ND vs Stanford pre Game Thread:

[purguy12]

Lets GO Irish and shock the world. This would be a big win and a great way to end the regular season. If we win this would of been a season of what IF's. We should of beat Mich and Pitt and if we beat Stanford we would of went 11-1. Well that is a lot of if's

Overall I just want to see improvement.

 

[ChicagoIrish]

A win over Stanford makes us 3-0 over the PAC's top 3 teams.

 

[matthstl]

My Sister and her whole family are going its been tradition of thiers past few years for the every other year it is schedule there. She said this has been the most she has had to pay for a ticket for this game.

 

[Irish7478]

Lets GO Irish and shock the world. This would be a big win and a great way to end the regular season. If we win this would of been a season of what IF's. We should of beat Mich and Pitt and if we beat Stanford we would of went 11-1. Well that is a lot of if's

Overall I just want to see improvement.

Hopefully we have progressed beyond the point where beating anyone would "shock the world". I fully expect to win this game, and agree that it will be a great way to finish the season. I also agree that we should have beaten Mich and Pitt. When this game is over, I hope the "experts" aren't shocked that we beat Stanford, I hope they are all shocked that we lost to mich and Pitt.

 

[jjc2009]

Hopefully we have progressed beyond the point where beating anyone would "shock the world". I fully expect to win this game, and agree that it will be a great way to finish the season. I also agree that we should have beaten Mich and Pitt. When this game is over, I hope the "experts" aren't shocked that we beat Stanford, I hope they are all shocked that we lost to mich and Pitt.

We're 14 point underdogs on the road. That would be a shocking win. Had we started the season with more consistency and dominance and beat what has been shown to be a lousy Michigan team, and didn't get into pillow fights with the likes of Navy and Purdue, and more thoroughly dominated a very weak Temple team, people wouldn't be shocked that we would win. Losing to Pitt shows a clear regression to where we are mediocre, winnign against ranked teams, but at the same time making horrible teams look like world-beaters and, occasionally choking on one.

 

[Lillyliverd]

Lets GO Irish and shock the world. This would be a big win and a great way to end the regular season. If we win this would of been a season of what IF's. We should of beat Mich and Pitt and if we beat Stanford we would of went 11-1. Well that is a lot of if's

Overall I just want to see improvement.

I think we could have beat Pitt and Michigan if our coaches would have had their heads out of their asses. As it was though, we were outcoached and outplayed. The way we played and with the poor coaching, we deserved to lose those games.

BK's Irish have proven that they can be very good and they can flat out suck. Losing to Pitt didn't surprise me at all yet I think we have at least an even chance to beat Stanford. We will see which Irish team shows up.

 

[jjc2009]

BK's Irish have proven that they can be very good and they can flat out suck. Losing to Pitt didn't surprise me at all yet I think we have at least an even chance to beat Stanford. We will see which Irish team shows up.

The very essence of a mediocre team, flashes of brilliance mired with agonizing losses that never should have been.

For once this season I'd like to see them come out and punch somebody in the mouth early, I think thats how you get to Stanford. We always start very slowly and we can get behind quickly if we're not careful. My big concern is once we get down, Kelly tends to shit his pants and go air raid with Rees all over the place, with decidedly mixed to poor results. I do expect us to pass more in this game because that appears to be Stanford's weakness. Our OL pass blocking has been superb this year and they will definitely be tested Sat.

 

[poewelch84]

Stanford hasn't look as good after upsetting Oregon and Oregon were in fact a little overrated from playing all those crappy teams in the first half of their schedule and not really challenging themselves.

 

[Lillyliverd]

Our last 3 games we squeaked by Navy, lost to Pitt, and got past BYU. Stanford's last 3 games they beat Oregon, lost to an improving USC team on the road that ND barely beat at home, and destroyed their rival Cal. Oregon may have been overrated but Oregon is certainly better than Navy, Pitt, or BYU. It could also be said that ND hasn't looked so good since their win over Navy.

 

[poewelch84]

Our last 3 games we squeaked by Navy, lost to Pitt, and got past BYU. Stanford's last 3 games they beat Oregon, lost to an improving USC team on the road that ND barely beat at home, and destroyed their rival Cal. Oregon may have been overrated but Oregon is certainly better than Navy, Pitt, or BYU. It could also be said that ND hasn't looked so good since their win over Navy.

