Kevin Hogan threw four touchdown passes and drove No. 13 Stanford to the game-winning 45-yard field goal by Conrad Ukropina on the last play of the Cardinal’s 38-36 victory over No. 4 Notre Dame in a playoff elimination game Saturday night in Stanford, Calif.
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As for the victor, that will be a much more complicated question. “It seemed like whoever had the ball last would win”.
Admittedly, a few dominoes must fall to make the case for the Irish – the first being a USC victory over Stanford in the Pac-12 title game. A big win over Stanford could be the push back into the Top Four that they need. We’re in the Pac-12 championship and we gotta go play a great game against a team that is fired up to play us. It’s a culmination of the game and the reality is, we’re two plays away from being undefeated and being the number one team in the country, you know. “We had to finish the game and then we got celebrate in the end”. We may be deserving. One play? Sure, but you better go back though the full 60 minutes and not just the last half of the last one.
“He’s a class act, a class kid, know him through recruiting, known him every year”, Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly said.
Stanford running back Christian McCaffrey runs against Notre Dame during the first half on Saturday in Stanford. They barely beat Boston College. “All I care about is Stanford”.
“I really haven’t bought into any of that one way or another”, Scott said. If they play like they did in the first quarter in Saturday’s 45-34 win over N.C. State, they will knock off No. 1 Clemson.
“His father had passed away, he was a Notre Dame grad and was always fired up for the Notre Dame games”, Shaw said. Another promising drive just before halftime ended with no points when Kizer fumbled the ball at the Stanford 22.
And while Kelly is right about one series or one play, there were a couple Saturday that left Kizer, defensive lineman Sheldon Day and many others in white and navy and gold, in disbelief. Notre Dame at 11-1 probably would have forced the committee to at least reconsider whether the Fighting Irish belonged in over maybe the Big 12 champion Sooners or the Big Ten champion. Leading rusher C.J. Prosise is doubtful with a sprained ankle. Running back Josh Adams broke through for a 62-yard run. Smith has 99 total tackles, as well as eight tackles for a loss this season.
HOGAN’S GOODBYE: This will be the final home game for one of the most productive quarterbacks ever to play at Stanford. “And in true Kevin Hogan fashion, he says, ‘Thanks, coach”. “Belief in the work we put in, belief in our preparation, belief in our struggles – belief that our struggles helped us to be a better team”.
November 14, 2015: Notre Dame Fighting Irish quarterback DeShone Kizer (14) calls out signals during game action between the Wake Forest Demon Deacons and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish during a regular season game played at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, Indiana. A possibility that could ship Notre Dame to the Fiesta Bowl would be Temple beating Houston in the AAC Championship, and since Atlanta makes more sense for the Owls, it could lock the Irish into a trip to Arizona to avoid a re-match. If you’re going to have an aggressive scheme, it needs to actually reap some benefits of being aggressive…and if you’re not forcing any turnovers with your aggressive scheme, maybe it’s time for a tweak.
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“The confidence that they have in him and what they have seen him do, you’re talking about a walk-on kicker that came in as a young guy, earned his stripes, learned, grew, earned a scholarship and he’s our guy now”, Shaw said. Cardinal starting FB Daniel Marx (lower leg) did not play either. Chris Harrell will take over as the lead blocker for McCaffrey, although the Cardinal could also use one of their many tight ends in that role. Next up is No. 11 North Carolina in the Atlantic Coast Conference title game on December 5 and a win would send the Tigers, who are first in the CFP ranking, to the national semifinals.
