Instant Reaction: Late Touchdown Lifts Notre Dame Past Stanford 17-14

The two sides each put up one touchdown in a sloppy first half, but the Irish finally managed to break the tie halfway through the 4th quarter with a field goal. However, Stanford responded by cruising down the field and scored a touchdown with just over three minutes to go to take the lead, but Notre Dame went and got a touchdown of their own with one minute left to pull out the victory.

Turning Point: This game was close and wasn't decided until the very end. On fourth down with just over a minute left, Golson scrambled to buy time and found Ben Koyack in the back corner of the end zone, who barely got a foot in for the game-winning touchdown.

Notre Dame MVP: Notre Dame's defense has shut down Stanford's offense to the tune of three sacks and two interceptions, and limited the Cardinal to only 14 points. The Irish offense struggled with Stanford's tough defense and the weather, but their defense gave them just enough of a boost to win the game.

Stanford MVP: Again, we have to give it to Stanford's defense - that's how bad the offenses were in this game. The Cardinal were able to contain Golson and keep him in the pocket, forcing him to make difficult throws that he didn't make often. The result was a low scoring game, which is how Stanford wants to play.

What’s Next?  Notre Dame has put themselves squarely in the mix for the College Football Playoff, while Stanford has essentially been eliminated with their second loss. The Cardinal return to Pac-12 play next week with an easy Friday night matchup at home against Washington State, while the Fighting Irish stay home to face North Carolina a week before traveling to Tallahassee for their showdown with Florida State.

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