Notre Dame routs Stanford – best photos from regular season finale – Fighting Irish Wire

Notre Dame routed Stanford 45-14 on Saturday night to wrap up their 2021 regular season with an 11-1 record.  Will it be enough to get the Irish into the College Football Playoff?  They’ll certainly need at least some help to get in but exactly how much is the grand question.

Related: Joel Klatt’s updated top 10 college football rankings

Notre Dame’s defense was again stellar, pitching a first half shutout against the Cardinal, who finish the year just 3-9.

Regardless of what happens in terms of the postseason, this was one of Brian Kelly’s best coaching jobs to date when you consider the issues this team had early on.  The Irish finishing the year 11-1 certainly wasn’t expected after that narrow escape against Toledo in week two, but this team improved weekly and now at least has a seat at the table when it comes to debating College Football Playoff merits.

Related: New College Football Playoff rankings projections

Enjoy pictures from the 45-14 win and regular season conclusion below!