Game 1 San Diego State
Sept. 6, Notre Dame Stadium (80,795), Notre Dame, Ind. 3:30 p.m. EDT NBC
2008 Schedule
Aug. 30
Cal Poly
Sept. 6
at Notre Dame
Sept. 13
at San Jose State
Sept. 27
Idaho
Oct. 4
at TCU
Oct. 11
Air Force
Oct. 18
at New Mexico
Oct. 25
Colorado State
Nov. 1
at Wyoming
Nov. 8
at Brigham Young
Nov. 15
Utah
Nov. 22
UNLV
2007 Results (4-8)
at Washington State
L
17-45
at Arizona State
L
13-34
Portland State
W
52-17
Cincinnati
L
23-52
at Colorado State
W
24-20
at Utah
L
7-23
New Mexico
L
17-20
Wyoming
W
24-20
at UNLV
W
38-30
at Air Force
L
23-55
TCU
L
33-45
Brigham Young
L
27-48
HEAD COACH Chuck Long: 3rd year – 7-17 (.292) in two seasons
SERIES FACTS
This is the first meeting between the two schools.
DID YOU KNOW?
As the starting quarterback for the Iowa Hawkeyes, Chuck Long was the runner-up to Auburn’s Bo Jackson in the 1985 balloting for the Heisman Trophy. It was the closest race in the award’s history, with Jackson edging Long by 45 points. As a QBs coach and also an offensive coordinator at Oklahoma (1999-2005), Long tutored one Heisman winner in Jason White (2003) and two runners-up: Josh Heupel (2000) and Adrian Peterson (2004).
Opening Act
This will be only the second time since 2000 Notre Dame will open against a team that posted a losing record the previous year. The other was in 2004 at Brigham Young – also a Mountain West Conference team. That year, the Cougars (5-6 the previous year) were moved to the first game so the Irish wouldn’t have to open against Michigan. BYU stunned Notre Dame with a 20-17 victory.
Prime Personnel
Corey Boudreaux – The free safety was granted a sixth season because he was taking care of his younger siblings in 2004-05 after the death of their father. He recorded 84 tackles and three interceptions in 2007, and also led the team in passes broken up with eight.
Russell Allen – His 119 tackles paced the MWC last year, and the linebacker also broke up six passes while intercepting another.
Darren Mougey/Vincent Brown – San Diego State lost its top two receivers from 2007, but Moughy (32 catches, 368 yards, 2 TDs) and Brown (31 catches, 349 yards, 2 TDs) provide some experience.
Brandon Sullivan – The 5-foot-11, 220-pound back is the team’s top returning rusher with 220 yards and 3.8 yards per carry in 2007.
X-Factor
San Diego State’s quarterback situation is as tenuous as Notre Dame’s was in 2007. What Brady Quinn was to Notre Dame, Kevin O’Connell was to San Diego State in 2007 with 3,063 yards passing and a team-high 408 yards rushing, earning him a third-round selection by the New England Patriots.
Charlie Weis left the race open among three candidates heading into last season and Aztecs head coach Long also came away from the spring with three candidates – which usually is a formula for chaos. JC transfer Drew Westling, last year’s top backup Kelsey Sokoloski and redshirt freshman Ryan Lindley combined for just 9 of 24 passing for 89 yards in the spring game.
Analysis
The glory years as an Independent from 1966-77 when the Aztecs were an astounding 111-17-3 (.859) under head coaches Don “Air” Coryell and Claude Gilbert are long gone. San Diego State hasn’t posted a winning season since 1998 (7-5), and it doesn’t seem much more promising in 2008.
Among 119 teams, the Aztecs finished 115th in total defense (498.2 yards per game), 118th in rushing defense (241.5) and had five games where they yielded at least 45 points. Offensively, they lost their marquee QB, top two receivers, top two rushers and three offensive linemen. A new kicker, punter and long snapper also have to be found. Long’s third season at San Diego State could be as challenging as Weis’ Year 3 at Notre Dame.
Prediction This is Notre Dame’s lightest opening-game test since pounding a struggling Kansas team, 48-13, in 1999. At 3-9, Notre Dame finished with a worse record than the Aztecs in 2007, but should win this by several touchdowns.
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DID YOU KNOW?
