ND to the Music City Bowl

[Legacy]

Another stat to throw at you -

LSU (vs Power 5 teams) First downs by Running (96) and Passing (56) - 152
Notre Dame ( " ) -Running (76) and Passing (139) - 215

Aves - LSU 13/gm, ND (17.9)

 

[ThePiombino]

Polar opposite teams but nice try.

Yes, in scheme AND talent...of which LSU has LOADS more than Northwestern.

 

[dublinirish]

I like that some of you are trying to be positive about this...but there is absolutely, positively nothing good about this match-up given our defensive injuries/suspensions. This was probably about the worst draw we could have had given teams with similar records.

totally agree. i would have taken the pinstripe bowl vs psu in a heart beat. Luckily the game is on a tuesday when 90% of the country will be at work and likely won't be able to see it

 

[ThePiombino]

totally agree. i would have taken the pinstripe bowl vs psu in a heart beat. Luckily the game is on a tuesday when 90% of the country will be at work and likely won't be able to see it

ESPN will make certain the CFB world knows all about the SEC's dominance, especially in this one.

 

[T Town Tommy]

IMO if we win, I could totally see the narrative being "LSU really sucked this year," if they win, ND really sucked this year." That's about how it will play out in public. It will be nice to see us play against middling LSU team and get at least some of that monkey off our back, but in the public/media sphere there is no real win here except rewarding the fellas for another season of football and the extra practices and SEC experience. Also LSU will need to gameplan for two QBs as of right now unless BK announces a starter early so that might work to our advantage.

Doubt LSU changes anything about their defense to prepare for the possibility of seeing two QBs. ND isn't going to do much that their great DC hasn't seen in the past. And while LSU is down compared to most years, they still have that allure as a top program (fair or unfair).

A couple of misconceptions about LSU. They aren't a great passing team but they are better than some give them credit for. Their QB improved greatly as the season progressed so just stacking the box against him isn't going to work. The biggest key I see for ND on defense is can they win their one on one matchup on the LOS. If they can't do that, then them guards for LSU is going to get on the LBs and that is going to make it tough for the Irish to slow that running game down. Once ND commits a safety in the box, then the LSU QB becomes much more dangerous throwing. He will miss some easy passes but he will also make enough to keep a team honest.

All in all, this is a pretty difficult matchup for ND. Not that LSU is such a great team because they aren't. But they appear to be great where ND is the weakest and that's what makes the game difficult for the Irish. The wild card.... Les Miles. Will he revert back to the Les of old and make some stupid decisions? Or will he ride what has been his most effective asset - the RB over the left tackle? I would think the Irish defense is going to see Fournette and crew a lot and can the Irish dig deep and hang in there by the middle of the third quarter? If not, then LSU can pull away as the game progresses. If the Irish can hang around, keep the LSU offense off the field more in the second half, get a turnover or two, maybe break a KO or punt return, and make it a game going in to the fourth. In the end... it's not doom and gloom for the Irish as some make it out to be. It may very well end that way... but keeping it within striking distance is possible IF the Irish can slow down that power run game and get a few breaks here and there.

 

[Irish Insanity]

@NDatRivals: Asked Jaylon Smith about Brian Kelly’s comment about open competition for positions, sophomore joked, "Like coaching included?"

Lulz.
#truth

 

[NDohio]

@NDatRivals: Asked Jaylon Smith about Brian Kelly’s comment about open competition for positions, sophomore joked, "Like coaching included?"

Wow - just wow...

 

[IrishLax]

A month ago, Bama needed a miracle to survive LSU in OT.

Since mid-October, no team has scored more than 17 in regulation against LSU... who thinks we're going to hold a team to 2 TDs or less with our stifling, rock-solid defense?

 

[koonja]

A month ago, Bama needed a miracle to survive LSU in OT.

Since mid-October, no team has scored more than 17 in regulation against LSU... who thinks we're going to hold a team to 2 TDs or less with our stifling, rock-solid defense?

I personally don't think LSU will have an answer for Romeo Okwara. He'll be able to do what he wants against that OL.

 

[ulukinatme]

I'm thinking like...30-10 LSU, unless we get healthy in a hurry.

