STANFORD, Calif. -- Conrad Ukropina kicked a 45-yard field goal on the game's final play to give No. 9 Stanford a riveting 38-36 victory over No. 6 Notre Dame on Saturday at Stanford Stadium.
The loss ended Notre Dame's bid for a berth in the College Football Playoff and kept Stanford's slim hopes alive.
Notre Dame (10-2) seemed to have the game won when quarterback DeShone Kizer scored on a 2-yard run with 30 seconds left, giving the Irish a 36-35 lead.
But a facemask penalty against Notre Dame and a 27-yard pass from quarterback Kevin Hogan to wide receiver Devon Cajuste set up Ukropina for the winning kick, which represented the eighth lead change of the game.
The regular season is over for Notre Dame, while Stanford (10-2) will play Southern California next Saturday in the Pac-12 championship game in Santa Clara, Calif.
The Irish had two players rush for more than 100 yards. Kizer ran for 128, and running back Josh Adams, who started in place of injured C.J. Prosise, set a Notre Dame record for a freshman with 168 yards.
In addition, Notre Dame had three big plays that resulted in touchdowns: C.J. Sanders' 93-yard kickoff return, wide receiver Will Fuller's 73-yard reception and running back Josh Adams' 62-yard run.
But the Irish still lost.
Kizer completed 13 of 25 passes for 234 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions, and wide receiver Will Fuller had six receptions for 136 yards and one touchdown
Hogan was 17 for 21 for 269 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions, and running back Christian McCaffrey rushed for 94 yards. Cajuste caught five passes for 125 yards, including that key 27-yard catch with 10 seconds remaining.
Neither defense had much success in the first half, which ended with Stanford holding a 21-20 lead.
After receiving the opening kickoff, Stanford marched 75 yards in 11 plays to take a 7-0 lead. The drive ended on Hogan's 1-yard touchdown pass to running back Remound Wright.
Notre Dame tied the score immediately on C.J. Sanders' 93-yard kickoff return for a touchdown. It was the Irish's first kickoff return for a score since 2011.
The Cardinal went back in front 14-7 on a drive that consumed 7:24 and covered 78 yards in 12 plays. Hogan's pass to wide receiver Devon Cajuste accounted for the final 6 yards.
Notre Dame's Justin Yoon kicked a 26-yard field goal to reduce the margin to 14-10 early in the second quarter. That kick came after the Irish were called for an illegal-procedure penalty on a fourth-and-1 play from the Stanford 4-yard line.
The Irish drove from their own 9 to the Stanford 7 on their next possession, but had to settle for Yoon's 25-yard field goal that made it a 14-13 game.
Notre Dame took a 20-14 lead on Kizer's perfectly thrown 73-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Will Fuller with 2:15 left in the first half.
The Cardinal regained the lead 48 seconds before halftime on Hogan's 14-yard scoring pass to wide receiver Michael Rector, putting Stanford ahead 21-20.
After reaching the Cardinal 23 with 21 seconds left in the second quarter, Kizer fumbled the ball away while being sacked.
Yoon's 29-yard field goal early in the third quarter gave Notre Dame a 23-21 lead, but Stanford went back in front 28-23 on a 76-yard drive that ended with running back Remound Wright's 1-yard run.
Adams' 62-yard scoring run put the Irish ahead 29-28, when a two-point conversion attempt failed. But Stanford regained the lead 35-29 on tight end Austin Hooper's 10-yard touchdown reception on the first play of the fourth quarter.
The defenses finally started making stops at that point. But Notre Dame marched 88 yards for the touchdown with 30 seconds that looked like the game-winner.
NOTES: For the fifth year in a row, Stanford and Notre Dame were both ranked when they met. ... Notre Dame RB C.J. Prosise (ankle) and CB KeiVarae Russell (foot) did not play because of injuries suffered last week. Prosise is averaging 131.7 rushing yards per game this season, and Russell is considered the Irish's top cover man. ... Stanford starting CB Ronnie Harris (ankle) missed his second straight game. His replacement last week, CB Alijah Holder (undisclosed), did not play Saturday. Cardinal starting FB Daniel Marx (lower leg) did not play either.
