notre dame has given up 2 rushing scores

[sc455]

all year and their opponents are averaging 3.2 yards a carry. that is astounding. 2 rushing tds.

i am starting too think that bama will not be able to run the ball. i know they have 3 all american lineman and lacy/yeldon but i dont see bama getting 100 yards on the ground. Notre Dame is just better than Bama on that matchup.

i think it boils down to bamas defense containing golson and not being caught in overrunning plays. if they contain golson, and McCarron can hit some nice balls, i think bama has a shot to win by 7.

[GarnetInChicago]

Originally Posted by sc455

all year and their opponents are averaging 3.2 yards a carry. that is astounding. 2 rushing tds.

i am starting too think that bama will not be able to run the ball. i know they have 3 all american lineman and lacy/yeldon but i dont see bama getting 100 yards on the ground. Notre Dame is just better than Bama on that matchup.

i think it boils down to bamas defense containing golson and not being caught in overrunning plays. if they contain golson, and McCarron can hit some nice balls, i think bama has a shot to win by 7.

Have you considered how much better Bama's O-line is than anyone else ND has faced other than maybe Stanford? (BTW, Stanford had 147 rushing yards in that game (not to mention Taylor's TD that was inexplicably failed to be correctly called under video review and thus gave ND the win) - ND gave up 92 per game on average). By comparison, Bama is the #1 rushing defense in the nation giving up 79 per game and they gave up 9 rushing TD. Seems to me good quality running teams can run against ND and that the 2 rushing TD stat is just one of those freak things.

[sandstorm2001]

What great O-lines and runningbacks has notre dame faced this year?

[wilbert G willigers]

Alabama's O Line is unlike anything ND has seen all season. ND will limit rushing yards which is always the gameplan playing a nick saban team, but Bama will get their fair share, enough to win. ND hasn't gone up against an offensive lineman as good as B Jones, C Warmack, or D Fluker, much less an O Line with all 3 of those guys

[ElectricCock]

Bama MANHANDLED uga in the second half, that Oline could contend with the panthers or jaguars...

Theres no way ND can stop Bama on the ground

I still think ND could win though

[MikeTrainNC8]

Yeahhh Bama will crush them on the ground... not even close

ND will not run on bama

[LegalCock]

I watched some of that pitt game and ray graham made them look stupid. That's all I know.

[SR4-AJ1]

^^^ I agree. Pitt ran all over them that day and shoul have won the game. Bama has a much better stable of running backs and will show them smash mouth football at its finest I believe.

[Sir Cuss]

Is GG still on that team? If so, I hope he get toasted more than once. Last year's Meeshigan game was hilarious. He couldn't cover worth a flip.

[Stonecoldcock]

Alabama only gives up 2.5 ypc, and that O-line goes up against them every day in practice. LSU gives up 3.1 ypc, and Alabama rushed for 166 yards and 6.6 ypc against them. Also for comparison's sake, we give up 3.1 ypc, slightly better than ND.

ND also has its stats against these rushing offenses:

Navy - 6th
Purdue - 59th
Michigan St - 72nd
Michigan - 39th
Miami - 82nd
Stanford - 50th
BYU - 62nd
Oklahoma - 60th
Pittsburgh - 89th
Boston College - 115th
Wake Forest - 113th
Southern Cal - 62nd

That's an average of 67.

For comparison, LSU averages 67 for rush offenses it has faced as well (I threw out division 1AA Towson). So Notre Dame is very comparable to LSU as far as rush defense. Alabama rushed for 6.6 ypc vs LSU.

[egnarts]

Did ND affiliate itself with certain team sports of the ACC in order to justify playing 4 to5 football games with ACC teams? This move allows them to replace games against Stanford and SoCal with those juggernauts of the ACC such as UVA. WF, Duke, etc.
Just a thought.

[I Bleed Garnet]

Originally Posted by egnarts

Did ND affiliate itself with certain team sports of the ACC in order to justify playing 4 to5 football games with ACC teams? This move allows them to replace games against Stanford and SoCal with those juggernauts of the ACC such as UVA. WF, Duke, etc.
Just a thought.

No it did it because the ACCs TV contract from other sports is better than the Big east.

So now they steal money from the ACCs basketball viewership and keep all their own from football.

They aren't ending the Stanford and SoCal series

[markymark550]

Originally Posted by sandstorm2001

What great O-lines and runningbacks has notre dame faced this year?

I think Stanford is the best of both that they have played. IMO Stepfan Taylor is one of the most underrated rbs. And ND was damn lucky to win that game.

[USCgamecocks]

Graham put up 172 and an average of 7.2, granted there was a 55 yarder in there but that was a good game against them. A lot of that was simply on him though, the Pitt O-line continues to be atrocious.

The ND front 7 are a bunch of serious quality guys, they aren't bum prospects coached up. They are traditional top level ND recruits that are finally living up to their status. Just look at the some of the offers they got.

DE KAPRON LEWIS-MOORE (A&M, TEX, MICH, WISC)
NT LOUIS NIX III (FLA, SC, MISS, FSU)
DE STEPHON TUITT (AUB, FLA, GEO, LSU, SC, TENN, VANDY)

OLB PRINCE SHEMBO (TENN, WVU, UNC)
ILB DAN FOX (STAN, IOWA, MSU)
ILB MANTI TE’O (TENN, USC, ORE)
OLB DANNY SPOND (STAN, TCU)

Outside of maybe the OLB they are built to be a suffocating run D team.

[Lalli25]

ND has the talent to limit Bama's run game but Bama will still rush for more than 100. The key is not letting Bama go for over 200.

ND has a legit run D but and avg. pass D. If Bama runs well then their passing game will be open and able to exploit ND's weakness. It will come down to turnovers, I think.

[SpecOps Cock]

Bama is going to put a smack down on ND. Te'o better wear his big boy pants and come to the understanding he doesnt have SEC talent. Lacy will make him his biatch by the end of this game. ND is going to do Shit against Bama!!!

[Lalli25]

Originally Posted by SpecOps Cock

Bama is going to put a smack down on ND. Te'o better wear his big boy pants and come to the understanding he doesnt have SEC talent. Lacy will make him his biatch by the end of this game. ND is going to do Shit against Bama!!!

Teo is all pro talent and would start on SEC defense. Post like this is why people hate SEC fans.

[ColaCock]

Lacy is going to run up and down on Notre Dame. I would bet $100 he gets at least 150 rushing yards.

[rioninusc]

I think they will give up 2 rushing scores in the first half. Book it!

But of all of the teams a SEC team has faced the last 6 years in the National Champ game, I feel Notre Dame is the one that has the most chance to win.

I still think they lose, but it will be win by only one score for BAMA.

[crowcutta]

i cant say how its going to turn out, because notre dame does have a very good and possibly great defense depending on how they play against bama.
bama with their line, cooper on the outside, veteran championship qb, veterans at wr and cooper as the deep threat will present a challenge notre dame hasnt faced this year.

i expect a war, and that bama wont be able to just run it right through notre dame like they did to georgia, but lacy and yeldon are all american caliber backs who can make plays even when there isnt much room. great matchups across the board for what should be a great game.