The Notre Dame-Stanford game could be packed with offense. This match is also going to introduce the rest of the country to the running game that has Stanford as the third-highest-scoring team in the nation. Stanford has scored 155 points in their first three games, including a 68-24 win over Wake Forest in week 3. The impressive offense has run to an average of 242 rushing yards per game, all behind a set of running backs who do the job by committee. Now Stanford has to travel to play a tough Notre Dame that wants to avenge a loss to Michigan State last week.
Stanford starting quarterback Andre Luck has put up 674 passing yards and 10 touchdowns in his first three games this year. While doing it, he has been extremely precise with his passing, and equally accurate in his attack. So far in 2010, Luck has a quarterback rating of 192.31, which is off the charts when it comes to ranking quarterbacks. In regard to the rushing game, Stanford has four guys over 100 yards on the season, and eight different players have rushed for a touchdown so far this year, including leader Tyler Gaffney. This is a team that can put a healthy and rested guy on the field every down that can nab a first down.
Notre Dame has had a really tough first three weeks of the 2010 college football season, with two losses in games they could have easily won. After a week 1 victory over Purdue, Notre Dame lost on a fourth quarter drive to Michigan. Then last week, Michigan State went for a fake field goal in overtime against the Fighting Irish, connecting for the winning touchdown. It was a heartbreaking way to lose, and you can bet that Notre Dame is back and prepared to not let anything like that happen again. Starting quarterback Dayne Crist will lead the attack for Notre Dame, and he already has 851 passing yards on the year.
This is the type of game that deserves a national spotlight, and it will get one on Saturday, Sept. 25. The Stanford vs. Notre Dame game will be broadcast at 12:30 p.m. PST (3:30 p.m. EST) on NBC, and will be the first really big test for the No. 16-ranked Stanford Cardinal. Notre Dame is a ways from being ranked again, and if they want to get this season back on track, they have to win on Saturday. Stanford could get their school up and into the national BCS picture with a win against Notre Dame, and that realization could make this one of the most important games of the season for the Cardinal.
References:
College_Football_Rankings
Week_4_NCAA_Schedule
Stanford_Team_Page
Notre_Dame_Team_Page
