GAME THREAD: GAME THREAD: NCAAF: NOTRE DAME at STANFORD

NCAAF: NOTRE DAME at STANFORD

<div class="pre">NCAAF NOTRE DAME 14
STANFORD 14 10:38 LEFT, 4TH QTR</div>

 

NCAAF: NOTRE DAME at STANFORD

<div class="pre">NCAAF NOTRE DAME 14
STANFORD 14 9:30 LEFT, 4TH QTR</div>

 

NCAAF: NOTRE DAME at STANFORD

<div class="pre">NCAAF NOTRE DAME 14
STANFORD 14 8:57 LEFT, 4TH QTR</div>

 

NCAAF: NOTRE DAME at STANFORD

<div class="pre">NCAAF NOTRE DAME 14
STANFORD 14 7:59 LEFT, 4TH QTR</div>

 

NCAAF: NOTRE DAME at STANFORD

<div class="pre">NCAAF TD NOTRE DAME
ROBERT HUGHES 6 YD RUN
(BRANDON WALKER KICK)

NOTRE DAME 21
STANFORD 14 6:06 LEFT, 4TH QTR</div>

 

NCAAF: NOTRE DAME at STANFORD

<div class="pre">NCAAF NOTRE DAME 21
STANFORD 14 5:49 LEFT, 4TH QTR</div>

 

NCAAF: NOTRE DAME at STANFORD

<div class="pre">NCAAF NOTRE DAME 21
STANFORD 14 4:30 LEFT, 4TH QTR</div>

 

NCAAF: NOTRE DAME at STANFORD

<div class="pre">NCAAF NOTRE DAME 21
STANFORD 14 3:24 LEFT, 4TH QTR</div>

 

NCAAF: NOTRE DAME at STANFORD

<div class="pre">NCAAF NOTRE DAME 21
STANFORD 14 2:43 LEFT, 4TH QTR</div>

 

NCAAF: NOTRE DAME at STANFORD

<div class="pre">NCAAF NOTRE DAME 21
STANFORD 14 2:18 LEFT, 4TH QTR</div>

 

NCAAF: NOTRE DAME at STANFORD

<div class="pre">NCAAF NOTRE DAME 21
STANFORD 14 0:36 LEFT, 4TH QTR</div>

 

NCAAF: NOTRE DAME at STANFORD

<div class="pre">NCAAF FINAL 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
--- --- --- --- -----
NOTRE DAME 7 7 0 7 21
STANFORD 7 7 0 0 14 FINAL

SCORING SUMMARY

1ST QUARTER: NOTRE DAME - TD, JIMMY CLAUSEN 2 YD RUN
(BRANDON WALKER KICK), 10:03.
NOTRE DAME 7-0
STANFORD - TD, ANTHONY KIMBLE 1 YD RUN
(DERRICK BELCH KICK), 13:24.
NOTRE DAME 7-7
2ND QUARTER: STANFORD - TD, ANTHONY KIMBLE 11 YD RUN
(DERRICK BELCH KICK), 12:06.
STANFORD 14-7
NOTRE DAME - TD, TRAVIS THOMAS 1 YD RUN
(BRANDON WALKER KICK), 14:12.
NOTRE DAME 14-14
3RD QUARTER: NONE
4TH QUARTER: NOTRE DAME - TD, ROBERT HUGHES 6 YD RUN
(BRANDON WALKER KICK), 8:54.
NOTRE DAME 21-14</div>

 

PALO ALTO, California (Ticker) -- Robert Hughes provided abright end to an otherwise dismal season for Notre Dame.

The freshman running back scored a six-yard touchdown in thefourth quarter and the Fighting Irish made a late defensivestand to preserve a 21-14 victory over Stanford on Saturday.

Notre Dame (3-9), which finished its season with back-to-backvictories, avoided earning double-digit losses for the firsttime in the program's storied history. The Fighting Irishhaven't finished with a two-win season since a 2-7 campaign in1963.


Hughes rushed 18 times for 137 yards - and his 44-yard runaround the left tackle late in the fourth quarter put Notre Dameat Stanford's 8-yard line.


Two plays later, Hughes ran around the right tackle and into theend zone to give the Fighting Irish the eventual winning marginwith 6:06 remaining.


Stanford (3-8) took the ensuing possession down the field beforeNotre Dame made a defensive stand at its 6-yard line.

On 3rd-and-goal, quarterback T.C. Ostrander hit Evan Moore inthe hands, but the wide receiver was unable to make the catch.Ostrander's pass to Richard Sherman fell incomplete on the nextplay, sealing the win for Notre Dame with 30 seconds left.

