Irish Breakdown

Notre Dame Gets Mega-Late Kickoff Time for Stanford Finale

Most Notre Dame fans will need a pot of coffee or two for the regular season finale on Thanksgiving weekend
Nick Shepkowski|
Oct 11, 2025; South Bend, Indiana, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach Marcus Freeman looks to the scoreboard against the NC State Wolfpack during the first half at Notre Dame Stadium.
Oct 11, 2025; South Bend, Indiana, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach Marcus Freeman looks to the scoreboard against the NC State Wolfpack during the first half at Notre Dame Stadium. | Michael Caterina-Imagn Images

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Notre Dame Fighting IrishStanford Cardinal

Get ready for Thanksgiving weekend, Notre Dame fans. Make sure you have that extra pot or two of coffee ready to go Saturday night because after you're exhausted from spending the holiday with family and possibly enjoying a few libations, you'll likely need a little extra caffeine to make it to kick off for Notre Dame's regular season finale at Stanford.

That's because Notre Dame and Stanford will kick off at 10:30 p.m. ET on November 29. You read that right - a kickoff after 10:00 p.m. in the eastern time zone.

The game time was announced on Monday, as Notre Dame prepares for its own senior day this weekend against Syracuse (3-7).

Likely Final Hurdle Between Notre Dame and College Football Playoff Appearance

The regular season finale for Notre Dame at Stanford will likely be the final thing between the Fighting Irish and a return trip to the College Football Playoff. Notre Dame sits 8-2 after beating Pittsburgh easily this past weekend and has a game Saturday against a 3-7 Syracuse team that has struggled to play slightly competitive football in what is a lowly ACC.

Stanford has struggled to a 3-7 mark on the year, with its only ACC victories coming over Boston College and Florida State to date. It also beat San Jose State by one point in non-conference play.

Notre Dame vs. Stanford Used to Mean A Lot More

Notre Dame stops Stanford on the goal line of the 2012 classic between the two team
Oct. 13, 2012; South Bend, IN, USA; Stanford Cardinal running back Stepfan Taylor (33) attempts to dive over the goal line as Notre Dame Fighting Irish nose guard Louis Nix (9) and linebacker Manti Te'o (5) defend in overtime at Notre Dame Stadium. Notre Dame won 20-13. | Matt Cashore-Imagn Images

It's hard to believe for the younger audience that is in their early days of college football fandom, but Notre Dame and Stanford used to mean a lot more than just comparing undergrad's SAT scores. It used to be played for a potential spot in a major bowl game or the College Football Playoff regularly.

Now it's hardly more than an afterthought, as the Cardinal have fallen hard from college football's high life.

Since the Covid season of 2020 concluded, Stanford has gone 3-9 in each year since. Add it all up and the Cardinal is a combined 15-43 since the start of the 2021 season. It sits at 3-7 currently, but Cal and Notre Dame remaining this season, another 3-9 mark is certainly not out of question.

It makes 2015 feel more like a century ago than a decade ago. That year, Stanford overcame a late Notre Dame touchdown to kick a game-winning field goal as time expired to knock Notre Dame out of the College Football Playoff. The Cardinal would beat USC a week later to win the Pac 12 championship before routing Iowa in the Rose Bowl.

Between 2010 and 2017, Stanford finished the year ranked in the AP Poll top 12 six different times. It has failed to finish a season ranked since, however. and it certainly seems that Notre Dame will be set to hand it another blowout to close the year.

How many people stay awake to see it through to the end remains to be seen, however.

Published
Nick Shepkowski
NICK SHEPKOWSKI

Managing Editor for Notre Dame On SI. Started covering Chicago sports teams for WSCR the Score, and over the years worked with CBS Radio, Audacy, NBC Sports, and FOX Sports as a contributor before running the Notre Dame wire site for USA TODAY.

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