Sep 15 | at Michigan State

[tommyIRISH23]

You don't "just do what you did last year," ever. That's how you get out-coached and routed.

They did only run for 29 yards last year, so I like the strength of our DL here. But if they were sooo bad last year, they will only improve from that horrible performance.

Never. If that were the case, we wouldve clown stomped Purdue. We'll what breaks first, our Dline or their running game. Whoever loses that battle will lose the game

 

[Grahambo]

You don't "just do what you did last year," ever. That's how you get out-coached and routed.

They did only run for 29 yards last year, so I like the strength of our DL here. But if they were sooo bad last year, they will only improve from that horrible performance.

Cousins threw the ball 50 something times last year with only 23 rushes. I see them getting way more balance this season especially with Bell who only had 7 carries last year against ND.

 

[BeauBenken]

Understatement. MSU has the best home-field advantage in CFB since 1991.

I'm confused by your chart Whiskey. They have the highest difference between their home winning percentage and away winning percentage, but not the highest home winning percentage.

 

[BGIF]

ND +3.5

 

[BurningRiver]

Michigan State has become a very difficult environment to play in, especially at night.

 

[Buster Bluth]

Never. If that were the case, we wouldve clown stomped Purdue. We'll what breaks first, our Dline or their running game. Whoever loses that battle will lose the game

I personally am excited to see Te'o healthy against an offense that will run right at him.

Carlo has an opportunity to redeem himself here. There won't be a whole lot of passing here.

 

[rocket66]

I personally am excited to see Te'o healthy against an offense that will run right at him.

Carlo has an opportunity to redeem himself here. There won't be a whole lot of passing here.

I need to see Manti breakout and have a monster game. I swear he seems to disappear at times and I have no idea why. He needs to put the team on his back and take this game over defensively. MSU runs the perfect offense for him to do so.

 

[Buster Bluth]

It's probably because teams avoid him like the plague. They run up the middle and are gobbled up by Te'o/Nix/Tuitt/etc or they throw to the flats and our youngin' CBs have panic attacks. It's not like he isn't being a monster out there.

 

[nsideirish]

Is this the biggest game for the program since the Bush Push game?

 

[greyhammer90]

Is this the biggest game for the program since the Bush Push game?

Too early in the year to say. If we beat MSU and lose to UM next week the win is good, but of no historical significance. If this was game 7 instead of game 3 I'd say hell yes.

 

[Buster Bluth]

Is this the biggest game for the program since the Bush Push game?

No way, USC 2010. If Notre Dame heads to Norman undefeated, then that would top last year's USC game.

 

[Whiskeyjack]

I'm confused by your chart Whiskey. They have the highest difference between their home winning percentage and away winning percentage, but not the highest home winning percentage.

First, I can't claim credit for this one; got it from an ND staffer named Alan George (@treeSIDjorge). Second, the ranking is based off the differential between home and away winning % because that's where one would expect to find "home field advantage"; if a team's winning % is the same at home and away, it's tough to argue there's any kind of advantage in play.

 

[GoldenIsThyFame]

Herbstreit and Musburger are calling the game

 

[PANDFAN]

Herbstreit and Musburger are calling the game

I hate Herbstreit but i like him calling games...and nothing like the Honey Badger calling games! however i do like listening to mayock's breakdowns

 

[Polish Leppy 22]

1) college gameday is going to florida vs tenn. i was hoping they'd hit east lansing for msu vs nd. i call BS...florida 2 weeks in a row? Come on!

2) they have a young QB who looked terrible and a great RB. we have a young QB and an O line that struggled.

i wouldn't be surprised if the final of this game came to be 13-10 (ish), with both defenses daring the QB to throw and beat em

 

[BeauBenken]

First, I can't claim credit for this one; got it from an ND staffer named Alan George (@treeSIDjorge). Second, the ranking is based off the differential between home and away winning % because that's where one would expect to find "home field advantage"; if a team's winning % is the same at home and away, it's tough to argue there's any kind of advantage in play.

I guess that makes sense.

 

[BeauBenken]

I'm going to laugh when after everybody predicted a low scoring game, it ends up another 34-31 or something.

 

[felkey72]

For some reason this game doesn't scare me as much as last week, maybe because there offence plays right into our biggest strenght on our team, our front 7 on defence. I also think that our O-Lineman will play better then this week thinking the trip to ireland may have gave them some fatigue prediction 24-14 ND

 

[gkIrish]

Herbstreit and Musburger are calling the game

So is Herbstreit flying to East Lansing after he does Gameday? How does that work?

 

[GoldenIsThyFame]

So is Herbstreit flying to East Lansing after he does Gameday? How does that work?

Yes. He actually does it all the time. Gameday doesn't always sync with the ABC prime time game.

 

[chubler]

Do we know anything about MSU's lines this year?
especially on the d-line, I'm skeptical about william gholston without jerel worthy in the middle to take a double team off him, but our oline didn't look all that great either.

 

[Who'saWildManNow]

Do we know anything about MSU's lines this year?
especially on the d-line, I'm skeptical about william gholston without jerel worthy in the middle to take a double team off him, but our oline didn't look all that great either.

They have a freshman guard but besides that there is size and experience.. Plus Dion Sims is a beast TE at 6'5" 280... Let's hope Slaughter doesn't have to throw his shoulder into him too..

 

[chubler]

thanks, that's unfortunately what I expected from sparty.

If anyone's looking for reasons to be optimistic, MSU has a total of one sack this season, and at least 2 of purdue's sacks belonged solely to kawaan short, their superstar dt. So maybe golson will stay on his feet a bit more.

 

[Ndaccountant]

The key to game is whether or not ND can stop the run without Slaughter and Zeke. My prediction is that MSU will try to go deep off play action at least 5 times on Sat and if the S's don't need to stop the run, we should be able to avoid the big play.

 

[Polish Leppy 22]

Two solid defenses. Both teams big up front. Both have young QB's.

Whoever makes fewer mistakes wins.

 

[koonja]

Anyone who knows a lot more about MSU than I do care to do a positional break down of them compared to Purdue?

Who has stronger CBs, safeties, LBs, and Dline? If you're feeling real ambitious, how about their offenses?

 

[Buster Bluth]

thanks, that's unfortunately what I expected from sparty.

If anyone's looking for reasons to be optimistic, MSU has a total of one sack this season, and at least 2 of purdue's sacks belonged solely to kawaan short, their superstar dt. So maybe golson will stay on his feet a bit more.

Before Purdue: "Meh. He had two tackles last year; we will gash them again."

After: "He's a superstar."

 

[notredomer23]

You don't "just do what you did last year," ever. That's how you get out-coached and routed.

They did only run for 29 yards last year, so I like the strength of our DL here. But if they were sooo bad last year, they will only improve from that horrible performance.

Obviously.(not trying to sound snarky in saying that) I was more saying do what we did last year in the sense of we need to load up on the run and make them pass. Maxwell is not a good passer yet. If we can hold Bell to under 100 yards rushing we should hold their offense to two touchdowns or less.

 

[BleedBlueGold]

Interesting topic for me is the injury situation. The bug seemed to hit during Purdue. How are our guys feeling? Are they day-to-day? Any chance we have some guys miss this weekend?

 

[notredomer23]

Interesting topic for me is the injury situation. The bug seemed to hit during Purdue. How are our guys feeling? Are they day-to-day? Any chance we have some guys miss this weekend?

Kap, Slaughter, Daniels, and Eifert are all good to go I am pretty sure. Day was dehydrated so he is good.

speaking of injuries, anyone know if Spond is expected back soon?