Nov 24 | at Southern Cal

[EifertPower]

Just am so thankful that we are at this point. Before the season all I wanted was a chance to play USC and be healthy and have it have BCS implications. I thought best case we'd be 10-1 heading into the game and probably 9-2.

We are 11-0 and healthy and now I want to beat this team so bad. I'm so sick of USC, so sick of the pain they have caused us for the decade. I want revenge for last year, for the Bush Push, for the game in which we handed Carson Palmer the Heisman, and for the games in which we couldn't even barely get a first down.

They are our biggest rivals and our biggest nemesis and I just want to beat them somehow on Saturday night. The national title game is gravy but we've come too close to see USC devastate us anymore.

I've had nightmares all week....nightmares about Marqise Lee winning the Heisman with a legendary performance in front of the nation on Saturday night...nightmares of Max Wittek breaking out into the college football scene.

Saturday can't come soon enough.

 

[Kanye West]

IMO Tuitt was far less effective than Lynch. Lynch was beating their RT Graf consistently rushing the passer and was pressuring Barkley. Tuitt was a total non factor both as a rusher and a run defender as was Nix. I think both Tuitt and Nix have progressed a lot this year. I'm sure they remember last year and will want to show their stuff. Fleming also beat Graf inside a couple of times. Hopefully Shembo will have a big day as well.

How many times did Lynch get gashed by Mcneal?

 

[Buster Bluth]

IMO Tuitt was far less effective than Lynch. Lynch was beating their RT Graf consistently rushing the passer and was pressuring Barkley. Tuitt was a total non factor both as a rusher and a run defender as was Nix. I think both Tuitt and Nix have progressed a lot this year. I'm sure they remember last year and will want to show their stuff. Fleming also beat Graf inside a couple of times. Hopefully Shembo will have a big day as well.

Playing DL as a true freshman (who didn't early enroll I believe) is a light-year away from playing as a sophomore.

USC doesn't have Kalil. But Notre Dame has the best front four in the country. Kiffin will be calling bubble screens all night so the OL can double Tuitt and attempt to get Shembo to stay in coverage. I hope we see Jackson or Russell take one of those screens the other way.

 

[woolybug25]

I watched a lot of ESPN today and also listened to several radio shows that discussed the game.

I am actually pretty surprised that on both, most people were picking USC.

 

[Patulski]

I will be surprised if early in the game they don't put Woods in motion behind the backfield-keeping our LB's attention to a wide threat- and then run right at Nix and Tuitt or KLM. They'll want to see how much things have changed on their right side, where it is the same guys on both sides.

 

[Patulski]

How many times did Lynch get gashed by Mcneal?

I'm giving my impressions. Go watch the game if you want more detail to form your own opinions

 

[Fbolt]

I for one, cannot trust a person with such a low hairline on their forehead. Somewhere between the evolution of homo sapiens, Mr Wittek seems to not have lost his monkey brow...

Anthropological Criminology
Hans Gross (1847-1915) was an Austrian professor who is regarded as the founder of criminalistics, criminal psychology, investigative psychology, and applied criminology). Almost all forms of criminal anthropology held that the worst criminals were atavists -- genetic throwbacks to an earlier stage of human evolution -- or at least criminals who were anatomically or physically different from law-abiding individuals.

 

[Bubba]

Tweeted about an hour ago...


Bennett Jackson Jr.‏@B_Jax2

Watching film... #NDFB

 

[Bubba]

Chris Fowler‏@cbfowler

This from our ace researcher: ND is 1st #1 to be <7 point favorite vs unranked team in 27 years! Since PSU -Pitt '85, when #1 PSU rolled

 

[Rocky2820]

Chris Fowler‏@cbfowler

This from our ace researcher: ND is 1st #1 to be <7 point favorite vs unranked team in 27 years! Since PSU -Pitt '85, when #1 PSU rolled

Fine by me, cause all it does it keep our boys from getting big heads or looking ahead.

 

[IrishSteelhead]

Our lives would be stress free if all games were played on paper. We'd be lined up for a Sun Bowl bid, and Saturday's outcome wouldn't have much bearing on it.

 

[Grahambo]

Can't come soon enough.

Not sure if I want the win more to get to the title game or simply because I want to beat USC.

 

[IrishSteelhead]

SATURDAY

NOTRE DAME AT USC

Kevin Gemmell: The smart money says pick Notre Dame against a USC team that doesn't have Matt Barkley. But I'm going against my instincts, because the Pac-12 homer in me says "Fight On." #beLEEve. USC 35, Notre Dame 21.

Ted Miller: I don't believe. I think a very good Notre Dame team is going to come into the Coliseum and open up a can of whup-butt. If the Trojans show up like they have about half the time this season, they will get embarrassed. Notre Dame 28, USC 17.

I like Miller....

 

[no.1IrishFan]

Chris Fowler‏@cbfowler

This from our ace researcher: ND is 1st #1 to be <7 point favorite vs unranked team in 27 years! Since PSU -Pitt '85, when #1 PSU rolled

This worries me a bit, Vegas has no bias. They only care about money.

That being said, fvck Vegas, this year on my birthday I left after 3 days up almost $10.....

 

[IrishSteelhead]

This worries me a bit, Vegas has no bias. They only care about money.

That being said, fvck Vegas, this year on my birthday I left after 3 days up almost $10.....

Vegas had ND as a touchdown favorite (6.5), I'm pretty sure the article meant ND was less than a 7 point favorite, not a 7 point underdog. I digress, just go win the game gentlemen.....

