About Last Week
Notre Dame remained undefeated in the Shamrock Series (11-0) after caging the Cougars in historical fashion defeating #16 BYU, 28-20 in Las Vegas. 62,742 fans were in attendance marking it as the biggest crowd in Nevada’s collegiate event history. Head Coach Marcus Freeman earned his first win as a head coach against a ranked opponent. And, Irish tight end Michael Mayer became Notre Dame’s all-time receptions leader for a tight end. Mayer finished with 11 catches for 118 yards and two touchdowns. Although the talented tight end received player-of-the-game honors, the glue that held the offense together was quarterback, Drew Pyne. He completed 22 of 28 passes for 262 yards including three touchdowns. His accuracy was pivotal in keeping drives alive and adding touchdowns to the scoreboard in lieu of field goals.
Key Injuries
Notre Dame
Senior WR Avery Davis is lost for the season due to a torn ACL, and TE Mitchell Evans is out indefinitely due to an injured foot. Tyler Buchner is out for the season (shoulder). TE Kevin Baumann will miss the rest of the season with a torn ACL. TE Cane Berrong is questionable (knee). LB Bo Bauer will miss the final seven games of the season with a knee injury.
Stanford
Running Back E.J. Smith is out for the season (undisclosed)
Betting Trends
- Stanford is 2-6 ATS in its last 8 games against Notre Dame.
- The total has gone under in 4 of Stanford’s last 5 games when playing on the road against Notre Dame.
- The total has gone over in 5 of Notre Dame’s last 6 games against Stanford.
- Notre Dame is 10-3 ATS in its last 13 games.
Point Spread and Over / Under Total
Stanford (1-4) (1-4 ATS)at Notre Dame -16.5 (3-2) (3-2 ATS)
Stanford lost a heartbreaker last week surrendering a go-ahead touchdown to Oregon State with 13 seconds left on the clock. The Beavers were down by as many as 14 points during the fourth quarter before rallying to defeat the Cardinal, 28-27. Not only did Stanford lose on the scoreboard, but they were also held to 90 yards on the ground.
Meanwhile, Notre Dame added its third straight win on the season which placed them above .500 for the first time. Unlike Stanford, the Irish had no issues running the football. As an offense, the Irish finished with 234 yards rushing for an average of 5.2 YPC. This is not a Stanford team of old and the same can be said for Notre Dame. These two teams appear to be moving in different directions. This line opened at -15 before climbing to -15.5. The total is hovering around 52.5. PICK: Notre Dame
Behind Enemy Lines Week 7:
PICKS-WIN/LOSS on the year: (32-23) (27-28 ATS)
#2 Ohio State (6-0) (3-3 ATS) – bye week
Ohio State crushed beheaded the Spartans last week, 49-20. Buckeyes’ quarterback, C.J. Stroud finished with 361-yards passing and six touchdowns. Next game vs. Iowa.
