Notre Dame possesses the ball as the third quarter ends. Irish are up 30-9.

Bevacqua said that in addition to the CFP snub, Notre Dame also weighed the value of allowing its players to focus on final exams and to return home for the holidays in assessing its desire to play in a bowl game. The decision largely rested on the shoulders of the team captains, with whom coach Marcus Freeman consulted in making the decision.

Notre Dame will face Stanford on Saturday, Nov. 29, 2025, in Stanford, California. The Fighting Irish enter the game with a 9-2 record, while Stanford is 4-7. Kickoff is scheduled for 10:30 p.m. ET and the game will be broadcast on ESPN. Notre Dame is ...