 

[rocket66]

ND to the Music City Bowl

I personally don't think LSU will have an answer for Romeo Okwara. He'll be able to do what he wants against that OL.

Ha. Romeo is a real-life version of old school electric football. Moves really fast in circles but never really touches anyone.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[dublinirish]

Funny thing about Romeo is that despite being big and fast he is terrible in space/open field tackling

 

[woolybug25]

I am surprised (I shouldn't be) that so many of you are poo poo'ing this opportunity, and don't get it twisted, it is an opportunity.

As OMM stated, we have nothing to lose. LSU is not nearly as good this year as they have been in the past. There are probably three teams that we played this year that are better than LSU. While we lost to all three, we have nothing to be scared of here. Maybe we lose and get an extra month of prep for our VERY young team. That's worse case scenario. Best case is we freaking win!

C'mon dudes. Pull up your big boy pants and quit crying about everything.

 

[IrishLax]

I am surprised (I shouldn't be) that so many of you are poo poo'ing this opportunity, and don't get it twisted, it is an opportunity.

As OMM stated, we have nothing to lose. LSU is not nearly as good this year as they have been in the past. There are probably three teams that we played this year that are better than LSU. While we lost to all three, we have nothing to be scared of here. Maybe we lose and get an extra month of prep for our VERY young team. That's worse case scenario. Best case is we freaking win!

C'mon dudes. Pull up your big boy pants and quit crying about everything.

We have nothing to lose... except Tillery.

 

[Wingman Ray]

LSU will pound that run until ND is using the safeties to stop the bleeding and then the QB will unload bombs. Classic LSU game plan. Unfortunately ND isnt physical enough to stop a good running teams run. This is a really bad matchup and will get ugly.

 

[ClausentoTate]

If Tillery bases his decision on a head to head matchup in a lower-tier bowl game, he's not the kid we thought he was.

 

[IrishLax]

If Tillery bases his decision on a head to head matchup in a lower-tier bowl game, he's not the kid we thought he was.

I mean... that's pretty short-sighted.

Kids want to win, on top of getting a great education and everything else. It'd be one thing if this game is close, but if it's 40-10 or something like that with us getting run over how on earth would that NOT affect your decision making process?

 

[dublinirish]

I mean... that's pretty short-sighted.

Kids want to win, on top of getting a great education and everything else. It'd be one thing if this game is close, but if it's 40-10 or something like that with us getting run over how on earth would that NOT affect your decision making process?

i agree, it would be very hard to hold your head up locally in LA being a ND commit when they are just after shipping 40+ pts to LSU :/

 

[CarrollVermin]

I am surprised (I shouldn't be) that so many of you are poo poo'ing this opportunity, and don't get it twisted, it is an opportunity.

As OMM stated, we have nothing to lose. LSU is not nearly as good this year as they have been in the past. There are probably three teams that we played this year that are better than LSU. While we lost to all three, we have nothing to be scared of here. Maybe we lose and get an extra month of prep for our VERY young team. That's worse case scenario. Best case is we freaking win!

C'mon dudes. Pull up your big boy pants and quit crying about everything.

I will be the resident expert on LSU for this game. I have watched every one of their games this year, have been to several. This is a nightmare matchup for ND. I know a lot of you have already stated this, but ND just does not match up. Anywhere.

LSU's defense is fast, physical, and has been improving as the season progressed. They struggled with Arkansas, a team that ran the ball downhill and ran jumbo sets. ND does not do that. While we may be able to spread them out and run the ball, that is not something that BK likes to do. We will struggle to score - you can count on that.

On offense, the scouting report is simple...stop the run. Both of LSU's QB's are average, if not below average. The thing is that they have worked play action to hit the short passing game to keep you honest. They are not going to hit you over the top, so that isn't really an issue. We are going to get destroyed off the line of scrimmage. Their running game will pound and pound until it wears you down. I don't see how they don't score almost at will.

This is going to get ugly. Unless we are fully healthy, this could be a three to four touchdown game. But hey, Nashville is fun!

 

[NDohio]

I will be the resident expert on LSU for this game. I have watched every one of their games this year, have been to several. This is a nightmare matchup for ND. I know a lot of you have already stated this, but ND just does not match up. Anywhere.

