Marcus Freeman would like that not to happen.
As No. 9 Notre Dame (9-2) heads to Stanford (4-7) for its regular season finale, the challenge for Freeman is to keep the Irish focused on the small picture on the business end of the schedule. When the Irish kick off against the Cardinal (10:30 p.m. ET, ESPN), he should know exactly where he stands in the College Football Playoff with a week remaining.
Either the game will unleash chaos in its final weekend – Michigan will upset Ohio State or Miami will beat Pittsburgh, for example – or it will be business as usual with the favorite prevailing. A week ago, the entire top 12 in the CFP rankings won, keeping movement to a minimum. Even if Freeman doesn’t want to hear anything about it.
“You start to think about the bigger picture and what’s going to happen in the uncertain future, it’s extra pressure you don’t need,” Freeman said. “It’s the Super Bowl. I’ve said that many times. But it is.”
If that seems like a reach as Notre Dame faces a program with a lame-duck coach in its final game, Freeman is ready to move on. Aside from a slow start at Boston College earlier this month, Notre Dame has been playing consistently well since nearly halftime of the Purdue game more than two months ago. And that’s what Notre Dame needs to keep its spot in the CFP chase through November.
Now, they just need to do it one more time.
Here are three keys to Saturday night (and beyond), plus a prediction.
How much can Notre Dame’s portal pickup help?
Last week, Jalen Stroman made a pick-six and blocked a punt. It was also a pass breakup from Devonta Smith. Before that, Malachi Fields was making circus catches in Pittsburgh. Or Will Pauling going deep into Boston College. Or Jared Dawson picking pockets against USC.
Notre Dame is writing another success story with their addition to the Portal, even if they have started slowly as a group. There may not be any Riley Leonard in the group, but this eight-man group could be headed in that direction. Unlike previous transfer classes, there are no blanket exemptions in this group, which may be important as the season spreads across the CFP.
“You embrace your role. You put the team before yourself. I want the scout team player who never got a chance to step on the field to do what a lot of guys did on Saturday, to feel a part of that team’s sense of pride like everyone else because he put everything into his role,” Freeman said. “That’s what team glory is, if you put everything into your defined role, you should feel like there’s no one who gets more credit because you threw a touchdown or (Jeremiah) Love ran for a touchdown.”
Portals from last season include progress from RJ Oben’s strip sack in the CFP to Jayden Harrison’s kickoff return in the Sugar Bowl. For Notre Dame to make another run, this group will have to do much the same. And unlike last year, it has already shown plenty of evidence that it can.
“Obviously, being a two-time transfer, being in my third program, you see a lot of places, you see a lot of different things, and I can really say that Notre Dame is a place like no other,” Pauling said. “I never thought I’d get here, but to be here… it’s amazing.”
Can Madden Farimo fill the gap?
By most metrics, Madden Farimo had a solid season for a freshman linebacker.
After sitting out Miami, he eased into the rotation, getting his first reps against Purdue and in week three against Texas A&M. He did not play against USC, whom Notre Dame had defeated in a head-to-head, for his commitment the year before. He got a season-high 29 snaps in the blowout of Navy and nearly matched that with 28 snaps against Syracuse last weekend. “For a freshman” no longer applies to what Notre Dame wants from Farimo.
After Kingston Wiliamu-Asa lost the season due to a left knee injury, Farimo is no longer a luxury player. He is a necessity for a defense that will likely have to replace its most versatile player. Wiliamu-Asa was Notre Dame’s best linebacker thanks to his pass rush skills, shining on third-and-longs. The sophomore was fourth in quarterback pressures (23).
“He’s a special player,” defensive coordinator Chris Ash said. “It will be his production, his play, it will be made by committee. I don’t know if anyone will replace him as a player because he’s talented enough, he’s dynamic enough, he’s a violent player, loves the game.”
Farimo will back up Drayke Bowen going forward, although he should have a good idea of what Wiliamu-Asa has done defensively. Both are products of California and played on the same youth football team before going to different high schools. Wiliamu-Asa wasn’t the only reason Farimo decided to sign late for Notre Dame, but he helped.
“When I got here, he was a big part of me getting comfortable at Notre Dame and trying to fit in and get my feet on my feet,” Farimo said. “He’s a great leader, by example, so I see it every day. He comes in early, he’s always here late, obviously, in the film room and off the field.”
Under pressure, Stanford probably won’t give Ash full details about what it found in Farimo, but it will know something before the postseason.
Will Eric Schmidt get a chance?
Special teams coordinator Marty Biaggi was in favor of stopping Notre Dame’s offense last weekend.
Not exactly, but something like this.
As Notre Dame scored touchdown after touchdown against Syracuse in that 70-7 blowout, would it have struck offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock to be conservative before going into the red zone? Freshman kicker Eric Schmidt could have used the practice besides kicking another extra point. Instead, Notre Dame’s kicker still hasn’t made a field goal in place of Noah Burnett, who could return on Saturday night.
Notre Dame ranks last among Power 4 schools in field goals and attempts, essentially a vote of no confidence in that operation, even if Biaggi likes what Schmidt has shown in practice. The Irish have not made a field goal since Burnett kicked a pair on October 11 against NC State. He has not attempted one since a bad miss before halftime at Boston College, the last time Schmidt attempted a field goal.
“(Schmidt) has made great progress,” Biaggi said. “And he just had his best week in practice last week…that’s three weeks in a row increasing his field goal percentage.”
To Schmidt’s credit, he has made 23 consecutive extra point attempts with an operation that no longer feels like a car accident waiting to happen. Notre Dame still ranks last among Power 4 programs in extra point percentage (93.3).
“Eric, the last few games, you’re seeing the same changes in ball flight and height as expected,” Biaggi said. “That’s what we want to accomplish more than anything. And so you want to get to the point where you feel like, OK, he can feel like it’s the same kick, whether it’s an extra point or a 50-yarder.”
Prediction
Notre Dame has recently made a habit of finishing strong, which it did during the regular season in the CFP last year. After losing to Northern Illinois in Week 2 last year, Notre Dame has won 10 in a row by an average of 30.7 points. After losing to Texas A&M in Week 2 this year, Notre Dame has won nine in a row by an average of 29.7 points. Although the paths have not been the same from year to year, it is difficult to tell them apart. With the Irish out to prove a point, the Cardinals simply need to check the next box.
Notre Dame 42, Stanford 14
<a href=