Notre Dame Opponent Preview: Stanford Offense

Notre Dame has one shot left to change the committee’s mind, and that shot goes through Stanford.

After 11 grueling weeks of football, it all comes down to one last contest to determine the postseason fate of Notre Dame. In this week’s College Football Playoff rankings, the Irish (11-1) dropped from four to six, pushing them out of the top four playoff teams. Many were enraged over the fact that Oklahoma was voted in at third despite losing to Texas, who Notre Dame decimated in the first week of the season. The committee’s message is loud and clear Domer fans: the Irish will have to show them that they are a legitimate playoff team by beating ninth-ranked Stanford.

If Notre Dame can beat Stanford on the road, even after the Cardinal’s huge game last week against California, then it’s going to be tough for the committee to deny the Irish a spot in the playoffs. It won’t be easy as the Irish haven’t won Stanford since 2007.

Offensive line

This group has been outstanding all year long leading the Cardinal offense to 228.3 yards per game on the ground and 210.7 yards through the air. In addition to being the catalysts for the 15th best rushing offense in the country, the Stanford line has kept quarterback Kevin Hogan upright, only allowing 17 sacks on the year, which is tied for 13th in the nation.

This group will be the most experienced group Notre Dame’s front seven will go up against as all but one lineman is a senior. Led by senior left guard Joshua Garnett, who was announced recently as a finalist for the Outland Trophy, this offensive line has decimated opposing defensive lines. Given Stanford’s offensive scheme, where nearly every play is run out of the jumbo package, the line has thrived. Senior left tackle Kyle Murphy, who has started two straight seasons at tackle and has seen playing time all four years, is another anchor on this offensive line. In order to slow this offense down, the Irish front seven will have to disrupt the Stanford line and get into the backfield as consistently as possible. If the defense plays any bit lackadaisical, this offensive line is going to feast on the Irish, who are already giving up 168 rushing yards per game.

Running Backs

Sophomore running back Christian McCaffrey is having a phenomenal season rushing for 1,546 yards and seven scores on the ground. In addition to being a potent threat on the ground, he’s also been able to haul in a team-high 34 receptions for 416 yards and three more touchdowns. He is a finalist for the Doak Walker award, given to the nation’s best running back, and the Maxwell Award, which is given to the country’s best college football player.

There’s no doubt in anyone’s mind that McCaffrey is going to be the focus of this week’s preparations for Notre Dame. If the Irish can slow McCaffrey down, the pressure will fall on Hogan to win the game with his arm. However, in addition to being a threat on the ground and the air, Notre Dame’s special teams will also have its eyes focused on McCaffrey, who has 845 yards in return yardage and a touchdown.

It’s only fitting that with Notre Dame’s playoff hopes at stake in this game, that the Irish be forced to stop the nation’s most prolific college football player. It’ll definitely impress the committee if McCaffrey is completely taken out of the equation of this game by the Irish defense.

Wide Receivers

The receiving corp doesn’t really get any spotlight in the media because of McCaffrey, but this group of receivers is just as lethal as you’d expect from a top Pac-12 program. The most notable of the group is junior tight end Austin Hooper, who is a finalist for the Mackey Award, given to the nation’s top tight end. He’s grabbed 26 passes for 379 yards and five touchdowns. At 6-foot-four, 248 pounds, Hooper is a big body that has been reliable for Hogan all season long. Against defensive backs, Hooper will almost always have the advantage, which is why linebacker Jaylon Smith will have to shadow both McCaffrey and Hooper in pass defense. It’s a lot of work for Smith to account for, but it’s necessary for the Irish to have a chance.

The other notable receiver for Stanford is easily junior Francis Owusu, who made the insane grab around a defender’s back for a touchdown against UCLA. He’s hasn’t down much this season, but I thought it would appropriate to give him a mention.

Senior Michael Rector is the Hogan’s go-to receiver aside from McCaffrey. Rector has hauled in 27 catches for a team-high 427 yards and a single touchdown catch. He’s not the most prolific receiver, but he presents match up problems for a Irish secondary that’s now without veteran leader Keivarae Russell.

Kevin Hogan

Hogan has had not just a good season, but a fantastic career at Stanford. In four years, he has won 33 games, which is first all-time among Cardinal quarterbacks, thrown for 67 touchdowns and 8,749 yards and he’s ranked second in all-time passing efficiency at Stanford with a 151.5 passer rating.

This Saturday, Hogan will step onto his home field for the final time in his career, so we shouldn’t anything but his very best against the Irish. This season, he’s completed 67.2 percent of his passes for 2,231 yards with 19 scores to just seven interceptions. They aren’t eye-popping statistics, but his efficiency and ability to lead the offense is what is so impressive. In addition to passing the ball, he has been able to gain yardage on the ground behind Stanford’s elite line. He’s taken off 64 times this season for 276 and four touchdowns.

As impressive as he’s been, Hogan has struggled to play well against Notre Dame. In two career games against the Irish, Hogan has thrown for just 316 yards and one touchdown to four interceptions. If Hogan has another bad game against the Irish, and the Cardinal offense can’t get McCaffrey going on the ground, Notre Dame is going to have a field day defensively. But, again, it all falls on whether the Irish front seven can contain the nation’s best player.

In a winner-takes-all match up, Notre Dame will have to put everything it has into this one game to have a chance at the College Football Playoffs. The Irish and Cardinal will kick off this Saturday at Stanford at 7:30 p.m ET.

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