Notre Dame vs. Stanford prediction, pick, odds, spread: Fighting Irish, Cardinal battle for Legends Trophy
A rivalry trophy and a spot in the College Football Playoff are on the line for the Fighting Irish
By
Carter Bahns
•
3 min read
The Legends Trophy is on the line as No. 9 Notre Dame and Stanford close out the regular season with a rivalry game. The Fighting Irish head to The Farm on Saturday in search of their third consecutive win over the Cardinal, and as commanding favorites over one of the ACC's bottom-dwelling squads, anything short of a victory would be not only a surprise but also catastrophic to their season goals.
Those aspirations include a trip to the College Football Playoff, which is well within sight for Marcus Freeman and his team. The math is simple. With one final regular-season victory, Notre Dame will be a near lock to clinch a spot in the bracket. With a loss, the Fighting Irish can plan on watching the playoff from home.
Even on the heels of a 70-7 win over Syracuse and with Stanford set to miss a bowl game, the Fighting Irish must not take the regular-season finale for granted. Coach Frank Reich guided the Cardinal to a victory in last week's Big Game with a season-high 31 points against California, and that triumph could give redshirt freshman quarterback Elijah Brown confidence as he leads the offense into another rivalry battle.
Stacked with elite offensive talent, though, the Fighting Irish should be able to post a number on the scoreboard that Stanford is simply not capable of reaching.
Notre Dame vs. Stanford: Need to know
Points aplenty: The 70 points Notre Dame amassed in last week's rout of Syracuse were the program's most since 1932. The first 21 of those points came before the Fighting Irish even took an offensive snap. Across the first 5:17, the defense recorded two pick-6's and the special teams unit pitched in with a blocked punt returned for a touchdown. After the outburst, Notre Dame ranks as the seventh-highest-scoring team in college football.
Gotta Love it: With his 20 touchdowns from scrimmage, Jeremiyah Love has a new career high in what has been nothing short of a marvelous year for the Heisman Trophy contender. He made three trips to the end zone last week and has scored in every game this year but the season opener. Love, with his 1,306 rushing yards, leads an incredible running back tandem with Jadarian Price, who boasts 10 touchdowns of his own.
Take it away, Stanford: The Cardinal forced seven turnovers across their first two November home games, good for the most of any team in the country. Two of those takeaways came last week by way of scoop-and-score fumble returns. Standout linebacker Matt Rose picked up a third fumble in the Big Game win to add to his breakout season as one of the ACC's top defenders. He also boasts 97 total tackles on the year, good for second-most in the conference.
Aerial threats: While Stanford has largely been woeful on offense this season, it does feature a pair of prolific playmakers in its receiving unit. Sam Roush is the most productive tight end in the ACC with 472 receiving yards, and wide receiver CJ Williams ranks fifth in the conference with 58 catches. Cardinal quarterbacks Ben Gulbranson and Elijah Brown struggled mightily at generating a consistent passing attack, but their safety valves are about as reliable as they come in this league.
Where to watch Notre Dame vs. Stanford live
Date: Saturday, Nov. 29 | Time: 10:30 p.m. ET
Location: Stanford Stadium -- Stanford, California
TV: ESPN | Live stream: Fubo (Try for free)
Notre Dame vs. Stanford prediction, picks
Picking against Notre Dame after a 63-point just win feels wrong, but there is enough going Stanford's way to suggest the Cardinal can keep this rivalry game within a massive number. While nobody will confuse Stanford Stadium with the nation's toughest environments, the home team is 4-1 straight-up in the Bay Area and just set a season high in points (31) in front of its local fans. Frank Reich's squad is simply much sharper and, frankly, quite competent at home. Combine that with the fact that Marcus Freeman may be content with sitting on a lead and keeping his guys healthy for the CFP, and a five-touchdown margin becomes awfully large. Pick: Stanford +32.5
Who will win and cover in each Week 14 college football rivalry game? Legendary Vegas expert Bruce Marshall is on a 38-29 roll on college football picks. Visit SportsLine now to see all his college football picks.
