Notre Dame football must dominate Stanford to impress playoff committee
Notre Dame football looks to impress the College Football Playoff committee with a decisive victory over the Stanford Cardinal.
The Notre Dame Fighting Irish have one final game to make an impression upon the College Football Playoff committee in hopes of improving their ranking. The Irish enter their season finale against the Stanford Cardinal at No. 16.
With a win over Stanford, the best record Notre Dame can post is 10-2. Although the Irish have no opportunity to win a conference championship, they also won’t be able to add another mark to their loss column. As other teams lose during Rivalry Week and in their conference championships, the Irish could slowly creep up in the rankings by Bowl Selection.
The Stanford Cardinal team are having a less than impressive year. This season will finish as David Shaw’s worst record in his coaching career. In fact, it will be his first and only losing season ever. The Cardinal are 4-7 coming into the match with Notre Dame.
Here’s how to watch this final regular season matchup:
Date: Saturday, Nov. 30
Time: 4 p.m. ET
Location: Stanford, Calif.
Venue: Stanford Stadium
TV: FOX
Live Stream: FOX Sports Live
Keys to Victory
Notre Dame has the advantage in nearly every aspect of this game. The Irish have the better quarterback in Ian Book, a stronger offensive and defensive line, and a more dominating defense. Therefore, as long as Notre Dame avoids turning over the football, there is little Stanford can do to win this match.
Stanford, on the other hand, has an incredibly large uphill battle to climb. The Cardinal will need to get ahead early, maintain the momentum, and force turnovers in order to have extra possessions. However, even if Stanford does all of these things, it still may not be enough to beat the Irish.
Betting Odds
Odds courtesy of The Action Network.
Point Spread: Notre Dame -14.5
Over/Under: 51
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Prediction
This game will be completely one-sided from the start. Notre Dame has completely dominated their past three games, winning by an average margin of 32 points. Ian Book and Chase Claypool will connect on at least two touchdowns and the Irish will close out a disappointing season with an overwhelming victory.
Final: Notre Dame 42, Stanford 13