Random Thoughts, Pre-Wazzu in Ole San Antone

Ohio State uses their 12th game to play New Mexico State, one of the worst 5 or 6 teams in country per my numbers. Wisconsin used theirs to play Wofford, a team that Rose-Hulman probably would ignore, schedule-wise. Florida played Charleston Southern, who only sounds like a high school. Michigan vs. Eastern Michigan, Purdue plays at least 2 MACs every year, etc., etc., etc. So its OK for Notre Dame to play Western Michigan next year? That's just how it works now?

Times, they are a changing...

Wazzu is epically bad. And injured across the board to boot. Notre Dame 45 - Washington State 21. Get Dayne Crist plenty of snaps to prepare for next year (yes, I think JC, with visions of Sam Bradford in his head, packs it up after this year). Defense did enough vs. BC, barely, but I still can't get my arms totally around what's happening on that side of the ball. Whatever it is, it is going to keep us out of a BCS bowl game this year. We'll have to play a LOT better to beat either Pitt or Stanford on the road. Particularly worried about Stanford (stayed up late last weekend and did a little scouting). They looked a lot more physical on both the O- and D-lines vs. ASU, at least to my untrained eyes in a one-game sample.

I think 8-4 and a Gator Bowl bid is where this is heading.

ND 20 - BC 16, Final

In the end, this one belongs to the much (MUCH) maligned Irish defense. They did just enough. Bring on Wazzu...

Notre Dame 37 - Washington 30, Final, OT

We win. Some how, some way... Robert Hughes scores on a 1-yard run in OT and the Irish keep UW out. Ear-hole shot by McCarthy and Harrison (OK, he's out of the IFP doghouse too) at the goal line prevented a possible UW TD pass. Wow. Offensive game balls to Clausen (422 passing yards, 2 TDs), Tate (244 receiving yards, 1 TD) and Hughes (70 super critical yards on 8 carries, 1 TD). That one deserves another look or two...God Bless DVR technology.

Washington 7 - Notre Dame 6, 12:48, 2nd Qtr

Big play by Ethan Johnson, who is really stepping up so far, on 2nd down. Lewis-Moore sacks Locker on 3rd. Huskies punt . . . and its a boomer. 57 yard punt by Washington's Will Mahon. Fair catch by Tate. First and ten, Irish, on the Notre Dame 12. Need a decent drive. Clausen is favoring the toe...

Washington 7 - Notre Dame 6, 14:08, 2nd Quarter

Tausch is 2-2, but Irish settling for FGs. Robert Hughes given a carry on a key 3rd & 1. No deal. Play way too slow developing... Hughes has been begging for more TB carries. He needs to come through on opportunities like that.

Washington (2-2) at Notre Dame (3-1)

How did Washington beat USC two weeks ago? The question of the week for IFPers, I would think…

Well, not to take anything away from what, in many ways, was a program-changing win, but USC beat themselves as much as Washington beat them two weeks ago. The Trojans got next to nothing out of backup QB Aaron Corp in that game (starter Barkley was sidelined with a bum shoulder from the Ohio State game), they were 0-10 on 3rd downs, and had 8 penalties tossed on top of that. USC was up 10-0 early but began piling up the mistakes, sloppy play, etc.

We think Washington showed more of their true colors last week at Stanford. They are a team that really struggles to stop the run, and were gashed for 322 yards on the ground against the Cardinal (Stanford TB Toby Gehart, alone, had 200 yards rushing and a TD). Washington allowed Stanford’s Chris Owusu to take the opening kickoff to the house and it was all downhill from there. The Huskies did not score in the 2nd half and hyped QB Jack Locker, who led the Huskies on the game winning drive vs. USC the prior week, was a less-than-sparkling 16-31 for 190 yards and three turnovers vs. Stanford.

In the first meeting between Notre Dame and Washington without Tyrone Willingham on one of the sidelines since 2001, IFP sees another high scoring, track meet-like affair. The defenses are similar, per the numbers anyway, and while Washington’s offense is OK and seems to be improving under Sarkisian, and Locker is starting to finally live up to the hype and will probably be a Mel Kiper “Big Board” darling next April, Notre Dame’s offense is better right now, even with all the walking wounded. If the Irish were totally healthy, I think the story would be similar to the last three ND-UW blowouts. Probably closer this time around, but IFP sees the gold hats taking care of business at home this weekend, with a bye on deck.

Notre Dame 38 – Washington 27.