HIGHER STAKES
Fierce rivalry packs extra wallop, pitting two top-10 teams for first time
For the first time since the 1925 Rose Bowl, No. 7 Stanford (4-0) and No. 8 Notre Dame (4-0) will be undefeated when they square off today in South Bend, Indiana. And for the first time ever in the 32-game series, both teams will be ranked in the AP Top 10 at kickoff.
So while the annual matchup is usually a fun one — five of the last six games have been decided by a touchdown or less — the stakes are even higher this time, with the winner clearly entering the College Football Playoff conversation.
“A lot of late-game victories on both UP NEXT
No. 7 Stanford (4-0) at No. 8 Notre Dame (4-0), today, 4:30 p.m., NBC
sides, a lot of great players on both sides, so no wonder this game every year has been one of the higher-rated games to watch,” Stanford coach David Shaw said. “They’ve been exciting.”
Here are five things to watch this time: QUICKER START >> Stanford has trailed after the first quarter in three of its four games, going scoreless against San Diego State, UC Davis, and Oregon. The Cardinal overcame a 24-7 halftime deficit last week against the Ducks, but it took a sensational comeback. Another slow start, on the road against the Fighting Irish, may be too much to overcome.
“That’s a testament to our guys being resilient,” Shaw said after the Oregon game. “The key now is to play like that in the first quarter and not wait until we’re 17 points down. That’s the key for us to take the next step and play a very, very good team on the road and see if we can play at that level for four quarters and not a quarter-and-a-half.” TURNOVERS >> Stanford leads the Pac-12 with nine forced turnovers (four fumbles, five interceptions). Turnovers were the key to Stanford’s improbable win over Oregon — an 80-yard fumble return for a touchdown turned the momentum, a fumble
recovery in the final minute gave Stanford a chance to tie, and an interception in overtime sealed the win.
It will probably need more takeaways to win at Notre Dame, but the Fighting Irish have just one turnover this season (a fumble).
RUN GAME >> Senior Bryce Love made his first career start at Notre Dame, in 2016, and ran for 129 yards and a touchdown. He had another 125 yards against the Irish last year, when
he averaged 8.1 yards a carry for the season. But he’s down to 4.3 yards a carry this season, and Stanford is an extremely uncharacteristic 119th in the FBS in rushing yards a game (104.3) behind a line that is hobbled by injuries.
“We still have some inconsistency up front,” Shaw said. “(Monday) we talked about individual accountability. It’s about taking the proper footwork, taking the proper targets, and then once you’re blocking a guy, he’s got to stay blocked.”
Instead, Stanford has done most of its damage through the air. Sophomore K.J. Costello had four TD passes against the
Fighting Irish last year. Senior JJ Arcega-Whiteside has seven receiving touchdowns this season, the second-most in the FBS.
BOOK IT >> Stanford struggled to defend Oregon QB Justin Herbert, who was 25 for 27 passing in regulation. Next up is Notre Dame junior Ian Book, who made his second career start last week at Wake Forest. He completed 25 of 34 passes for 325 yards and accounted for five TDs.
Book will face a strong Stanford secondary led by fifth-year senior Alijah Holder, who appears to be getting healthier each week, and sophomore cornerback
Paulson Adebo, whose 11 pass break-ups are the most in the country.
PLAYOFF PICTURE >> Shaw said the team is thinking only about the upcoming game: “For us to think about anything else, I think, is asinine.”
Still, the Cardinal will likely be underdogs in just two games this season — on Saturday, and Nov. 3 at No. 11 Washington. That includes a potential Pac-12 championship game (no South Division teams are ranked this week).
If Stanford pulls the upset against Notre Dame, Shaw may not want to talk about the playoffs, but a lot of people will.