The Stanford Cardinal travel to South Bend to take on the Fighting Irish for a Week 7 matchup between bitter college football rivals.
The Cardinal are coming into this matchup having lost four-straight games. All of those losses were to Pac-12 opponents. Stanford lost a heartbreaker in Week 6 to a very solid Oregon State team. The Cardinal are winless against the Irish in their last three matchups but are looking to change the tide this weekend.
After a rocky start to the 2022 season, the Irish are finally starting to get things going. After a double-digit road win against the Tar Heels in Week 4 and then a big win against a good BYU team in Week 6, the Irish are really clicking. Notre Dame has improved its record to 3-2 after dropping the first two games of the year.
Here’s everything you need from a betting perspective on the game between Stanford and Notre Dame from the point spread, moneyline, total Over/Under and expert pick (odds via FOX Bet).
Stanford at Notre Dame (7:30 p.m. ET Saturday, NBC)
Point spread: Notre Dame -17 (Notre Dame favored to win by more than 17 points, otherwise Stanford covers)
Moneyline: Notre Dame -909 favorite to win (bet $10 to win $15.49 total); Stanford +500 underdog to win (bet $10 to win $24 total)
Total scoring over/under: 53.5 points scored by both teams combined
Pick via FOX Sports NFL Analyst Geoff Schwartz:
Yes, it’s a big number, and the Irish appear to be “down” right now, but they are playing much better lately and Stanford stinks.
Notre Dame started slow, especially on offense, with losses to Ohio State and Marshall to start the season. Since then, the Irish have won three in a row with increased offensive production along the way.
Backup quarterback Drew Pyne, the new starting quarterback after the Irish starting QB got injured, has won all three of his starts. He’s completing 74% of passes for 8.2 yards per pass and eight passing touchdowns. No surprise the production from their skill position players has picked up over this winning streak. Notre Dame’s offensive line — normally one of the best in the country — mirrored the slow offensive start. The Irish have picked up their blocking the last three weeks, rushing for 668 yards during this win streak. Now the Irish get a Stanford defense that is horrendous.
Stanford ranks 111th in defensive points per drive, 127th in rushing success and 82nd against the pass. The Cardinal are 115th in havoc rate and generate almost no pressure or force turnovers. It will be a rough day for the Cardinal stopping the Irish offense.
Stanford’s offense has shown some ability to move the ball. The Cardinal rank 53rd in points per drive and are very good at scoring points once they enter the red zone. The offensive line gives Tanner McKee enough time to throw, though most of that is because of the team’s slow mesh offense. When the offense is behind schedule, the Cardinal do allow loads of pressure, as we saw with eight sacks allowed against the Washington Huskies.
Notre Dame’s defense is 25th in points per drive, and the squad has improved over the season against the run. The Irish are able to generate a bunch of pressure with their front four and have a higher-than-average pressure rate.
I’m going to lay the big number with an improving Irish squad against a Stanford team that has not beaten an FBS opponent since early October 2022.
PICK: Notre Dame (-17 at FOX Bet) to win by more than 17 points
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