Leonard Moore was not available during the Notre Dame Fighting Irish’s rivalry game against the Stanford Cardinal. It appears star cornerback Moore was not needed for Notre Dame, as the team defeated Stanford 58-7 to retain control of the Legends Trophy.
Fighting Irish quarterback CJ Carr completed 14 of 20 passes for 181 passing yards and three touchdowns while also rushing for a career-high 41 yards. Freshman running back Jonaz Walton ran the ball 13 times for 181 rushing yards and two touchdowns, while running back Nolan James Jr. carried the ball 10 times for 73 yards and two touchdowns. Running back Aneyas Williams caught a pass for a 70-yard touchdown, with freshman wide receiver Elijah Burress scoring on a 30-yard touchdown.
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The Notre Dame defense was strong even without Moore, with defensive end Boubacar Traore and cornerback Mark Zackery IV both recording interceptions. Marcus Freeman and his Fighting Irish are now ranked No. 2 in the AP Poll as they head to Provo to face the No. 8 BYU Cougars on Saturday. With Moore missing the last game, the Fighting Irish took to social media to make an announcement about cornerback Moore.
The Lott IMPACT Trophy, presented by Allied Universal, is awarded annually to the nation’s top defensive player who also exhibits high character off the field, in honor of Ronnie Lott. Former Fighting Irish linebacker Manti Te’o previously won the award in 2012.
In the 2026 college football season, the unanimous All-American recorded eight tackles along with four passes deflected. In the 2024 season, the 6-foot-2 cornerback was named a Freshman All-American after stepping in for the injured Benjamin Morrison, and has been a lockdown cornerback ever since.
“The nation’s top defensive player 🔒,” the Notre Dame Fighting Irish wrote in the Instagram caption. “Leonard Moore has been named a Lott IMPACT Trophy quarterfinalist. #GoIrish☘️”
Notre Dame will head to LaVell Edwards Stadium to face BYU on Saturday, 7:30 p.m. ET, with coverage on ABC.