 

[no.1IrishFan]

Vegas had ND as a touchdown favorite (6.5), I'm pretty sure the article meant ND was less than a 7 point favorite, not a 7 point underdog. I digress, just go win the game gentlemen.....

No, I understand what the article meant. It was saying that SC was ONLY a 6.5 point dog against a #1 ND team. That's what bothers me, at 7-4 with a backup qb I think SC should be more of a dog, even at home. When Vegas only cares about money, this makes me wonder if they know something we don't. I still think ND wins by at least 10. If Barley were in I could see that line, not witteck.

 

[notredomer23]

No, I understand what the article meant. It was saying that SC was ONLY a 6.5 point dog against a #1 ND team. That's what bothers me, at 7-4 with a backup qb I think SC should be more of a dog, even at home. When Vegas only cares about money, this makes me wonder if they know something we don't. I still think ND wins by at least 10.

Well you have to figure that they subtract about 4 points for being the away team, so would you be okay with 10.5? I think that is plenty fair, considering we have only truly blown out 3 teams this year. Vegas must hate making spreads for this team. We beat Oklahoma by 17 or BYU by 3. Beat Miami by 38 but beat Pitt by 3. I can't blame Vegas for only making it 6.5

 

[Bubba]

Yes, the stat just says that ND is the first #1 team to be favored by less than 7 points to an unranked team since 1985. Not really a big deal considering the underdog is USC. Sure, the Arizona loss is baffling, but we can't be surprised they lost to Stanford and Oregon. They are better than their record would indicate. They have talent. We're not going to roll in their and blow them out like Wake Forest. I do think our boys will be focused. Looking forward to a great game.

 

[no.1IrishFan]

Well you have to figure that they subtract about 4 points for being the away team, so would you be okay with 10.5? I think that is plenty fair, considering we have only truly blown out 3 teams this year. Vegas must hate making spreads for this team. We beat Oklahoma by 17 or BYU by 3. Beat Miami by 38 but beat Pitt by 3. I can't blame Vegas for only making it 6.5

Agree, I edited my previous comment to include that Barkley is not starting. I honestly thought the line would be more representative of the backup starting.

 

[ickythump1225]

No, I understand what the article meant. It was saying that SC was ONLY a 6.5 point dog against a #1 ND team. That's what bothers me, at 7-4 with a backup qb I think SC should be more of a dog, even at home. When Vegas only cares about money, this makes me wonder if they know something we don't. I still think ND wins by at least 10. If Barley were in I could see that line, not witteck.

Yeah but we were 13 point dogs to OU and beat them by 17. These lines from Vegas are not infallible.

 

[notredomer23]

True. Plus this team could be playing to keep their coach. I expect it to be a tough game and will be happy all the same whether the victory is 1 point or 28 points

 

[tadman95]

Rudy being interviewed on Sportscenter. Cool.

 

[Bubba]

True. Plus this team could be playing to keep their coach. I expect it to be a tough game and will be happy all the same whether the victory is 1 point or 28 points

Certainly possible, but I truly don't understand why. It's not like he has proved to be a great head coach anywhere he has been.

 

[no.1IrishFan]

Yeah but we were 13 point dogs to OU and beat them by 17. These lines from Vegas are not infallible.

Totally agree, that's why I added the part about me leaving Vegas up 10 whole dollars when I spent about $500. Odds say I should have left with nothing.

 

[no.1IrishFan]

True. Plus this team could be playing to keep their coach. I expect it to be a tough game and will be happy all the same whether the victory is 1 point or 28 points

This. 1 point or 50, just win and we're in!

 

[fightingirish26]

I hate USC. Revenge for the last ten years comes Saturday and I want manti to tear these damn Trojans to shreds

 

[WhoDeyIrish]

As for the Vegas talk. The lines don't always reflect what VEGAS actually thinks. Vegas sets line to try and get equal action on both sides of the game. That doesn't always happen but generally they do a very good job. Vegas uses public perception of teams to set lines more than anything. What's the public perception of Notre Dame? Most say we are overrated, especially going into the Oklahoma game. So Vegas uses that to their advantage. They knew they would get tons of action on both sides. ND backers are always going to take the points or lay the points, which is why ND's lines are sometimes inflated. So when they set the line at 13 their thoughts would be that no matter what happened they were going to get equal action on both sides. The public side that had the perception that ND was overrated and the ND fans. Plus the smart bettors were all over ND +13. I know I was.

 

[Rocky2820]

We're 6.5 point favorites in their house. I think most of us would take a 6 or 7 point guaranteed win right now. All we need is the W and we're in the NCG. I'm not worked up over the line at all.

 

[brandonnash]

As for the Vegas talk. The lines don't always reflect what VEGAS actually thinks. Vegas sets line to try and get equal action on both sides of the game. That doesn't always happen but generally they do a very good job. Vegas uses public perception of teams to set lines more than anything. What's the public perception of Notre Dame? Most say we are overrated, especially going into the Oklahoma game. So Vegas uses that to their advantage. They knew they would get tons of action on both sides. ND backers are always going to take the points or lay the points, which is why ND's lines are sometimes inflated. So when they set the line at 13 their thoughts would be that no matter what happened they were going to get equal action on both sides. The public side that had the perception that ND was overrated and the ND fans. Plus the smart bettors were all over ND +13. I know I was.

I was reading this thread and was just about to post this. They want to be covered and make money no matter who wins the ball game.

 

[BobD]

I had a great dream just before I woke up this morning. THE IRISH DESTROY THE TROJANS!