Week Five Prediction Poll (Stanford @ ND)

[gkIrish]

Spread is ND -3.5

Votes are public--make sure you pick the correct team this time

 

[anarin]

I have no faith in Stanford this year. I think we control from the opening kickoff and never truly feel threatened. 27-13 sounds right to me.

 

[zelezo vlk]

I always go with my heart on this, informed very little by reason. Smart money says take Stanford and the points, but I'm going with BK somehow pulling this game out of his ass, letting us all believe in this season before it comes crashing down in the next month

 

[irish4ever]

Should be pretty electrifying … night game, No. 7 vs. 8, ND "owes" Stanford a knot on the head … Irish win 31-27.

 

[IrishLax]

Stanford is certainly good enough to come into ND and win handily. Their team this year is arguably better than their team last year, and ND is a lot worse on offense... or are they!?! I think that’s the wildcard, whether this Book offense is the real deal. I think ND’s defense is good enough that with ACC refs they’ll keep Stanford’s points down... without I think Stanford will move the ball with their holding + OPI offense.

Eventually though, enough is enough and it’s time to nut up. I think that time is this weekend and ND gets the job done one way or another. Just make some goddamn plays. ND 28 Trees 24.

 

[koonja]

I'm interested to see how the DBs play. I think Houston Griffith will get targeted. He may be our best athlete at DB, but he's been a step slow to the play the last couple of weeks.

I believe Julian Love will handle his business, and I trust him against Stanford's WRs. But Troy Pride, as fast as he is, he's not shown me that he's feisty enough when going up for the ball. He's always at the play when the ball arrives because he's fast and good at coverage, but I don't see the physicality to win those balls. Very interested to see if they target him early and if so, how it goes.

 

[koonja]

I also think Dexter runs for 300 yards in 2 carries.

 

[arrowryan]

I'm interested to see how the DBs play. I think Houston Griffith will get targeted. He may be our best athlete at DB, but he's been a step slow to the play the last couple of weeks.

I believe Julian Love will handle his business, and I trust him against Stanford's WRs. But Troy Pride, as fast as he is, he's not shown me that he's feisty enough when going up for the ball. He's always at the play when the ball arrives because he's fast and good at coverage, but I don't see the physicality to win those balls. Very interested to see if they target him early and if so, how it goes.

In his defense, he was on an island on Saturday against the shiftiest receiver they'll see all season and I thought he did a decent job

 

[arrowryan]

I smell an Alohi Gillman splash play on Saturday

 

[NDohio]

The combination of a stout defense, Book's ability to throw the ball to different spots on the field, and the return of a take it to the house running back gives the Irish the edge. Final score 31 - 21 good guys.

GO IRISH!!

 

[koonja]

Side note, I REALLY don't like KJ Costello. He may be my most disliked player in CFB.

Watch his body language and his arrogance. He thinks he's Andrew Luck but better. He literally acts and talks to people like Tom Brady, and Tom Brady is the only one who's earned that right.

I hope we smash him all night. I don't like his odds given he can't scramble.

 

[simets99]

I think Stanford coming off an emotional overtime win is a big advantage for ND. I wouldn't be surprised to see Stanford come out flat.

 

[DONTH8]

Side note, I REALLY don't like KJ Costello. He may be my most disliked player in CFB.

Watch his body language and his arrogance. He thinks he's Andrew Luck but better. He literally acts and talks to people like Tom Brady, and Tom Brady is the only one who's earned that right.

I hope we smash him all night. I don't like his odds given he can't scramble.

Additude reflects leadership.... And Shaw is the poster boy for smug and arrogant body language.

 

[StPaul_Irish]

Anyone else think we will see more D. Vaughn on Saturday? He is a big body CB that might be useful in the RZ against some big physical WRs.

Oh BTW... I will be in attendance

 

[gkIrish]

This is a tough one. Before our offense showed its potential against Wake I thought this would be a loss. Now I am not so sure. I think we need to play up tempo and keep Stanford on its heels. We don't want to get into a physical contest with them as they are one of the few teams that can beat us at that game.

I think we see a trick play from Stanford on their first drive to try and take the crowd out of it. EVERYONE needs to hold on to the ball and be alert as Stanford loves to go for strips. Don't be surprised to see ND fumble 2+ times. I could see a 10 minute period where things get sloppy and both teams exchange turnovers.

I think there will be a lot of field goals made (7 or so). Both offenses will move the ball between the 20s but I think touchdowns will be scarce. Ultimately I think recent history holds up and the home team wins.

