STANFORD, Calif. – Ian Book threw for 255 yards and four touchdowns and No. 15 Notre Dame reached double-digit wins for the third straight season by beating Stanford 45-24 on Saturday afternoon.
Book threw two touchdown passes to Chase Claypool and also connected with Tony Jones Jr. and Tommy Tremble to help the Fighting Irish (10-2, No. 16 CFP) snap a five-game losing streak at Stanford Stadium. Notre Dame also put together three straight seasons of at least 10 wins for the second time in school history, having previously done it under Lou Holtz from 1991-93.
Davis Mills threw two touchdown passes for the Cardinal (4-8), which finished with a losing record for the first time since 2008.
Despite having 27 players unavailable due to injury, Stanford started fast and led 17-7 midway through the second quarter. The Cardinal opened the scoring with 11:26 remaining in the first quarter, as Mills hooked up with Brycen Tremayne on a five-yard touchdown for a 7-0 lead. It was third reception of the season for Tremayne – all of which have resulted in touchdowns.
After Notre Dame countered two minutes later to make it 7-7, Ryan Sanborn converted a 24-yard field goal to put Stanford back in front 10-7.
The Cardinal seized its largest lead at 17-7 when Mills connected with Michael Wilson on a 27-yard score. Wilson led all receivers with 10 catches for 96 yards, becoming the first Cardinal player with 10 catches since JJ Arcega-Whiteside hauled in 10 against Washington State on Oct. 27, 2018.
Notre Dame responded with 31 unanswered points, capped by C'Bo Flemister's 1-yard run with 5:10 left in the fourth quarter.
Cameron Scarlett's nine-yard touchdown run with 1:54 remaining closed out the Cardinal's scoring. Scarlett ended with 43 yards on 13 carries.