Advertisement
football Edit

Notre Dame-Stanford Has Been About Lucky Sevens

Each of the last five Notre Dame-Stanford games have been determined by seven points or less.
Each of the last five Notre Dame-Stanford games have been determined by seven points or less. (Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports)

The Notre Dame-Stanford series has been earmarked by seven-point victories since the 38‑31 Irish decision in 2005 that earned them a Fiesta Bowl bid. After that:

• Notre Dame won by seven in 2007 (21‑14) and 2008 (28‑21), before Stanford returned the favor in 2009 (45‑38).

• Consecutive seven-point victories followed again in 2012-13, first with the Irish making a dramatic goal-line stand in overtime in 2012 to preserve a 20-13 conquest, and then the Cardinal holding on for a 27‑20 victory the following season.

• Last year, Notre Dame appeared to be in control of the contest with a 10-0 halftime advantage against a Stanford offense that continued to sputter after back-to-back 44-6 and 42‑16 defeats versus Washington and Washington State, respectively.

But an interception return for a touchdown by cornerback Quenton Meeks to begin the second half and a safety propelled the Cardinal to a 17-10 triumph to get back on the winning track and finish 10-3.

It would hardly be a surprise if this were the seventh time in the past 11 years that seven points separate the two teams, with Notre Dame holding so far as a 2.5-point favorite.

Although Stanford has won six of the past eight meetings in this series, each of the last five games since 2012 were decided by seven or fewer points and remained in doubt right up to the final series of the contest.

In addition to the 2012 Irish goal-line stand, in 2014 the Irish won 17‑14 on a fourth-down-go-for-broke 23-yard touchdown pass from Everett Golson to tight end Ben Koyack with 1:09 remaining.

The 10-1 Irish appeared to have another 11th-hour win the following year when DeShone Kizer scored the go-ahead touchdown and Justin Yoon kicked the extra point with 30 seconds remaining for a 36-35 advantage. Remarkably, the Cardinal drove into field goal range and won 38-36 when kicker Conrad Ukropina converted from 45 yards as time elapsed.

When asked this week if there was anything he could take from that agonizing defense that he can share with the team, Irish head coach Brian Kelly was curt.

“We just won’t play the prevent-to-win defense,” he replied.

In the seven seasons from 2000‑06, Notre Dame had a school-record seven straight games versus Michigan State that were decided by seven or fewer points, or basically one possession. This series could challenge that mark.

With a slim chance at the Playoff still in the works and a Big Six bowl a certainty with a win, Notre Dame can invest everything it has into this game to help erase the 41-8 fiasco at Miami two weeks ago and the draining 24-17 comeback win versus Navy last week.

December would be a much more gratifying month emotionally while also getting some time for physical recovery. Notre Dame has never lost the final regular season game five years in a row, and it needs to avoid that distinction this season to help validate it’s turnaround campaign.

“They're 18 to 21 years old,” said Kelly of making one final push amidst the ailments. “There's some guys that are a little sore, but it's all hands on deck. …You've got one game. [Tuesday] is their last day of school, they've got a few days off … rub some dirt on it.”

----

Talk about it inside Rockne's Roundtable

Subscribe to our podcast on iTunes

• Learn more about our print and digital publication, Blue & Gold Illustrated.

• Follow us on Twitter: @BGINews, @BGI_LouSomogyi, @BGI_CoachD, @BGI_DMcKinney and @BGI_CoreyBodden.

• Like us on Facebook

Advertisement