I agree but Stanford are looking very beatable and Cal is terrible this year, Pitt and Navy are better than them as well as BYU.

 

[purguy12]

Lets hope for the best

 

[jjc2009]

It could also be said that ND hasn't looked so good since their win over Navy.

Wait, ND looked good in their win over Navy? I think you'd have to go back to the USC game to argue the last time we looked good. I think if Rees doesn't go out, that was a blowout win, because we moved the ball pretty well and our defense was lights out.

The defense played very well against BYU but the offense went into a coma every time it crossed the 50 yard line in the second half, but we otherwise moved the ball effectively.

 

[bbirish73]

we haven't looked good since our win over BYU

 

[Lillyliverd]

I did not mean to imply ND looked good against Navy. I was just using the Navy game as a comparable point of reference to Stanford playing Oregon. Navy for us and Oregon for Stanford were 3 games back. Poe said Stanford hasn't played very well since the Oregon game.

So Poe is saying that Stanford has not played well the last 2 games. It is a matter of opinion, but I think USC has been playing well since Kiffin got axed. Stanford lost to a good USC team and beat their rival by 50 points. Maybe Stanford has not played its best in the last 2 weeks, but neither has ND.

If the good ND team shows up we have a good chance of winning, but if the team that played Navy or Pitt takes the field we are screwed. If we beat Stanford, I will say we beat a damned good football team.

 

[poewelch84]

I did not mean to imply ND looked good against Navy. I was just using the Navy game as a comparable point of reference to Stanford playing Oregon. Navy for us and Oregon for Stanford were 3 games back. Poe said Stanford hasn't played very well since the Oregon game.

So Poe is saying that Stanford has not played well the last 2 games. It is a matter of opinion, but I think USC has been playing well since Kiffin got axed. Stanford lost to a good USC team and beat their rival by 50 points. Maybe Stanford has not played its best in the last 2 weeks, but neither has ND.

If the good ND team shows up we have a good chance of winning, but if the team that played Navy or Pitt takes the field we are screwed. If we beat Stanford, I will say we beat a damned good football team.

You mentioned Notre Dame's last three games, I was looking at Stanford as whole, they have had great moments and then head scratching moments like Utah, USC, Army Oregon State and Washington even in a wins they weren't great in that game looking at what Washington has done this year. Overall I guess I just don't think they are unbeatable this year, probably even more beatable than last years team.

 

[bbirish73]

It should be a close game if the turnover battle is even. Stanford doesn't score many points since they play power football and rely on pounding and pounding the ball for 8 minute drives.

 

[poewelch84]

It's a good thing they don't usually score a lot

 

[Lillyliverd]

Stanford doesn't score many points yet they are favored by two touchdowns. I know Vegas odds are set to attract the max action, but 14 points??? WTF?

I guess most people don't think ND has a chance and I hope that is a motivator for the Irish to take the field and kick some ass. I want to see the entire Irish organization brings its "A" game and we will be fine.

What scares me about Stanford is they are stingy against the run, but they give up pass plays. I won't be at all surprised if we see Rees passing on nearly every down if the running game isn't working early. I hope we can run the ball effectively.

 

[socaljim242]

Wait, ND looked good in their win over Navy? I think you'd have to go back to the USC game to argue the last time we looked good. I think if Rees doesn't go out, that was a blowout win, because we moved the ball pretty well and our defense was lights out.

The defense played very well against BYU but the offense went into a coma every time it crossed the 50 yard line in the second half, but we otherwise moved the ball effectively.

A blowout if Tommy doesn't go out? With 9 min gone in the 3rd with Tommy in up to that point you're up by 4 points. But you would have won in a blow out huh? LOL .

 

[RoyHobbs]

Stanford doesn't score many points yet they are favored by two touchdowns. I know Vegas odds are set to attract the max action, but 14 points??? WTF?

I guess most people don't think ND has a chance and I hope that is a motivator for the Irish to take the field and kick some ass.

That would include the vast majority of logical football fans living outside of South Bend that know Stanford is the better team. Regardless of the current spread the only way the Irish win tomorrow's game is a complete meltdown by the Cardinal. Ain't gonna happen so get ready for closing out the season with an 8-4 record.
Flame away.