Toronto Star
· collected 2026-10-11 · by Curt Rallo The Associated Press
Notre Dame's freshman running back Jonaz Walton scored on a 97-yard run, the third longest offensive play in Notre Dame Stadium history, helping the No. 3 Fighting Irish defeat Stanford 58-7 on Saturday. Walton finished with 181 rushing yards, which is both his season high and a program record for most rushing yards by a true freshman. The win extended Notre Dame's winning streak to 16 games, all by double-digit margins.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-11,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Freshman Jonaz Walton scored on a 97-yard run — the third longest offensive play in Notre Dame Stadium history — and finished with 181 yards as the No. 3 Fighting Irish routed Stanford 58-7 on Saturday.
asserted
Irish → score → Saturday
Walton’s 181 yards are the most by a Notre Dame running back this season, and it’s a program record for most rushing yards in a game by a true freshman.
asserted
it → ’ → freshman
Walton also scored on a 40-yard run against Stanford.
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Walton → score → Stanford
The only longer offensive plays at Notre Dame Stadium besides Walton’s 97-yard run belong to Josh Adams (2015 vs. Wake Forest) and Jeremiyah Love (2024 vs. Indiana).
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plays → belong → Indiana
Each had 98-yard scoring runs.
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Each → have → runs
Notre Dame (6-0) extended its overall winning streak to 16 games — all by double-digits.
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Dame → extend → digits
The Fighting Irish edged closer to the record of 21 consecutive double-digit victory margins set by Army (1944-46).
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Irish → edge → Army
Five of Notre Dame’s touchdowns were of 30-or-more yards, led by Walton’s stunning 97-yard run.
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Five → lead → run
“We know he’s gifted,” Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman said of Walton.
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Freeman → know → Walton
“He has a lot of ability.
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He → have → ability
But what you’re seeing now is that he’s being consistent in practice, consistent in his reads, consistent in what he is every single day that’s giving him more opportunities to go out there and play on the field.
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that → see → field
“When you’re consistent in your everyday play and everyday expectations, now you’ll get more opportunities and then you can make one pop like that.
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one → ’re → that
I mean, that was a great play.”
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that → mean → ?
Walton isn’t a starter, but he’s getting more and more time on the field.
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he → get → field
He credited his offensive line, the coaches and, in particular, fellow running backs Aneyas Williams and Nolan James Jr.
“I’ve learned how to practice at this level,” Walton said of how Williams and James have helped him progress.
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him → credit → level
“Those are two really impressive running backs, the way they read, the way they work, the way they train.
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they → read → ?
I’m continuously looking up to those guys.”
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I → look → guys
C.J. Carr finished with 14-of-20 passing for 181 yards and three touchdowns.
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Carr → finish → yards
He also rushed five times for 41 yards.
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He → rush → yards
Williams rushed seven times for 28 yards, but scored on a 70-yard pass from Carr.
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Williams → rush → Carr
James carried the ball 10 times for 73 yards and two touchdowns.
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James → carry → yards
Notre Dame’s defense set a tone in the first 12 seconds.
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defense → set → seconds
Boubacar Traore sacked Stanford quarterback Davis Warren and forced a fumble recovered by Jaiden Ausberry.
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Traore → sack → Ausberry
Two plays later, James scored from the 3 at the 14:07 mark of the first quarter.
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James → score → quarter
Traore also had an interception and a tackle for loss.
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Traore → have → loss
Stanford (2-4) scored in the third quarter.
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Stanford → score → quarter
A 52-yard rocket from Warren to Caden High set up a three-yard TD strike from Warren to Benji Blackburn.
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rocket → set → Blackburn
The Cardinal road losing streak is now 14 games — the longest road losing streak in the nation, tied with Ball State.
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streak → tie → State
Stanford has been outscored 115-10 in its last two games.
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Stanford → outscore → games
“That was a disappointing effort,” Stanford head coach Tavita Pritchard said.
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Pritchard → say → ?
“I take full responsibility for that.
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I → take → that
We were not ready to play.
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We → play → ?
We didn’t play well enough.
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We → play → ?
“Notre Dame is sound at all levels of their defense,” Pritchard said.
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Pritchard → say → defense
“They’re good up front.
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They → ’re → front
They’re good at the second level.
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They → ’re → level
I know they had some guys out at the second level and defensive backfield, but they challenge you, they mix up looks, they’re not afraid to play man.
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they → know → man
They really make you go beat them.”
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you → make → them
Notre Dame entered the game ranked No. 1 in total defense, allowing only 216.4 yards of total offense a game.
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Dame → enter → offense
The Irish only allowed 202 yards of total offense against Stanford.
asserted
Irish → allow → Stanford
…and 8 more, not listed.