When trying to wrap your opinion of this game, it’s so damn difficult to do, since no one knows how really banged up this ND defense really is. Sure with Nix out it makes it all the more difficult but add in Kona Schwenke and maybe a still hobbled Sheldon Day it seems an almost impossible feat for ND to even stay in the game, let alone be around in the fourth quarter. Jarron Jones came up big against BYU and maybe he has arrived – but this is a massive OL and Stanford even puts in 2 extra tackles in place of TE’s – how the hell are we to stop their running game?

Kevin Hogan is a good QB and he is not afraid to run the ball. Stanford has good tough running backs and boy do they like to pound it and that of course sets up the play action. Hogan can throw and they just tuned up by laying 63 points on Cal.

As usual, we can expect 8 in the box with constant blitzes – best way to assure victory is to knock out Tommy Rees and Stanford has the linebackers to do just that. Trent Murphy 6’6″ 251 OLB and Shane Skov ILB can wreak havoc on the ND offense.

I really hope Kelly didn’t mean it when he said this will be a game of inches – that is not thinking big at all. And ND has to think big and let it all hang out and for Christ sake go up tempo and at least try not to be so predictable. Stanford is the best team we face this season and with even mediocre teams running for good chunks of yardage almost every game (think Pitt). I can’t see us stopping them enough times to win this game.

With all that said, Stanford is not invincible – 2 losses USC and Utah and they have lost their All America DE. But ND has to be innovative on offense and above all protect Tommy Rees. If they can protect Rees, he throws 4 TD’s. If ND can run the ball – and they must – to keep the Stanford offense off the field they can win this game.

On defense Tuitt hast to prove he’s a first round pick and someone, anyone has to intercept a pass – DB’s are allowed to do that.

Rees has a big game but not enough to hold off Stanford.

Stanford 31 Notre Dame 28