UL Lafayette (2-3) (3-2 ATS) at Marshall -10.5 (3-2) (2-3 ATS)
Marshall will be fresh off of a bye week and the Cajuns will be returning from a tough loss to South Alabama. The Jaguars kicked a 43-yard field goal as time expired to defeat Louisiana, 20-17. Louisiana-Lafayette is 5-2 ATS in its last 7 games. The total has gone under in 6 of Marshall’s last 6 games at home. Marshal opened at -8 before the line rose to -10.5. The total is 47.5 across the board. PICK: Marshall
California -14.5 (3-2) (3-2 ATS) at Colorado (0-5) (0-5 ATS)
Both teams will enter this week hungry for a win. The Golden Bears were eaten alive in its last game versus Washington State, 28-9. Cal was limited to 31- yards rushing. The Buffalos will be seeking their first win after getting skinned at Arizona, 43-20. California is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games against Colorado. The total has gone under in 7 of California’s last 10 games against an opponent in the Pac-12 Conference. The total has gone over in 4 of Colorado’s last 5 games. Colorado is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games against an opponent in the North Division. Cal is firm at -14.5. The total is ricocheting between 49 to 48. PICK: Colorado
North Carolina -7 (5-1) (3-2-1 ATS) at Duke (4-2) (3-3 ATS)
The Tar Heels added its fifth win of the season drowning Miami, 27-24. North Carolina quarterback, Drake Maye passed for 309 yards and two scored with two interceptions. Last week, Duke was stung by the Yellow Jackets, 23-20. Georgia Tech held Duke to under 300 yards of total offense. North Carolina is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games against an opponent in the Atlantic Coast Conference. The total has gone under in 6 of Duke’s last 9 games against North Carolina. Duke is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games against an opponent in the Coastal Division. UNC is holding steady at -7 and total is strong at 66. PICK: UNC
Arkansas -1.5 (3-3) (2-4 ATS) at BYU (4-2) (2-4 ATS)
Last week, BYU was submitted in Las Vegas by Notre Dame UFC style, 28-20. The Cougars defense surrendered 496 yards of offense. The Razorbacks were barbequed at Mississippi State, 40-17. The Bulldogs tallied 568 yards of total offense. Arkansas is 2-17 SU in its last 19 games on the road. The total has gone over in 5 of Arkansas’ last 6 games. BYU is 1-8 ATS in its last 9 games against an opponent in the Southeastern Conference. Arkansas is firm at -1.5, but the total rose from 60 to 63. PICK: BYU
Air Force -9 (4-2) (3-3 ATS) at UNLV (4-2) (4-2 ATS)
Utah State scored late to shoot down Air Force, 34-27. UNLV was speared by San Jose State, 40-7. The Rebels were limited to 213 yards of offense including 52-yards rushing on 27 carries. Air Force is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games against UNLV. The total has gone over in 5 of Air Force’s last 6 games against an opponent in the Mountain West conference. UNLV is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games when playing at home against Air Force. This line fell a hair from 9.5 to 9 and the total also fell from 54.5 to 53. PICK: Air Force
#15 NC State (5-1) (2-4 ATS) at #18 Syracuse -3.5 (5-0) (4-1 ATS)
NC State shutout Florida State in the fourth quarter last week to win, 19-17. Syracuse was enjoying a bye week after having slapped around Wagner, 59-0 the week prior. NC State is 7-1 SU in their last 8 games against Syracuse. NC State is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games on the road. The total has gone under in 5 of Syracuse’s last 6 games against an opponent in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Syracuse is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games. This line is ranging between -3 and -3.5 depending on the book. The total is sitting around 44. PICK: Syracuse
#4 Clemson -3.5 (6-0) (3-3 ATS) at Florida State (4-2) (4-2 ATS)
Clemson plucked Boston College last week, 31-3. The Eagles were held to 34 yards on the ground for 1.1 YPC. The Seminoles were blanked in the second half at NC State costing them the game, 19-17. Florida State averaged a whopping 7.4 YPC on 28 attempts. Clemson is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games against Florida State. The total has gone over in 5 of Clemson’s last 6 games against an opponent in the Atlantic Division. Florida State is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games. This line opened at -7.5 before dropping four points to -3.5. The total is firm at 51. PICK: Clemson
Navy (2-3) (3-2 ATS) at SMU -13.5 (2-3) (1-4 ATS)
Navy strongarmed Tulsa last week, 53-21. The Midshipmen rushed for 445 yards on 69 carries for 6.6 YPC. Meanwhile, the Mustangs were lassoed down at UCF, 41-19. Navy is 7-2 ATS in its last 9 games against SMU. The total has gone over in 4 of Navy’s last 5 games when playing on the road against SMU. Southern Methodist is 1-6 ATS in its last 7 games. SMU Opened at -10.5 before climbing to -13.5. The total is at 57.5 across the board. PICK: Navy
Boston College (2-4) (1-5 ATS) – bye week.
