Depending upon the results of Saturday night's Arizona State-Arizona game, Stanford's 4 p.m. game against Notre Dame could be the final home game for a group of players who reshaped football on the Farm.
Linebacker Shayne Skov even helped recruit other members of the class when he was getting ready to enter school in the fall of 2009. The fifth-year seniors also include outside linebacker Trent Murphy, offensive linemen Khalil Wilkes and Kevin Danser, fullback Ryan Hewitt and nickel back Usua Amanam.
Until they showed up and joined then-coach Jim Harbaugh's program, the Cardinal hadn't had a winning season in eight years. This season Stanford will go to its fifth straight bowl game and will go to its second straight Pac-12 championship game and a possible second straight Rose Bowl.
It's possible the No. 8 Cardinal (9-2, 7-2 Pac-12) could be back at Stanford Stadium next Saturday for the 4:45 p.m. conference title game against Arizona State. But for that to happen, the Sun Devils (9-2, 7-1) would have to lose to Arizona (7-4, 4-4) at Tempe in a 6:30 p.m. game.
Against No. 25 Notre Dame (8-3), the Cardinal will shoot for their 16th straight home win. If it hadn't been for a controversial finish in last year's game, Stanford might be looking for its fifth straight win over the Irish in the Legends Trophy game.
Stanford's Stepfan Taylor was ruled to have been stopped just short of the goal line on the final play, giving Notre Dame a 20-13 overtime victory. The play had not been whistled dead while Taylor continued to squirm and move his feet around the pile. But officials ruled he had been stopped, and the game was over.
Before Saturday's game, Stanford will introduce its seniors, including not just the Skov-Murphy group but some players on track to graduate in the spring who have a season of eligibility left.
Of those players, guard David Yankey is considered the most likely to leave, because he could be a first-round pick in the next NFL draft. Head coach David Shaw told those players to take part in the farewell introductions if they have any doubt about coming back next season.
The Cardinal are heavily favored against the Irish, who have won five of their past six games and have beaten three teams currently ranked in the AP Top 25 - No. 11 Michigan State, No. 13 Arizona State and No. 23 USC.
"They play a physical style of football," Shaw said. "You look at Coach (Brian) Kelly as a spread offensive coach, but then you watch them, and they're physical. They're big up front. They'll run three running backs at you in different ways and keep attacking you."
Notre Dame's running back stable includes George Atkinson III, son of the former star safety for the Raiders; Cam McDaniel; and promising freshman Tarean Folston. Atkinson, who played at Granada High in Livermore, is averaging an impressive 6.2 yards per carry, and Folston 6.1. But they'll be up against the third-best rushing defense in the country.
The Irish have given up plenty of big plays this year, a weakness that Ty Montgomery will try to exploit after his sensational five-touchdown game against Cal last week.
Briefly: The game is expected to be a sellout, in which case this will be the first time Stanford has sold out a complete home season. ... Quarterback Kevin Hogan, who didn't play against the Irish last year, might have been starting this game on the other side. He grew up rooting for Notre Dame, which his father, sister and a host of other relatives had attended. But the Irish, in the midst of a coaching change, never offered him a scholarship.
Where: Stanford Stadium
When: 4 p.m. TV/radio: Channel: 2 Channel: 40 /1050
Story line: This is the fifth time this season a ranked team has visited Stanford, and the Cardinal have beaten the previous four. Stanford shoots for its fourth straight season of at least 10 wins. The outcome won't affect Stanford's pursuit of a Rose Bowl berth, but it could have major implications for the Cardinal's bowl status if Stanford loses the Pac-12 title game to Arizona State.
Injuries: Stanford should be close to full health, a remarkable situation for a late-season game. Notre Dame's standout defensive tackle, Louis Nix III, and starting center Nick Martin are out for the rest of the season with knee injuries.
Think big: Notre Dame has had shaky tackling from its safeties, which partly explains why the Irish have given up a host of big plays. They could be vulnerable to Stanford speedsters like Ty Montgomery and Michael Rector.
Line battle: Jarron Jones filled in capably for the Irish in place of Nix last week against BYU, and Stephon Tuitt is a load in the defensive front. But that front figures to get a stern test from 1,300-yard tailback Tyler Gaffney and Stanford's imposing offensive line.
Defensive ace: Stanford OLB Trent Murphy had his way with the Irish last year (10 tackles, 2 1/2 for losses), and he's done nothing but get better this year.
- Tom FitzGerald
Who: No. 25 Notre Dame (8-3) at No. 8 Stanford (9-2)
Where: Stanford Stadium
When: 4 p.m.
TV/Radio: Channel: 2 Channel: 40 / 1050
Tom FitzGerald is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. E-mail: tfitzgerald@sfchronicle.com. Twitter: @tomgfitzgerald
No comments:
Post a Comment