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Notre Dame football: Ranking the Irish’s 2021 schedule by entertainment value

By Daniel Morrison

SOUTH BEND, INDIANA - NOVEMBER 07: The Notre Dame Fighting Irish gather in the tunnel before the game against the Clemson Tigers at Notre Dame Stadium on November 7, 2020 in South Bend, Indiana. (Photo by Matt Cashore-Pool/Getty Images)
SOUTH BEND, INDIANA - NOVEMBER 07: The Notre Dame Fighting Irish gather in the tunnel before the game against the Clemson Tigers at Notre Dame Stadium on November 7, 2020 in South Bend, Indiana. (Photo by Matt Cashore-Pool/Getty Images) /
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PALO ALTO, CA – NOVEMBER 30: Tony Jones Jr. #6 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish carries the ball during an NCAA football game against the Stanford Cardinal on November 30, 2019, at Stanford Stadium in Palo Alto, California. Also visible are Curtis Robinson #2 and Stuart Head #18 of Stanford. (Photo by David Madison/Getty Images)
PALO ALTO, CA – NOVEMBER 30: Tony Jones Jr. #6 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish carries the ball during an NCAA football game against the Stanford Cardinal on November 30, 2019, at Stanford Stadium in Palo Alto, California. Also visible are Curtis Robinson #2 and Stuart Head #18 of Stanford. (Photo by David Madison/Getty Images) /

Notre Dame football: Ranking the Irish’s 2021 schedule by entertainment value

No. 7: Stanford, Week 13

Another annual game lost due to the pandemic was the Stanford game. This annual game takes place in California to end the season, as it always does opposite Notre Dame’s trip to USC. It’s also a game that had given Brian Kelly trouble for years when he first got to Notre Dame, but as Stanford has regressed over the years, Notre Dame has managed to take control of the series.

Still, this game has a chance to be a great rivalry game again. It’s at Stanford, and the Cardinal was good in a small 2020 sample size. For straight wins to end the season, including one over the rightful PAC-12 North winner, Washington, left a feeling of tense excitement around their program.

In many ways, Stanford is who they always have been under David Shaw, for better or worse. They tough. They’re not afraid of anyone. They’re a pro-style program. When it works, it’s great. When it doesn’t, things can get desperate quickly.

Should Notre Dame win this game? Certainly. Will it be easy? It seldom is.

  • Notre Dame leads the all-time series 20-13. They last met in 2019, when the Irish won 45-24. 
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