Ostrander, who was in the game after starting quarterback TavitaPritchard sustained a concussion, finished 4-of-8 for 43 yards.

Notre Dame freshman quarterback Jimmy Clausen opened the scoringwith a two-yard run with 4:57 remaining in the first quarter.Notre Dame received great field position after safety TomZbikowski intercepted Pritchard and returned the ball toStanford's 14.


Anthony Kimble scored on touchdown runs of one and 11 yards togive Stanford a 14-7 lead. The senior capped an eight-play,69-yard drive to tie the game at 7-7 with 1:36 remaining in thefirst quarter.


Kimble then gave the Cardinal the lead with 2:54 remaining inthe second quarter. His run capped a seven-play, 49-yard drive.

Travis Thomas leveled the score with a one-yard run with just 48seconds before halftime.


Both teams routinely showed why they are having disappointingseasons.


After Zbikowski's 60-yard punt return put the Irish on theStanford 31, Notre Dame ran three plays for minus-16 yards toset up a punt. Stanford's Kelton Lynn, however, ran into thepunter to give Notre Dame a fresh set of downs.


On the next play, Clausen found David Grimes for what looked tobe a 31-yard scoring strike. The officials reviewed the playand ruled that the ball hit the ground.


Notre Dame had to settle for a field-goal attempt, but BrandonWalker missed the 44-yard kick.


Stanford then took the next possession and moved the ball insidethe 10 yard line. Conservative offensive play calling - and adelay of game penalty - net Stanford a 30-yard field goalattempt by Derek Belch, who promptly booted it wide right.

 

NCAAF: NOTRE DAME at STANFORD

<div class="pre">NCAAF FINAL 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
--- --- --- --- -----
NOTRE DAME 7 7 0 7 21
STANFORD 7 7 0 0 14 FINAL

SCORING SUMMARY

1ST QUARTER: NOTRE DAME - TD, JIMMY CLAUSEN 2 YD RUN
(BRANDON WALKER KICK), 10:03.
NOTRE DAME 7-0
STANFORD - TD, ANTHONY KIMBLE 1 YD RUN (MATT
BENTLER KICK), 13:24. NOTRE
DAME 7-7
2ND QUARTER: STANFORD - TD, ANTHONY KIMBLE 11 YD RUN
(DERRICK BELCH KICK), 12:06.
STANFORD 14-7
NOTRE DAME - TD, TRAVIS THOMAS 1 YD RUN
(BRANDON WALKER KICK), 14:12.
NOTRE DAME 14-14
3RD QUARTER: NONE
4TH QUARTER: NOTRE DAME - TD, ROBERT HUGHES 6 YD RUN
(BRANDON WALKER KICK), 8:54.
NOTRE DAME 21-14</div>

 

NCAAF: NOTRE DAME at STANFORD

<div class="pre">NCAAF FINAL 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
--- --- --- --- -----
NOTRE DAME 7 7 0 7 21
STANFORD 7 7 0 0 14 FINAL

NOTRE DAME-TD, J Clausen 2 YD RUN (B Walker KICK) 10:03 1st
Qtr
STANFORD-TD, A Kimble 1 YD RUN (M Bentler KICK) 13:24 1st
Qtr
STANFORD-TD, A Kimble 11 YD RUN (D Belch KICK) 12:06 2nd
Qtr
NOTRE DAME-TD, T Thomas 1 YD RUN (B Walker KICK) 14:12 2nd
Qtr
NOTRE DAME-TD, R Hughes 6 YD RUN (B Walker KICK) 8:54 4th
Qtr


NOTRE DAME STANFORD
First downs 19 18
Rushed-yards 38-117 44-175
Passing yards 196 152
Sacked-yards lost 5-37 5-23
Return yards 110 21
Passes 19-32-1 15-33-2
Punts 5-35.2 6-32.2
Fumbles-lost 3-3 0-0
Penalties-yards 4-46 8-81
Time of possession 25:45 34:15


Individual Statistics

RUSHING: NOTRE DAME-Robert Hughes 18-136, Armando Allen Jr. 6-4, Asaph
Schwapp 3-3, Travis Thomas 1-1, - Team 2-MINUS 5, Jimmy Clausen
8-MINUS 22. STANFORD-Anthony Kimble 20-80, Jeremy Stewart 13-54,
Tavita Pritchard 9-35, Corey Gatewood 1-9, T.C. Ostrander 1-MINUS 3.

