Game Prediction: No. 6 Notre Dame Fighting Irish At Stanford Cardinal

Who does our staff think will win Saturday's game between the Fighting Irish and Cardinal?

Author:
Andrew Lind
Nov 26, 2021 7:37 PM EST

Currently on the outside looking in with no conference championship game to improve its standing, Notre Dame needs some help in order to reach the College Football Playoff. A big win at Stanford, which upset Oregon at home earlier this season, could help.

The Cardinal won three of their first five games to open the season, but have lost six in a row since. They’ve fallen behind early and have only topped 14 once during that span, and Saturday will likely be a similar result.

Here’s how our staff at BuckeyesNow expects the game to go down:

NOTRE DAME at STANFORD – Saturday, 8 p.m. on FOX
Spread: Notre Dame (-20)
O/U Total: 53.5

Brendan Gulick: Notre Dame 38, Stanford 10

Notre Dame is in a really frustrating spot because it feels like they need to blow out Stanford and get some serious help in order to make the College Football Playoff. But after their loss to Cincinnati earlier in the season, the Irish have done their part to jump back into the national conversation.

Meanwhile, Stanford is mired in the longest losing streak they’ve had in a very long time. I think Notre Dame is going to control the line of scrimmage on both sides and this one will get out of hand by halftime.

Andrew Lind: Notre Dame 32, Stanford 13

Notre Dame has played well over the last month and a half, and that should be expected against a handful of lesser opponents. Stanford fits into that category, and this game should be a blowout as a result.

However, let’s not forget the Cardinal handed Oregon its first loss of the season back in September. West Coast trips are never easy, either, so the Fighting Irish could struggle early before pulling away late.

Caleb Spinner: Notre Dame 38, Stanford 14

Notre Dame should not be anywhere close to the CFP if they don’t destroy Stanford this weekend, to put it more than bluntly. The Irish are closer to the playoff than most people realize: either No. 2 Ohio State or No. 5 Michigan will fall this weekend, and then No. 1 Georgia or No. 3 Alabama will drop after the SEC Championship game. These top-5 battles give the Irish a perfect spot to jump into the playoff picture if they win out, but it will be a rude awakening for Brian Kelly’s squad once they get there if they can’t win when they are supposed to.

It’s been a rough season for the Irish, who yes are a one-loss team, but whom also have had to fight for almost every one of those wins. It would take at least a 20-point win over Stanford to convince me of Notre Dame is worthy of the CFP, but that’s something of which I think they are capable. Irish win, 38-14.

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