ND 23 Stanford 19

 

[NDohio]

The confidence in this thread is scary...

 

[zelezo vlk]

BK has gotta win this game. This is a much more important win than Michigan

 

[koonja]

I would personally pump the brakes on "must win" for BK, and that this is bigger than Michigan.

BK can lose this game, go and beat VT, and be 6-1 at the BYE week and ranked ~8th.

And hindsight 20/20, I'd still rather have beaten Michigan if I had to choose between.

This is a huge game and would do wonders for our CFB argument and put a hault to the Stanford recruiting momentum, but Michigan was more important IMO.

 

[Armyirish47]

Notre Dame wins by 10 thanks to a garbage time touchdown by Stanford.

1. Stanford got insanely lucky against Oregon and that game took way too much emotional and physical energy from them while we vacationed in Carolina. Enjoy that flight!

2. Alohi leads to dinosaur arms over the middle and the jump balls are negligible because Costello is having a grad assistant pluck turf balls off the back of his jersey all night.

3. Oregon used a lot of similar concepts and rolled Stanford.

4. We were beating them on the road in the 4th quarter last year. Notre Dame Defense = improvement! Stanford everything = yaaaawwwwwwn

5. David Shaw is a ninny.

 

[FightingIrishLover7]

BK has gotta win this game. This is a much more important win than Michigan

You know this is hot take when I have to agree with Koon. Not sure how you can justify this. If you said, "as important", sure, I can entertain that. But, "much more important". Don't see that.

 

[RDU Irish]

Would really like us to nut up and smash them on defense but expect they will be in the 17-24 range thanks to some shitty ref action and random tree horseshoe up the ass bunk. Feel infinitely better about our offense with Book distributing and using the whole field. I think we score 30 (3 TD, 3 FG) with Dex busting a big one.

 

[bobbyok1]

The manner in which we won this week with Book at the helm elevates this team the rest of the season, just as it immediately elevated my hopes once I heard he was starting. It was no small thing for Kelly to pull the trigger and bench Wimbush to start Book. The team had a different feel about them, like all the right pieces were now in place.

We beat Stanford in a convincing manner and national title talk begins to ramp up around South Bend and the college football world.

ND 31 Stanford 20, with the Trees getting a late TD to make it look closer than it was. Start to finish Irish control the game.

 

[koonja]

You know this is hot take when I have to agree with Koon. Not sure how you can justify this. If you said, "as important", sure, I can entertain that. But, "much more important". Don't see that.

Welcome to the good life. You're all grown up now.

 

[zelezo vlk]

Y'all are joking right? Did we lose Adebo, Foster Sarrell et al. to Michigan or to Stanford? Who is the better comparison for ND's model? It's Stanford guys. Crush the nerds

 

[ACamp1900]

We really need to list ND options first, I almost accidentally picked the wrong option again. Okay, real talk, I have not felt confident about a Stanford game in a long, long time... prob going back to the Weis era honestly. While I'm not overly confident I think we honestly should win this one. If I had to guess it'll be one of those teeth gashing games where ND has every opportunity to turn it into a blowout but doesn't because "BKBall"... but still holds on for a ~10 point victory. Our defense is the key, Love has a niceish game but those 50/50 jump balls come back to haunt them in this one.

 

[OhioIrish31]

I think its a high scoring affair...something like 37-27. I think Love will get his. It comes down to whether we can put Costello on his back (hard) early.

 

[irishff1014]

D-line is the difference maker in this. I believe they show they are for real and still put a ton of pressure on the QB. I just hope though the line backers are fast enough to not let Love get away from them. I want to see Gilman all over Love. Mack Should have a big game as long as Book is the QB. Our first offensive play of the game i would like to see Book (QB) Wimbush (RB) and Williams (RB) in the back field together. I bet Stanford shits a brick.

Irish 34- Trees 27

 

[Pops Freshenmeyer]

I feel much, much better about ND's secondary against Stanford than I did last year. And most of that is thanks to Alohi Gilman's tenacity.

 

[tussin]

Stanford by 4-8. They will get lucky and beat us on some bullshit play. I won't be calling an ND win against Stanford until I see it first with my own two eyes.

 

[irish4ever]

BK has gotta win this game. This is a much more important win than Michigan

No it's not! Beating scUM is literally like kicking the devil's azz!!! Muck fichigan 100 fold! But yeah, this upcoming w/e is a REALLY important game!!! Go Irish!