“They’ve been hotly contested games both during and after the games some- times. But they’ve been physical. “What I appreciate, too, is they’ve also been unbelievably respectful. There’s NOV. 22, 2017 ✦ NOTRE DAME AT STANFORD a lot of respect earned on both sides. … There’s a lot of handshaking after the Game Info game because both teams go out there and spill their guts to try and win.” Date: Nov. 25, 2017. Site: Stanford Stadium (50,000). Heading into this year’s matchup, Shaw sees a “completely different” Irish Kickoff: 8 p.m. ET. defensive unit. Television: ABC. Radio: This broadcast can be heard live on SIRIUS Satellite Radio (channel 129) and on Notre Dame’s IMG affiliates. “They’re still very physical,” he explained. “They believe in knocking you Series Facts: This will be the 32nd all-time meeting between the two programs. Notre Dame holds a 19-12 back. They believe in coming off the ball and penetrating. They are very versatile advantage and won the first meeting, 27-10 in the 1925 Rose Bowl for its first consensus national title. The with their blitz packages, they run into things really late. home team is 20-10 (one neutral matchup) in the series. Head Coaches: Stanford — David Shaw (72-20, seventh season); Notre Dame — Brian Kelly (68-33, eighth “They try not to show you what they’re doing, but everybody is a viable season). blitzer. The corner’s a viable blitzer, both safeties, the linebacker walks all the Noting Stanford: The Cardinal has won six of the last eight meetings after Notre Dame reeled off seven way out on the slot and before the snap he comes in full speed. So now not only consecutive wins from 2002-08 … Stanford is 4-2 in the series when both teams enter ranked in the top 25, is everyone a blitzer, everybody’s also a viable dropper. … They do a good job while head coach David Shaw is 4-2 against the Irish since taking the post in 2011 … Stanford is seeking its of mixing and matching to keep you off balance. seventh season of 10 wins or more since 2010 … Through the first 11 weeks of the season, Stanford is tied for ninth nationally in turnover margin (plus-1.00 per game). “Up front defensively, it’s hard to win the line of scrimmage as we try to do most games. This one is going to be hotly contested. The guys win the line of scrimmage most games. Secondary-wise they are very sound. They don’t give up a lot of big plays. Everybody on their defense is a physical tackler as you would expect from a Brian Kelly team.” David Shaw Appreciative Of Respect Shown In Shaw will see a familiar face at quarterback Saturday night in Notre Dame Notre Dame-Stanford Rivalry junior Brandon Wimbush, who the Cardinal tried to recruit. Corey Bodden • BlueAndGold.com “He’s dynamic with the ball in his hands,” Shaw said. “… He can throw In his seven years at the helm of the Stanford program, David Shaw has a the ball. He can throw the ball well. He’s not the biggest guy, so sometimes he 4-2 record against Notre Dame. That includes a perfect 3-0 mark in Palo Alto, pushes and finds windows to throw the ball. highlighted by a thrilling 38-36 victory that came down to the final play in 2015. “But if you don’t keep him contained in the pocket he can hurt in you with “I remember like it was yesterday,” Shaw said on Tuesday. “It was like a his legs … He presents that run-pass option that you have to be cautious of.” dramatic experience. … It was a back-and-forth game. Both quarterbacks were outstanding, both running games were outstanding and made some big plays. Like Stanford, Notre Dame rides a strong rushing attack led by a Heisman Both defenses stepped up and made some huge plays. candidate. The Cardinal were introduced to Josh Adams in 2015 during his freshman season when he rushed for 168 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries. “It was one of those games where the last team with the ball was going to have a chance to win. … It was a great college football game.” “He ripped off one that was like 60 yards,” Shaw recalled. “It was absolutely beautiful. Big, physical guy and runs through contact. He’s gotten banged up The last seven games in the rivalry have been decided by an average of just here and there. less than a touchdown, with an average score of 24.5-17.8. “Fortunately for him and unfortunately for us, he’s healthy now. He’s one of Even though the programs are rivals, Shaw appreciates the respect both teams those guys in the