Notre Dame-Stanford: 10 To 1 Countdown

10 Notre Dame is looking to win 10 games in a regular season (10-2) for the third time in the past six years after starting 12-0 in 2012 and 10-1 in 2015. Consider that in the 18 seasons from 1994—2011, it had 10 wins only twice, finishing 10-3 in both 2002 and 2006 after starting 10-1 both years.

9 Spots separating Stanford and Notre Dame nationally in turnover margin. The Cardinal is tied at No. 8 with a plus-1.0 — committing only 10 turnovers while forcing 21. The Irish are No. 17 at plus-0.73, generating 20 while committing 12.

However, in the last four games Notre Dame has forced only three turnovers (all interceptions, no fumbles). The good news is that in six of quarterback Brandon Wimbush’s last seven starts, Notre Dame’s offense had zero turnovers.

8 Straight years Stanford has not lost the final regular season game of the year, beginning with the 45-38 victory versus Notre Dame in 2009. It also defeated the Irish at home in 2011 (28-14), 2013 (27-20) and 2015 (38-36). Head coach David Shaw is 6-0 in regular season finales.

7 This is the seventh time No. 8 Notre Dame and No. 20 Stanford face each other when both are ranked in the Associated Press poll. Both were ranked all five years from 2011-15. Stanford leads the 31-game series in that category, 4-2.

Each of the last five games between the two has been decided by seven or fewer points. The Notre Dame school record for one such opponent is seven against Michigan State from 2000-06.

One final seven note: Since 2005, seven Notre Dame-Stanford games have been decided by exactly seven points. The Irish won four of them: 2005 (38-31), 2007 (21-14), 2008 (28-21) and 2012 (20-13 in overtime). Stanford’s three were 2009 (45-38), 2013 (27-20) and last year (17-10).

6 Both Notre Dame and Stanford are averaging more than 6.0 yards per carry, an amazing feat as a team. The Irish are No. 2 nationally with a 6.63 average, behind Arizona’s 7.03. Notre Dame is on track to shatter not only the school’s modern-day mark of 5.63 set in 2015 but the standard of 6.2 set back in 1921.

Meanwhile, the Cardinal is No. 4 nationally with 6.41 yards per rushing attempt, just behind Louisville’s 6.42. That is one more yard than the single season school record of 5.3 set in 2009. The major reason why is Bryce Love, who is averaging 8.8 yards per carry while accumulating 1,723 yards on the ground, the second most nationally this season. Love's status is iffy because he had been hobbled by an ankle injury the past month and was sidelined the final quarter last week versus Cal.

5 Notre Dame has never lost its final regular season five years in a row, and will attempt to avoid it tonight at Stanford. It lost at Stanford in 2013 (27-20) and 2015 (38-36), and at USC in 2014 (49-14) and 2016 (45-27).

The last time Notre Dame lost four straight in the final regular season game was from 1980-83, but it ended in 1984 by snapping USC’s seven-game winning streak at home versus the Irish (19-7). That brings us to…

4 Consecutive wins at home by Stanford against the Irish. Only Miami has a longer streak versus Notre Dame by extending it to six earlier this month. Overall, Stanford head coach Shaw is 12-0 at home against non-conference opponents. That also brings us to...

3 Shaw is ranked third nationally among active coaches with the best winning percentage against teams in the AP top 25 at the time of the game. His career ledger of 22-12 (.647) trails only Ohio State’s Urban Meyer at 37-15 (.712) and Alabama’s Nick Saban at 75-38 (.664).

Notre Dame’s Brian Kelly ranks No. 7 at 23-20 (.535).

2 Since 1988, the most recent national title season for Notre Dame, the Irish have met Stanford every year except two times (1995-96). Since 1997, the Cardinal, USC and Navy have become the three untouchable staples on the Fighting Irish schedule.

1 Victory away Notre Dame is away from securing, at minimum, a spot in a Big Six bowl game. This Irish team is attempting to become the first to be victorious in such a postseason matchup since the 11-1 outfit in 1993 did it in the Cotton Bowl.

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