Despite Playoff Long Shot, Stanford Shows Championship Quality vs. Notre Dame

Week 13 proved bittersweet for Stanford.

Results from other time zones effectively bounced them from the College Football Playoff, but the Cardinal won a rivalry game against No. 6 Notre Dame, 38-36.

The Irish scored what appeared to be the game-winning touchdown with 30 seconds to play, but Stanford kept its cool, drove 45 yards on five plays and won as time expired on a field goal by senior Conrad Ukropina:

Notre Dame outgained the Cardinal by more than 100 yards. It also returned a kickoff for a touchdown. The Irish outplayed Stanford in most situations but lost because of two major factors:

1. Stanford Third-Down Offense: 8-for-12 (66%).
2. Stanford Red-Zone Defense: Four Trips, 16 Points Allowed.

Great teams win even when they struggle. Stanford's defense struggled and then some. But the Cardinal still found a way to win.

The difference between this and Stanford's loss to Oregon—a game with a nearly identical box score and outcome—shows how far the Cardinal have come this season, and even over the past month.

Per ESPN's David Lombardi:

Stanford's red-zone offense was as good as its red-zone defense. It scored touchdowns on all five trips inside the Notre Dame 20-yard line, fixing a problem that has plagued it for years.

Fifth-year senior quarterback Kevin Hogan, whose time in Palo Alto has been divisive, submitted one of his best performances, completing 17 of 21 passes for 269 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions. His last throw was likely his biggest, hitting Devon Cajuste up the seam for 27 yards and moving the Cardinal into field-goal range.

"I challenge anybody to find a better two-minute quarterback in the nation than Kevin Hogan," Stanford head coach David Shaw said after the game, per Lombardi.

After Saturday, it's hard to disagree.

The Cardinal have only a faint hope of making the playoff.

If the following outcomes happen...

1. Stanford blows out USC in the Pac-12 Championship Game
2. Florida beats Alabama in the SEC Championship Game
3. Clemson blows out North Carolina in the ACC Championship Game
4. Iowa beats Michigan State in the Big Ten Championship Game

...they could lobby for inclusion over Ohio State, despite the Buckeyes having one loss to Stanford's two, because Stanford won a power conference while the Buckeyes lost their division. That would place them at No. 4 in a playoff that also includes Clemson, Iowa and Oklahoma.

Realistically, though, they should turn their focus away from the playoff. Even if those four things all occur, OSU might still (and probably would) rank ahead of them. The chance of all four things happening is slim enough. Why hold out hope for a long shot?

Marcio Jose Sanchez/Associated Press

The Cardinal play USC next week with a chance to win the conference and make the Rose Bowl. They started this year outside the Associated Press Top 20—far from "Championship or Bust"—and scored six points in a Week 1 loss at Northwestern.

Look how far they've come in the next 11 games. Look at the foundation they've laid for next year. No matter how you swing it, this season was a massive success.

Saturday was the cherry atop the sundae. 

Brian Leigh covers college football for Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter at @BLeigh35