backfield that can break a run at any time.” have shown each other after going to battle. Per Shaw, Notre Dame complements Wimbush and Adams with additional “They’ve been tight games, they’ve been hard-fought games,” Shaw stated. playmakers. ✦ BLUEGOLDONLINE.COM ✦ 800-421-7751 1 “Not to mention, they have guys on the outside,” Shaw said. “Equanimeous program’s highest finish since 1940), the Cardinal still won a minimum of 10 St. Brown is a size and speed mismatch on the outside. Combine that with their games for the sixth time in the last seven seasons, finishing 10-3 and No. 12 in tight ends, so it’s a great combination of scheme and athletes that present issues the final AP rankings. in all phases.” This year, Stanford hit an early snag with consecutive losses to USC (42-24) On Saturday, Notre Dame will look for its first win on the road against Stan- and San Diego State (20-17) to fall to 1-2. Since then, it has been 7-1, highlighted ford since 2007 and its second 10-win season in three years. by defeating No. 9 Washington 30-22 Nov. 10 and grinding out a 17-14 win versus archrival Cal last weekend. If Washington defeats Washington State this weekend in The Apple Cup, then the Cardinal will face USC in the Pac-12 title game Dec. 1. Notre Dame Prepares For Stanford, Stanford’s identity in the last decade, first under Harbaugh and then Shaw, has been forged on exceptional physicality on both sides of the ball. Throughout With Or Without (Bryce) Love most of its football history, the Cardinal was known mainly as a finesse, pass- Lou Somogyi • BlueAndGold.com happy operation. That has shifted dramatically in the past decade, which has seen a couple of Heisman Trophy runners-up in running backs Toby Gerhart Remember when Jim Harbaugh departed for the NFL after the 12-1 record and Christian McCaffrey, plus Stepfan Taylor, Tyler Gaffney and now Bryce at Stanford in 2010, and popular projections had the Cardinal “returning to Love, who: the mean” as a .500 operation that would be relatively irrelevant in the college football landscape? • Already has set a Football Bowl Subdivision record with 11 runs of 50 or more yards this season. Instead, former Harbaugh assistant and Stanford alumnus David Shaw has further established his alma mater as a “program” this decade in college football. • Leads the nation with 4.8 yards per carry after contact, per Pro Football Focus, with 929 of his 1,723 yards coming after the initial hit. From 2010 to the present, the Cardinal is 84-21 (.800 winning percentage), and 72-20 (.783) under Shaw. Stanford has averaged 11 wins per season over the past • Is No. 2 nationally in rushing yards while averaging a phenomenal 8.8 yards seven, and only four other teams in college football have posted a minimum of per carry. 10 wins in six of the last seven campaigns — Alabama, Ohio State, Clemson and Oklahoma. “He’s got elite speed and he breaks tackles, and that is a lethal mix,” Kelly said of Love. “You have to tackle this guy, and that’s what makes him a special The one missing piece for Stanford from the other four during this time is player.” either an appearance in the national title game or in the four-team College Foot- ball Playoff. Amazing stats notwithstanding, a bad ankle has slowed Love some the past month and his status for the Notre Dame game is in doubt after he sat out the Especially impressive under Shaw is among active coaches he ranks No. 3 in final 11:43 of the Cal game last weekend. Interestingly, last year at Notre Dame winning percentage against Associated Press top-25 teams (minimum 10 games it was McCaffrey who could not play because of an injury, so Love stepped in played) with a 22-12 record (.647). The only other active coaches above .600 in with 129 rushing yards on 23 carries in the 17-10 Cardinal victory. such contests are Ohio State’s Urban Meyer (37-15, .712) and Alabama’s Nick Saban (75-38, .664). Without Love, Stanford’s next option is Brennan Scarlett, whose 352 yards have averaged 4.8 yards and included six touchdowns. “He’s done an incredible job,” said Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly, who is 2-5 against Stanford and 2-4 versus Shaw. “He’s been consistent. They are who “We’re preparing for Love to play,” Kelly said. “But when Scarlett was in the they are, they don’t pretend to be anybody else. game, they were very effective. He’s a big back … 220 pounds, physical, very good vision.