PASSING: NOTRE DAME-Jimmy Clausen 19-32-196- 1. STANFORD-Tavita
Pritchard 10-24-102- 2. T.C. Ostrander 5-9-50- 0.

RECEIVING: NOTRE DAME-Duval Kamara 6-93, Junior Jabbie 3-35, John
Carlson 3-29, George West Jr. 1-11, David Grimes 2-10, Armando Allen
Jr. 1-9, Golden Tate 1-5, Robert Hughes 2-4. STANFORD-Mark Bradford
7-111, Evan Moore 1-8, Austin Gunder 1-7, Owen Marecic 1-7, Ben Ladner
1-5, Corey Gatewood 1-5, Richard Sherman 1-5, Anthony Kimble 1-3,
Jeremy Stewart 1-1.


Att: 48,953</div>

 

PALO ALTO, California (Ticker) -- Robert Hughes provided abright end to an otherwise dismal season for Notre Dame.

The freshman running back scored a six-yard touchdown in thefourth quarter and the Fighting Irish made a late defensivestand to preserve a 21-14 victory over Stanford on Saturday.

Notre Dame (3-9), which finished its season with back-to-backvictories, avoided earning double-digit losses for the firsttime in the program's storied history. The Fighting Irishhaven't finished with a two-win season since a 2-7 campaign in1963.


Hughes rushed 18 times for 137 yards - and his 44-yard runaround the left tackle late in the fourth quarter put Notre Dameat Stanford's 8-yard line.


Two plays later, Hughes ran around the right tackle and into theend zone to give the Fighting Irish the eventual winning marginwith 6:06 remaining.


Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis credited his young players formaking an impact - both on Saturday, and throughout the season.

"All along, we knew we were playing with some talented youngguys," Weis said. "And that there was going to be a growingprocess that takes place. There are some growing pains thattake place when you're doing it, but you know this game preparesus for next year."


Stanford (3-8) took the ensuing possession down the field beforeNotre Dame made a defensive stand at its 6-yard line.

On 3rd-and-goal, quarterback T.C. Ostrander hit Evan Moore inthe hands, but the wide receiver was unable to make the catch.Ostrander's pass to Richard Sherman fell incomplete on the nextplay, sealing the win for Notre Dame with 30 seconds left.

"We had a chance to tie the game at the end, and we just didn'tdo it," Moore said. "We had a great opportunity to tie the gameand T.C. threw a great ball to me, and I just dropped it.

"This is disappointing, but it is not like we haven't done thisbefore. We have to bounce back and be ready for next week. Wehave been through this before, and we just need to bounce backand be ready to play against California."


The disappointing finish was echoed by Ostrander as well.

"It is the same story every week, we are just killingourselves," Ostrander said. "There were missed opportunities,whether it is a dropped ball or a missed throw. It isinexcusable at this time in the season, and that is why it is sofrustrating."


Ostrander, who was in the game after starting quarterback TavitaPritchard sustained a concussion, finished 4-of-8 for 43 yards.

Notre Dame freshman quarterback Jimmy Clausen opened the scoringwith a two-yard run with 4:57 remaining in the first quarter.Notre Dame received great field position after safety TomZbikowski intercepted Pritchard and returned the ball toStanford's 14.


Anthony Kimble scored on touchdown runs of one and 11 yards togive Stanford a 14-7 lead. The senior capped an eight-play,69-yard drive to tie the game at 7-7 with 1:36 remaining in thefirst quarter.


Kimble then gave the Cardinal the lead with 2:54 remaining inthe second quarter. His run capped a seven-play, 49-yard drive.

Travis Thomas leveled the score with a one-yard run with just 48seconds before halftime.


Both teams routinely showed why they are having disappointingseasons.


After Zbikowski's 60-yard punt return put the Irish on theStanford 31, Notre Dame ran three plays for minus-16 yards toset up a punt. Stanford's Kelton Lynn, however, ran into thepunter to give Notre Dame a fresh set of downs.


On the next play, Clausen found David Grimes for what looked tobe a 31-yard scoring strike. The officials reviewed the playand ruled that the ball hit the ground.


"I thought I had (the catch). The refs didn't," Grimes said."I was running, and I was like, 'I got to turn it up.' I knew Icouldn't just run under it so I just dove, and it wound up inmy hand. I knew I had it."


Notre Dame had to settle for a field-goal attempt, but BrandonWalker missed the 44-yard kick.


Stanford then took the next possession and moved the ball insidethe 10 yard line. Conservative offensive play calling - and adelay of game penalty - net Stanford a 30-yard field goalattempt by Derek Belch, who promptly booted it wide right.