LSU's defense is fast, physical, and has been improving as the season progressed. They struggled with Arkansas, a team that ran the ball downhill and ran jumbo sets. ND does not do that. While we may be able to spread them out and run the ball, that is not something that BK likes to do. We will struggle to score - you can count on that.

On offense, the scouting report is simple...stop the run. Both of LSU's QB's are average, if not below average. The thing is that they have worked play action to hit the short passing game to keep you honest. They are not going to hit you over the top, so that isn't really an issue. We are going to get destroyed off the line of scrimmage. Their running game will pound and pound until it wears you down. I don't see how they don't score almost at will.

This is going to get ugly. Unless we are fully healthy, this could be a three to four touchdown game. But hey, Nashville is fun!

Just curious. Have you seen ND live this season?

 

[Kingbish01]

I will be the resident expert on LSU for this game. I have watched every one of their games this year, have been to several. This is a nightmare matchup for ND. I know a lot of you have already stated this, but ND just does not match up. Anywhere.

LSU's defense is fast, physical, and has been improving as the season progressed. They struggled with Arkansas, a team that ran the ball downhill and ran jumbo sets. ND does not do that. While we may be able to spread them out and run the ball, that is not something that BK likes to do. We will struggle to score - you can count on that.

On offense, the scouting report is simple...stop the run. Both of LSU's QB's are average, if not below average. The thing is that they have worked play action to hit the short passing game to keep you honest. They are not going to hit you over the top, so that isn't really an issue. We are going to get destroyed off the line of scrimmage. Their running game will pound and pound until it wears you down. I don't see how they don't score almost at will.

This is going to get ugly. Unless we are fully healthy, this could be a three to four touchdown game. But hey, Nashville is fun!

Nice....BUT...We win this game.

 

[EvilleIrish]

I'm heading down with a group of friends. Think I should buy tickets now or think it'd be smarter to scalp?

 

[gkIrish]

I'm heading down with a group of friends. Think I should buy tickets now or think it'd be smarter to scalp?

Scalping is always a better option if you're willing to take on the small risk that you get scammed. I went to the ASU game and scalped lower section tickets for face value. The closer you wait to kickoff the easier it is to get cheap tickets.

Although...if you and your friends all want to sit together as a big group you should get them ahead of time.

 

[kmoose]

We have nothing to lose... except Tillery.

Perhaps, but Kelly and company are worthless at developing talent anyway. So what's worse? Losing big time recruits, or watching them wither and die under an inept coaching staff?

 

[wallym]

i agree, it would be very hard to hold your head up locally in LA being a ND commit when they are just after shipping 40+ pts to LSU :/[/

LSU will have 40 before halftime.

 

[woolybug25]

LSU will have 40 before halftime.

Sheesh... they couldn't do that at home against Sam Houston State, Louisiana-Monroe or any other team they played this year, but... yeah... i'm sure that's reasonable.

 

[koonja]

LSU came out flat in the game against Wisconsin in week 1. Not sure if it's 'cause they didn't take them seriously, or because they're so young. If they come out like that against us, we might be able to get a surprise TD or two hopefully.

 

[T Town Tommy]

Nashville is a great town. If you are planning to go for the game, consider taking in the Predators as well. They play that night against the Blues and you can walk from the stadium to the arena. Can even get a bite to eat on the way as there are plenty of good eats downtown.

 

[wallym]

Sheesh... they couldn't do that at home against Sam Houston State, Louisiana-Monroe or any other team they played this year, but... yeah... i'm sure that's reasonable.

20 days to prepare will make it very easy on them. Watch a little film on us...they will be salivating.

Ok, maybe not 40 before halftime...I'll say by end of Q3.

 

[T Town Tommy]

LSU came out flat in the game against Wisconsin in week 1. Not sure if it's 'cause they didn't take them seriously, or because they're so young. If they come out like that against us, we might be able to get a surprise TD or two hopefully.

I don't think they were flat. I think they were young and not sure of themselves. Plus, they were unsure of their QB situation. All in all, for all the crap we give Les, this may very well be his best year as a coach in getting his team to where they are. He has gotten the Tigers to improve tremendously throughout the year and that defense has really stepped it up.