The Anti-Preview: #8 Notre Dame Fighting Irish VS #7 Stanford Cardinal

The season just got a breath of fresh air for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish last week. After several stale offensive performances, Notre Dame exploded against Wake Forest with Ian Book at quarterback. The possibilities of another mediocre season started dripping away with every touchdown, and a new hope was installed.

It’s a fortunate thing that the next test for the Irish are the Stanford Cardinal. Momentum seems strong, and the Cardinal really looks to be the toughest test left for Notre Dame (not that the rest of the schedule is weak though).

It’s a top 8 matchup inside Notre Dame Stadium — which hasn’t happened since the Ohio State Buckeyes came to town and beat Notre Dame in 1996. Everything about this game screams HUGE FUCKING GAME! Time to get up and beat the war drums.

On to the Anti-Preview...

WHAT SHOULD YOU BE DRINKING?

A classic drink is required for such an occasion.

Subway Domer One Foot Crack

• One part Apple Cider
• One part Rum

Mix together in a large water bottle, apple cider jug, cup, keg- whatever. Mix and drink yo! The type of rum is almost inconsequential. Captain Morgan is always a solid choice, but Bacardi does make a Big Apple rum that works quite well too. It just doesn’t matter. You’ll be getting wasted with ease.

WHAT SHOULD YOU BE EATING?

This dish is one of the pure classics when it comes to the Anti-Preview cuisine. There are many, many ways to make this succulent plate of heaven, but I’m going to show you how I make it best.

Sausage and Fried Apples.

• 3 lbs. of Eckrich skinless Sausage
• 5 Apples (any kind you like bozo)
• Butter
• 3 shots of Jack Daniels
• 1/4 cup of Brown Sugar

Put some butter in a big pan. Lots of butter. Slice up your apples and put them in the pan. Now take a shot of Jack Daniels and put it down your throat. Take the other two shots and the brown sugar and put it in the pan. Fry it all up for about 5 minutes on high. Slice your sausage up in threes and put it in the pan for 5 minutes while stir-frying it all. Take the contents of that pan and put in a crock pot. Heat on low for 2 hours. Serve. Send all thank-yous to my email.

WHAT SHOULD YOU BE WEARING?

It’s lumberjack season. Wear green and carry a big axe.

KEY(S) TO THE GAME

Winning the Legends Trophy is vital to the success of the 2018 season.

• The Irish must corral Bryce Love and prevent him from bouncing zone runs to the edge.
• Simplicity at its best... play more physical in the trenches.
• Notre Dame’s DB’s are going to have to trail the receivers and tight ends in coverage rather than keeping them in front and essentially getting boxed out for balls from K.J. Costello. This will require great communication and ball awareness.
• MURDER DEATH KILL. At no point should Notre Dame ever let up— even in the slightest. Just look at Stanford’s win last week over Oregon.

AT THE END OF THE NIGHT...

Regardless of Stanford’s record (both this season and against Notre Dame these past 10 years) I don’t believe this Cardinal team packs enough punch to come into South Bend and win. I look for Notre Dame to do more of what was working for Oregon, and with Ian Book distributing the ball (and the return of Dexter Williams to provide some extra fireworks) I am predicting a rather decisive win in a game that has been close so many times before. Notre Dame 31, Stanford 20