford 39 after a 37-yard punt return by Jordan Faison. James broke a tackle and bounced outside to his right to score from 31 yards out on the third play of the drive to make it 30-0 with 7:05 left in the first half.  

Williams became the third Irish running back to score in the game, but he did it as a receiver when he lined up in the slot and hit the left sideline after reeling in a toss from Carr and then raced 70 yards to the end zone for the first touchdown reception of his career. 

Elijah Burress scored his first career touchdown on a strike from Carr from 30 yards out. Burress became the ninth different player to catch a Carr pass and the third to catch a Carr touchdown on the day while putting the Irish up 44-0 with 4:37 left in the third quarter.  

The Cardinal finally cracked the scoreboard on their ensuing possession when Warren connected with tight end Benji Blackburn from three yards out. The TD was set up by a 52-yard pass to Caden High courtesy of a busted coverage.  

Walton scored his second touchdown run of the day on a 40-yard run to make it 51-7. Noah Grubbs entered the game at quarterback to start the drive and completed 2 of 3 passes for 30 yards in the series. Grubbs went 5 of 7 for 56 passing yards.  

Osborne put the finishing touches on the scoring with his first career touchdown run with 3 minutes to play. The Irish topped 600 yards of total offense while holding Stanford to 202 after Mark Zackery IV’s interception with 1:26 to play.