Sport: College FootballPick Selection: Notre Dame
Does coaching make a difference? Just see Notre Dame. The Irish finished 11-13 the last two years (Ty Willingham didn't coach the team's 38-21 bowl loss to Ore St) but this year under Charlie Weis, are a win away from a BCS bowl bid. Surely, Stanford won't ruin ND's season. Brady Quinn, who had completed just over 50% of his passes the last two years with 26 TDs and 25 INTs, has been one-man wrecking crew when it comes to the Notre Dame record books this season. He enters this game completing almost 65%, passing for around 320 YPG while tossing 29 TDs with just five INTs. Samardzia and Stovall have developed into big-time receivers and Darius Walker should surpass 1,000 yards rushing for the year in this game. The offense averages just a shade over 14 PPG more than last year and 125 YPG more! The defense is still just average but with Stanford's offense, what's the worry? Stanford's leading rusher is Jason Evans (only 248 yards / 3.4 YPC) and he's yet to start a single game. Overall, the team ranks 107th in rushing and while QB Trent Edwards has show flashes of good play, he was hurt in the Cal game and is questiobable here. That means either a less than 100% Edwards or untested sophomore TC Ostrander to trade points with Quinn. Incredibly, Notre Dame has not played a road game since Oct 1 (five straight in South Bend), but the Irish are 4-0 SU and ATS away from home this year. Stanford had covered six straight before falling apart in the second half of its 27-3 loss to Cal and the last time the Cardinal finished with Notre Dame after the Cal game, they lost at home 57-7 (2003). Stanford needs a win to become bowl-eligible but will get STEAM-ROLLED by this offensive juggernaut. Bailout Game of the Year 10* Notre Dame.
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