Stanford vs. Notre Dame: TV Info, Spread, Injury Updates, Game Time and More
For only the second time since the start of the 2011 season, Notre Dame is listed as an underdog at home.
Perhaps it has to do with the fact No. 14 Stanford touts the nation's top defense. Or maybe it is simply a distrust of a young Notre Dame team that was rather sloppy in its last contest. That, and perhaps the notion that David Shaw would not allow his team to drop its second game of the season and ruin playoff aspirations so early.
Regardless, Brian Kelly's ninth-ranked Fighting Irish face their stiffest test to date as whispers of playoff hopes begin to mount. The team has blown through its schedule to date and is leagues ahead of where most thought it would be by this time, only heightening the importance of the showdown.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
The 29th battle for the Legends Trophy comes with more implications than ever before thanks to the playoff. As far as must-see action goes Saturday, two old foes take the crown.
Points Premium Personified
It is rather cut and dry. Stanford's defense is best in the nation thanks to all of 6.5 points surrendered per game. Notre Dame comes in at No. 4 thanks to 11.5. Neither team has allowed an opponent to score more than 17 points.
All things considered, the Fighting Irish had a rather simplistic schedule, especially now that Michigan has been exposed as a fraud. Still, limiting the Wolverines to no points is an achievement.
Conversely, the Cardinal have had a tougher go of it, losing to USC but only surrendering 13 points. They allowed the same number last week in Washington, albeit in a sloppy win that was supposed to act as a warm-up for Saturday's showdown.
Notre Dame will lean on senior signal-caller Everett Golson for production. Through four games, he is completing nearly 70 percent of his passes for 1,142 yards and 11 touchdowns to two interceptions. His receivers, such as Amir Carlisle, have proven elite, but Stanford possesses a defense that routinely nullifies advantages at skill positions.
To overcome a defense that has allowed just two touchdowns and opponents three trips into its red zone, Golson will need to overcome another past demon—his erratic play in big games. Stanford defensive coordinator Lance Anderson offered some lofty praise of the quarterback who was benched when the rivals met two years ago, as captured by Stewart Mandel of FoxSports.com:
"When we played him before, he was a very athletic quarterback, he made a lot of plays running around, and he’s always had a strong arm. He has a cannon. What I’ve seen on film, not only is he making plays running around, not only does he have a strong arm, but he’s improved his accuracy a lot. He’s an all-around threat.
"
On the flip side, senior Cardinal quarterback Kevin Hogan will look to remain composed on the road one week removed from throwing for just 178 yards with a touchdown and an interception.
His production will largely hinge on the surprising backfield trio of Barry Sanders, Remound Wright and Kelsey Young, names who each average better than five yards per carry. A strong defense should provide some cushion, but at Notre Dame, while outmatched at skill positions, the Cardinal offense will need to be much better than last week's 20-point showing.
Mistake-Free Football…
…Is one of those cliche terms coaches and athletes are told by professionals in suits to say before and after a game to appease the media.
Saturday, the trope means everything.
Stanford struggled to upend Washington last week, a team that had serious issues getting past Hawaii and Eastern Washington. Not only did Hogan bumble his way through the contest, the offense as a whole ran up a 3-of-12 mark on third down and turned the ball over three times. The team committed eight penalties that cost it 85 yards.
Considering the defense still held the Huskies to 179 total yards and a 2.1 per-carry average, it should go without saying that if Shaw's team can clean up its act, it will be a close game Saturday.
Notre Dame was not as sloppy against Syracuse, but the team did get flagged eight times for 80 yards, and Golson tossed a pair of interceptions. Kelly seems to understand that his team is young and prone for a letdown, and a few critical errors will not cut it against the Cardinal.
"We are not an experienced group and if we sway too far from working on getting out of our breaks and taking a direct snap, because we may fumble it, we're going to be in trouble," he said, per The Associated Press, via ESPN.com. "So that's where I really have to stay as a task master when it comes to those details."
In a pairing of familiar foes and elite defenses, even a single mistake can decide the outcome Saturday.
When: Saturday, October 4, 3:30 p.m. ET
Where: Notre Dame Stadium, South Bend, Indiana
Television: NBC
Betting Lines (via Odds Shark):
- Over/Under: 44.5
- Spread: Stanford (-1.5)
Team Injury Reports
| Brandon Fanaika | OL | 08/31/2014 | is expected to miss the entire season | Out | undisclosed |
| Ikenna Nwafor | DL | 08/23/2014 | will miss the entire season | Out | undisclosed |
| Thomas Oser | C | 08/31/2014 | is out indefinitely | Out | undisclosed |
| Lane Veach | LB | 08/31/2014 | is expected to miss the entire season | Out | undisclosed |
| Nicky Baratti | S | 09/15/2014 | will miss the remainder of the season | Out | shoulder |
| Amir Carlisle | WR | 10/01/2014 | is probable for Saturday's game against Stanford | Probable | knee |
| Austin Collinsworth | S | 08/30/2014 | is out indefinitely | Out | knee |
| DaVaris Daniels | WR | 08/15/2014 | is suspended indefinitely | Suspended | disciplinary |
| Jarrett Grace | LB | 09/03/2014 | is out indefinitely | Out | knee |
| Eilar Hardy | S | 08/29/2014 | is suspended indefinitely | Suspended | disciplinary |
| Mike Heuerman | TE | 09/28/2014 | is questionable for Saturday's game against Stanford | Questionable | hernia |
| Will Mahone | WR | 08/02/2014 | was dismissed from the team | Suspended | disciplinary |
| Kendall Moore | LB | 08/15/2014 | is suspended indefinitely | Suspended | disciplinary |
| KeiVarae Russell | CB | 08/15/2014 | is suspended indefinitely | Suspended | disciplinary |
| Ishaq Williams | LB | 08/18/2014 | is suspended indefinitely | Out | disciplinary |
Injury reports via USA Today.
Prediction
It is becoming more difficult by the week to trust this Stanford team.
A home loss to USC should have never occurred, nor should struggles against a questionable Washington team. Elite defense or not, a trip to South Bend does not bode well—and that is before taking into consideration the litany of mistakes that have plagued the team to date.
Notre Dame is inexperienced, sure. It would be iffy to suggest that Golson can overwhelm a great Cardinal defense, but he is dynamic enough and surrounded by a strong complement of weapons to push this one in his team's favor.
It certainly will not be pretty, but the Fighting Irish are better balanced and explosive.
Prediction: Fighting Irish 21, Cardinal 17
Statistics and info courtesy of ESPN unless otherwise specified.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
