The 49-20 beatdown of Stanford. That was it. That was the last time we saw the Irish on a field in 2025, and honestly, it’s still weird to think about. If you’re looking for a Notre Dame football final score from a bowl game or a playoff matchup this January, you aren’t going to find one. The scoreboard at Stanford Stadium on November 29, 2025, was the literal end of the line for a season that felt like it had three different lifetimes.
It’s kinda wild. You have a team that rattles off ten straight wins—ten!—and they end up watching the College Football Playoff from their couches in South Bend. Most people expected Marcus Freeman’s squad to be a lock for the 12-team field after they dismantled every opponent in sight from late September through November. But when the final rankings dropped on December 7, the committee did the unthinkable. They left the Irish at No. 11, just outside the bubble, and chose Miami and Alabama instead.
Then came the real shocker. Instead of heading to the Pop-Tarts Bowl for a consolation prize, Notre Dame just... opted out. They said no thanks.
The Scoreboard Doesn't Always Tell the Whole Story
If you just look at the 10-2 record, you’d think it was a standard, successful Notre Dame year. But the way it started was a total train wreck. Losing 27-24 to Miami in the opener was one thing—it’s a rivalry, things get messy. But then they came home and dropped a 41-40 heartbreaker to Texas A&M in South Bend. Starting 0-2? In South Bend, that’s basically a national emergency.
Most teams would have folded. Honestly, I thought the season was cooked. But CJ Carr, the freshman phenom who took over the QB1 spot, turned into a superstar overnight. The Notre Dame football final score against Purdue (56-30) a week later was the spark. From there, they didn't just win; they vaporized people.
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Look at this stretch:
- They hung 56 on Arkansas.
- They shut down a Top-20 USC team 34-24.
- They absolutely embarrassed Syracuse 70-7.
By the time they hit the regular-season finale against Stanford, the Irish were playing some of the best football in the country. The defense, led by guys like Drayk Bowen and Adon Shuler, was allowing next to nothing. They finished the year ranked 3rd in the country in scoring offense and 11th in scoring defense. On paper, that’s a championship-caliber team.
Why the Committee Hated the 10-Win Streak
So, why the snub? It basically came down to that Week 1 loss. Hunter Yurachek, the CFP selection committee chair, was pretty blunt about it. He said the head-to-head loss to Miami was the "deciding factor." Even though Notre Dame looked light-years better in November than Miami did, the committee couldn't get past that August score.
It’s a tough pill to swallow. You have Indiana sitting at No. 1 right now, heading into a national title game against Miami, and Notre Dame has a win over nearly every common opponent they faced. But as an Independent, the Irish don't have a conference championship game to boost their resume at the last minute. That lack of a 13th game really bit them this time.
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The Bowl Game That Never Was
The fallout was immediate. The Pop-Tarts Bowl—which is actually a pretty big deal in the bowl tiering system—reportedly waited hours for a "yes" from Notre Dame. They wanted a matchup between the Irish and BYU. It would have been a top-tier TV draw.
But the Irish players and coaches decided if it wasn't the playoff, it wasn't worth it. They withdrew their name from consideration on December 7. Some fans loved the "playoffs or bust" attitude; others thought it was a missed chance to get CJ Carr more reps. Personally? I think they were just exhausted and frustrated. When you feel like you’ve been "stolen" from—which is the word AD Pete Bevacqua used—it’s hard to get up for a mid-tier bowl game in Orlando.
What’s Next for the Irish in 2026?
The good news? The 2026 outlook is actually insane. For the first time in what feels like forever, Notre Dame has a returning, undisputed starter at quarterback. CJ Carr isn't just "the guy"; he’s the projected face of college football next year.
Plus, the rules are changing. There is a new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that basically guarantees Notre Dame a spot in the expanded playoffs if they finish in the Top 12. No more "subjective" snubs like we saw this year.
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Key Takeaways for Fans
- Schedule Strength: The 2026 schedule is much more manageable, with home games against Miami and USC and no brutal 0-2 start expected.
- Roster Continuity: Almost the entire core of that terrifying defense is coming back.
- The Carr Factor: CJ Carr’s development is the single most important thing. He finished 2025 with 21 interceptions generated by his defense helping him out, but his own stats were Heisman-worthy.
If you’re still dwelling on the Notre Dame football final score from that Stanford game, it’s time to flip the page. The program is in a weird spot where they are both "out" and "up." They are out of the 2025 postseason, but they are arguably the hottest team heading into 2026. Keep an eye on the transfer portal this spring; Freeman is already hunting for more wideout depth to help Carr take that next step.
The 2025 season will always be remembered for the "what if," but the foundation they built during those ten straight wins is real. South Bend isn't mourning anymore—they're just waiting for September.
Check the 2026 spring game dates as soon as they drop, usually in late March, to see the first look at the revamped offensive line. Start looking at travel for the Lambeau Field game against Wisconsin in September 2026; those tickets are already moving on the secondary market. Ensure you have the updated CFP criteria bookmarked, as the new MOU makes the path to the 14-team bracket much clearer for Independent programs.