Last week, the Eagles were shot down by Clemson, 31-3. Boston College quarterback, Phil Jurkovec completed 19 of 40 passes for 188 yards. Next game at #14 Wake Forest.
#7 USC -13 (6-0) (4-2 ATS) at Utah -3 (4-2) (4-2 ATS)
USC defeated Washington State last week, 30-14. The Trojans managed a balanced attack with 188 yards through the air and 181 yards on the ground. Utah suffered its second loss on the season falling at UCLA, 42-32. USC is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games against Utah. The total has gone under in 4 of USC’s last 5 games on the road. Utah is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games. Utah is firm at -3. The total increased from 59.5 to 63. PICK: Utah
*Notre Dame’s 2022 opponents listed in bold.
Oklahoma just ran the most bizarre set of plays to end their first half. Offesne on hyper-0drive all game, they get the ball back with 1:36 leeft in the half and all 3 TOs.
They burn up a good 45 seconds wandering around, but finally run and hit on two big plays (dude, WTF !?!),
….AND end the half failing on a 4th down goal line push instead of taking the gimme field goal.
Venables employed the Brian Kelly clock management. But instead of the Kelly ghabit of having burrnt his TOs far too early, Venables just seemed to forget he had any.
After a poor defensive first half, Kansas now feels pumped up coming out for Q3, getting the ball first.
A 17 point spread vs. a Stanford team with nothing to lose is too big of a gamble for me, with ND giving up too many chunk plays, and this week, against a long, tall passing attack minus Tariq Bracy, who I’m betting is doubtful to play with a hamstring injury. That’s a game I’d stay away from wagering on, although I hope I’m wrong. Everything I heard and read about mentioned how “electric” the game in Vegas was. Here’s hoping the home crowd steps up and makes their presence felt, like the 2018 night game I attended (38-17) when the stadium rocked like I’d seldom seen.
ND has “homefield neutrality”, not an advantage.
And for specific opponents, dependernt on geography, a very audible disadvantage.
Pretty special.
LSU is a 2.5 pt. dog to Florida this week. This tight spread is a real gift for ND fans….take Florida!
Kelly’s first visit to the Swamp. Too bad it’s not a night game, because you’d really see those glazed-over eyes glisten.
2015 at Clemson would have been quite valuable coaching experience for Kelly, but he was having a 3-hour panic attack.
Win the toss and take the ball, Brian. And call a timeout on the first series.
C’mon! Earn that dough!
Faux Tigers!
Stanford is better than Marshall.
So there’s that.
Yeah, but overall I think we are on the same page footballwise, if in no other way. I said last spring I was happy with Buchner and Pyne at QB. You said you haven’t given up on Pyne yet. We both see a difficult, but very possible route to 10-2.
You know David, some of those posters way back when kept saying Wimbush
had the highest ceiling.. but in Kelly’s offense, for whatever reason, he did not. Book did, as some scout must have told Kelly.
I love what Pyne is doing.
BGC 77 82
If you’re satisfied with ND being slightly above mediocre and by that I mean somewhere outside the top 10 then I can see why you would be satisfied with Pyne at QB. Notre Dame needs a stud QB which they haven’t had in many years. Until then it’s not happening.
Jeff, there are simpy too many high-profile, SEC-type destinations for the elite QB recruits. Places that play against the current great prgrams a minimum of 6 or 8 games a year.
NDs only chance is to coach up whatever they can get.
Arch Manning wasn’t comin’ to ND…and the next Arch Manning won’t either.
Yep, unfortunately you’re exactly right. Glad I’m old enough to have watched ND football in the 70s and 80s when they could compete against and beat the elite programs. Those days are never returning. A solid plan B has never been more important than it is today for ND football fans. That being said Alabama vs Tennessee is a good watch.
So happy to see Tennnessee playing at a real high level again…. one of the game’s great venues and fanbases.
A win today would sure help them forget the misery of the recent past.
“The misery is over on Rocky Top!”
A classic line.
What a great game to watch.