STANFORD — With a swing of his right leg, Conrad Ukropina sent Stanford’s seniors out with a dramatic victory and kept alive the Cardinal’s drive for a berth in the College Football Playoff.
Ukropina’s 45-yard field goal as time expired Saturday night propelled Stanford to a 38-36 victory over Notre Dame in what amounted to a playoff elimination game before an announced sellout crowd of 51,424 at Stanford Stadium.
“Our big thing that we talked about earlier today was belief,” Cardinal coach David Shaw said. “Belief in the work we put in, belief in our preparation, belief in our struggles — belief that our struggles helped us to be a better team.
“And at some point, it was going to come down to making a play to win.”
Stanford’s underlying predicament remains in place: It needs help to gain a berth in the semifinals, and it must beat USC in the Pac-12 championship game Saturday at Levi’s Stadium (4:45 p.m.). And even then, there would be no guarantees.
But this much is certain: The 13th-ranked Cardinal (10-2) would have no shot at the playoff if not for Ukropina’s kick.
Instead, it’s the fourth-ranked Irish who are out despite a 10-win season in which they endured an astounding number of major injuries to key players.
“I’d put this team up against anybody,” coach Brian Kelly said. “Fact of the matter is, we’re not going to get that chance.”
The dramatic final sequence began when quarterback DeShone Kizer’s short touchdown run gave the Irish a 36-35 lead with 30 seconds remaining.
A face-mask penalty kick-started the Cardinal’s final possession. After an incompletion, quarterback Kevin Hogan delivered the pass of the game: A 27-yard strike to receiver Devon Cajuste that gave Stanford possession at Notre Dame’s 30-yard line.
“There’s no better way to finish your career than a completion to set up the winning (score),” Hogan said.
Stanford ran once to eat the clock and set the ball in the middle of the field.
With six seconds left, Ukropina trotted on to attempt the first game winner of his career.
The Irish called timeout to ice him.
“I looked at (holder Dallas Lloyd) and said, ‘Shoot, we might as well just make it,’ ” said Ukropina, a former walk-on. “It was the same kick I’ve done hundreds of times in practice.”
It was a fitting conclusion to a taut, entertaining game in which the offenses did as they pleased.
Notre Dame gained 533 yards behind Kizer, a freshman, and scored three long touchdowns. But just as it did in the Big Game, Stanford’s defense rose to the occasion in the red zone and forced the Irish to kick three short field goals.
Meanwhile, Notre Dame’s defense succeeded in containing Stanford tailback Christian McCaffrey, who rushed for only 94 yards and didn’t have any long kick or punt returns. (Consider his Heisman Trophy candidacy on hold for a week.)
But the tactic left the Irish vulnerable through the air, and Hogan took advantage, repeatedly finding receivers Michael Rector and Cajuste against man-to-man coverage.
Cajuste, a senior, played perhaps the finest game of his career. In addition to the 27-yard catch that set up the winning field goal, he had four other catches for 98 yards.
“He hasn’t really had a breakout game all year,” Shaw said. “And today was the day. The coverage dictated it.”
Hogan was awarded the game ball after throwing as many touchdown passes (four) as incomplete passes in his emotional home finale. His late father, Jerry, attended Notre Dame, as did numerous family members. Hogan grew up cheering for the Irish.
“It meant the world to me,” he said of finishing his home career against Notre Dame. “I was fortunate enough to play a good game.
“There was no doubt in my mind that we’d win the game.”
After Shaw handed Hogan the game ball — it was his 34th victory as a starter, a school record — they embraced and exchanged pleasantries.
“In true Kevin Hogan fashion,” Shaw recalled, “he said, ‘Thanks, coach. We’ve got to play USC next week.’ ”