Day after: Final thoughts on Notre Dame’s impressive win over Stanford

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Notre Dame football wasted no time getting a lead against visiting Stanford, and then cruised to a 58-7 victory in the annual “Irish Wear Green” game.

Freshman Jonaz Walton was the star, accounting for over 200-yards from scrimmage with a pair of touchdowns. Defensively, linebacker Drayk Bowen led the team in tackles, but it was edge Boubacar Traore who made the biggest plays of the afternoon.

It was a very good win for Notre Dame and here are some thoughts wrapping up the win over the Cardinal.

Did Notre Dame play at a College Football Playoff championship level?

To me this was a yes, at least while the starters were in. They built a 44-0 lead, then gave up a touchdown with just a few minutes left in the third quarter. This was one of the more complete games that we’ll see from the Irish, and it was a big step in the right direction for a number of reasons.

CJ Carr was a bit off for Notre Dame

Carr has built enough credibility to have an off-game, and if it’s going 14-of-20 for 181-yards and three touchdowns, then it’s still a pretty good showing. He threw a few passes that weren’t normal for him, one of them almost going for an interception. Carr probably took a step back in the Heisman Trophy conversation, but I really think he cares much more about the win than the hardware.

Two running backs have emerged in Jonaz Walton and Nolan James Jr.

Entering the year, Aneyas Williams looks like the sure thing to replace Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price. Halfway through the season, that is not the case. It has been Walton and James who have looked better, and it was on display once against Stanford. The freshman’s first touch went 95-yards to the house, ending with 181-yards on 13 carries, with Walton scoring his first two touchdowns of his Notre Dame career. James has just been solid, 10 carries for 73-yards, surpassing the 250-mark on the season. Williams touches going forward should be in spot situations, as both younger players have earned more playing time.

Boubacar Traore’s breakout is here

As noted last week, Traore was on the cusp of becoming a household name. After a sack-fumble and interception, that mission should be complete. He’s taken his game to another level, as he should surpass the 6.5 sacks he had last year. Traore’s draft stock is soaring, and he’s looking like a first-round pick.

Micah Gilbert has disappeared

After back-to-back big games against Michigan State and Purdue, Gilbert has gone fairly quiet over the last two, with 4 catches for 44-yards. He had just one against the Cardinal for 10 yards, as the breakout is not complete. Gilbert will have to show more consistency to really be a threat in the passing game.

Notre Dame got some help Saturday

The Irish were nearly a shoo-in to be No. 1, but Georgia staved off Alabama late, and the Bulldogs will most likely take the top spot with Texas losing to Oklahoma. North Carolina bounced back from last week’s loss at the hand of Notre Dame to knock off ranked Pittsburgh, and BYU escaped Iowa State on Friday night to set up a top-10 matchup next weekend. A great weekend for the Irish, as they look like even more of a lock to make the CFP, even with a loss along the way.

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This article originally appeared on Fighting Irish Wire: Day after: Final thoughts on Notre Dame’s impressive win over Stanford

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