Stanford Notre Dame Betting – Irish Need To Acquire Precision, Polish On Offense In Order To Win
The Notre Dame Fighting Irish are going through growing pains this season. They’ll need to grow up if they’re to turn back the Stanford Cardinal.
NCAA football betting: Stanford Cardinal @ Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Online Betting Odds: Stanford -4.5
Why To Bet On Stanford
Yes, it was only Wake Forest, but the Cardinal looked dominant and very well-lubricated as an offensive force late last Saturday night. Stanford made football look incredibly easy in a 68-24 demolition of the Demon Deacons. Quarterback Andrew Luck was razor-sharp for coach Jim Harbaugh, completing just under 75 percent of his passes (17 of 23) for 207 yards with four touchdowns and no interceptions. Luck, not Washington quarterback Jake Locker, is setting the standard for excellence in a West Coast signal caller, and he’s presiding over a Stanford offense that is steamrolling the opposition. One week after a 35-0 win at UCLA, the Cardinal produced 41 points in just the first half of play against Wake Forest. Harbaugh was able to insert two backup quarterbacks in the game, and the Cardinal were still able to score 27 points after halftime en route to a 44-point runaway. Last year, Stanford lost at Wake Forest, as Luck encountered a steep learning curve in his freshman season. This year, with some newly-won wisdom in his football mind, Luck is making better decisions and is progressing far more quickly through the reads he needs to make when he surveys a defense. An in-form Andrew Luck is going to thrive, and a thriving Andrew Luck is going to make Stanford an elite contender for the Pac-10 Conference championship, especially since USC is ineligible for the crown in 2010. Luck has more than enough composure to win in South Bend.
Why To Bet On Notre Dame
The Fighting Irish are 1-2 because they’ve shot themselves in the foot in the red zone and, on a broader level, in the opponent’s final third of the field. Notre Dame has shown an ability to move the ball between the 30s, but when coach Brian Kelly’s offense gets into scoring range, it often flinches. Last Saturday against Michigan State, a fumble and an interception in the red zone doomed the Irish in a 34-31 overtime loss. This problem has to be fixed in order for the Irish to post better results. The good news in all this, of course, is that the Irish really aren’t that far from being a really good team. Quarterback Dayne Crist is a gifted athlete; he just has to show better maturity in meaningful moments and display the acumen of former Irish quarterbacks Brady Quinn and Jimmy Clausen. Receiver Michael Floyd also needs to elevate his game. Floyd is a dynamic receiver, but the star flanker’s fumble at Michigan State proved to be a very costly turnover. If this offense can simply weed out turnovers, it has every chance of playing Stanford on even terms and eventually winning.
How The Game Will Play Out
The Irish will throw some punches, but Stanford – with Andrew Luck under center – simply has the superior quarterback in this game. Since both coaches, Harbaugh (Stanford) and Kelly (Notre Dame), are superb offensive coaches, give the nod to the team with the better gunslinger. Stanford will win in the shadow of the Golden Dome.
Stanford Notre Dame Betting Pick: Stanford
