Notre Dame football: Keys to victory against Stanford in Week 7
By Brad Weiss
The Notre Dame football team will look to win their fourth game in a row on Saturday night, and here are some keys to victory against Stanford.
The Notre Dame football team has looked like a different unit since halftime of the Cal game and has steadily been approving week after week. After beating Cal, the Irish went on the road and beat a very tough UNC team, whose offense was one of the best in the country going into the matchup.
This past weekend, the Irish were able to beat their first ranked opponent of the season, handling the BYU Cougars inside Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Cougars came into that once boasting a talented attack led by a potential first-round pick in Jaren Hall, but the Irish had a game plan and ended up with a convincing win.
Now, they head back to Notre Dame Stadium to take on the Stanford Cardinal in a must-win game for them as they continue to inch back into the national picture.
Notre Dame football: Keys to victory against Stanford in Week 7
Stop Tanner McKee
When it comes to the Stanford Cardinal, the big name to keep an eye on is quarterback Tanner McKee, a potential first-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. McKee has everything you look for in a potential NFL quarterback, but he has struggled at times during his time as the starter for the Cardinal.
McKee has tremendous arm talent, and with the Irish having some youngsters in the secondary, he may feel he can beat them deep. Stopping the passing attack led by McKee will surely lead to an Irish victory on Saturday night.
Establish the run game early on
Over the past two games, the Irish have been able to dominate on the ground, and that is something that needs to continue Saturday night against Stanford. Audric Estime, Chris Tyree, and Logan Diggs have become the three-headed monster we were hoping they would during the summer, and are causing some serious havoc for opposing defenses.
On Saturday night, the Irish need to open up with a strong rushing attack, as it will lead to more passing lanes for Drew Pyne and this passing attack. If the run game gets going, and Pyne continues to deliver the ball with accuracy, this could get out of hand in a hurry.
Do not allow the Cardinal to hang around
When you are a big favorite like the Irish are in this one, one thing you cannot do is allow the other team to hang around. An early turnover or sustained drive by the Cardinal could do a lot to grow Stanford’s confidence, which could lead to this game being way closer than it should be.
Notre Dame football is the better team in this matchup and should roll over the Cardinal in a big way, and extend their winning streak to four games. If they can do that, they will be beaming with confidence going into a UNLV game they should win handily as well, leading up to two crucial games against Syracuse and Clemson.