The Notre Dame Fighting Irish and Stanford Cardinal have met often over the years, but the 2024 matchup on October 12 enters a strange new world for this rivalry. That’s because Stanford now finds itself a member of the ACC, one of the dramatic conference shifts that helped to implode the Pac-12. The Irish will be focused on wiping away the bad memories of Stanford’s last visit two years ago when the Cardinal pulled off a stunning 16-14 victory.
Troy Taylor will begin his second season as Stanford’s head coach after struggling through a 3-9 campaign last season. That marked the third consecutive year that Stanford had finished with that mark, a drastic change from the first eight seasons of his predecessor, David Shaw. Taylor’s struggles to rebuild will now be coupled with four cross-country trips this season, including the Notre Dame clash.
Stanford Offense: Struggling Running Game Must Improve
Ashton Daniels is ready to start his second season as the Cardinal starting quarterback and comes off a 2023 campaign in which he threw for 2,247 yards and 11 touchdowns. Given his lack of experience, the inconsistency that showed from time to time wasn’t a total surprise. That experience he gained may help him hold off Justin Lamson or top recruit Elijah Brown, the latter getting his feet wet in spring ball as an early enrollee.
The decline in Stanford’s fortunes neatly coincides with an NFL-worthy prospect in the mold of former Cardinal Christian McCaffrey. Last year, no Stanford running back managed to break the 350-yard barrier for the season and the team as a whole averaged just 118.6 yards per contest. Daniels or Brown will gain their share of yardage on the ground, with Sedrick Irvin needing to build on his meager output of 113 yards last season.
When the Cardinal go to the air, wideout Elic Ayomanor will be the main focus of opposing defenses after 62 catches last season. He’s a likely contender for not only All-American status but also as a future NFL receiver. Teaming with him will be Tiger Bachmeier and incoming freshman Emmett Mosley, with Mosley another early enrollee who could make a huge impact. At tight end, Sam Rough after a 28-catch season in 2023.
One area of continuing concern for Stanford is the team’s offensive line, which prior to the team’s decline, offered a steady pipeline of talent to the NFL. All five starters are back, though given their struggles, there’s room for some reserves to make an impact. For now, the tackle spots are manned by Luke Baklenko on the left and Connor McLaughlin on the right. Levi Rogers returns at center and will be flanked by Simione Pale on the right and Trevor Mayberry on the left.
Stanford Defense: Fixes Needed All Around
Any improvement by this side of the ball for Stanford would be welcome after this unit allowed 37 points per game in 2023. A weak pass rush that only collected 23 sacks was part of the problem. Up front, Yale transfer Clay Patterson takes over at nose tackle while defensive tackle Anthony Franklin looks to improve his numbers.
The four-linebacker set Stanford employs does have a star in its midst in David Bailey, who’s quick off the ball and needs to be held in check. On the right side, Tevarua Tafiti is back after being part of five stops behind the line. In the middle, the duo of middle linebacker Tristan Sinclair and weakside backer Gaethan Bernadel need to take the lead in improving the Cardinal’s weak run defense.
In the secondary, the big-play potential of cornerbacks Zahrain Manley and Collin Wright has yet to be realized, in part because they’re too busy making tackles. At strong safety, Mitch Leigber was another busy Stanford defender with 53 stops, while free safety Scotty Edwards is also back after tying Manley for the team lead in pickoffs.
Stanford Special Teams: All Eyes on the Kicker
Emmet Kenney will likely be under an intense microscope at kicker since he’s replacing Joshua Karty, whose booming leg delivered 51 field goals over the past three seasons. Aidan Flintoft and Connor Weselman shared punting duties last season, with their numbers largely the same. On returns, Bryce Farrell will again be handling duties on both kickoffs and punts, something he’s done over the past three seasons. On kickoffs, he’s likely to be joined by Jason Thompson.
The Last Time Notre Dame Faced Stanford
Closing out last year’s regular season, the Irish started slow before exploding for 42 points over the middle two quarters in a resounding 56-23 victory. Audric Estime scored four times on the ground and broke Allen Pinkett’s school record in that department in the process. That slow start was caused in part by three first-half turnovers. However, Notre Dame finished strong, with Jevonte Jean-Baptiste scoring on a 60-yard run off a blocked field goal for the final Irish score of the game.
