Washington State Running Game vs. Notre Dame Run Defense The Cougars’ rushing game ranks among the most futile in the nation with an average of just 72.57 yards per game following a 55-yard output last week in a loss at California. Washington State’s top running back, James Montgomery, went down during the overtime win against SMU Sept. 19 with a leg injury that was later deemed to have been life threatening. Senior Dwight Tardy has filled in, managing 186 yards (3.3 per carry) and a touchdown. The Irish run defense made appreciable strides against Purdue, Washington, USC and Boston College, limiting their potent attacks to 110.25 yards per game and 3.35 yards per carry.
Advantage:
Manti Te'o leads the Irish with nine tackles per game over the last three games.
Washington State Passing Game vs. Notre Dame Pass Defense True freshman Jeff Tuel has been Washington State’s starting quarterback since week four against Oregon. He took over for redshirt sophomore Marshall Lobbestael in the second quarter of the week three loss to USC after Lobbestael completed just 2 of 9 attempts for 14 yards. Tuel hasn’t put up notable numbers, but his quarterback rating (132.7) after four games is more than 50 points higher than Lobbestael’s (81.4). The Cougars’ offensive line ranks last in the nation in sacks allowed, giving up five per game.
Advantage:
Notre Dame Running Game vs. Washington State Run Defense At the halfway mark of this season, juniors Armando Allen and Robert Hughes both average at least 4.5 yards per carry. The Cougars are among the worst run defenses in the nation, allowing 215.43 yards per game during their 1-6 start. During that stretch, they gave up more than 200 yards on four occasions, including 318 yards and 309 yards loss to Oregon and Cal, respectively.
Advantage:
Notre Dame Passing Game vs. Washington State Pass Defense Washington State is near the bottom of the NCAA in pass defense (284.14 yards per game) and pass efficiency defense (155.17 rating), while the Irish passing offense ranks in the top 15 in both categories. The porous Cougars’ secondary has received some help from the linebacking corps, with both Myron Beck and Alex Hoffman-Ellis returning an interception for a touchdown this season. However, it’s unlikely that Washington State will have many answers for quarterback Jimmy Clausen and Co.
Advantage:
Special Teams Washington State punter Reid Forrest ranks No. 15 in the NCAA with an average of 43.78 yards per punt. Kicker Nico Grasu is the team’s leader in scoring through six games with 28 points on 6 of 10 field goal attempts and 10 of 12 point after tries. However, the Cougars don’t have much firepower in the return game, especially after the loss of Montgomery, who was averaging 24.0 yards per kick return through the first three games. Irish kicker Nick Tausch carries a streak of 12 consecutive field goals, second best in school history, into the Boston College contest. Theo Riddick has given Notre Dame stability as a kick returner.
Advantage:
Coaching Charlie Weis should be able to empathize some with second-year Washington State head coach Paul Wulff, who is undertaking a massive rebuilding project in Pullman. The Cougars’ starting lineup includes as many as 12 freshmen or sophomores. Wulff, who has managed just three wins during his tenure in Pullman, has felt the impact. Weis has experienced his own growing pains as a head coach, but the pendulum is expected to swing in his favor in the second half of 2009.
Advantage:
Intangibles
Even though the game will be played in San Antonio as a part of Notre Dame’s efforts to schedule more games at neutral sites, the crowd at the Alamo Dome figures to be predominantly Irish. Washington State might be a beaten team before it even takes the field. It was among the two or three worst BCS conference teams in 2008 and could be on a similar path this year. The Cougars, however, do deserve some kudos for losing only 27-6 against USC this year at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Advantage:
Analysis
Washington State was the consensus pick to finish at the bottom of the Pac-10. This program has a plethora of issues. Not only did it give up the most points in Division I history in 2008 (43.85 per game), but it also averaged only 12.69 points per game on offense — the second worst in the country last year. Not much has changed in a year, and the Cougars find themselves statistically among the nation’s worst. The Irish are 31-point favorites, even away from home, which might say more about Washington State than Notre Dame at this point. This has the makings of the proverbial “roster game,” where everybody on the Irish roster plays.
Predictions
Todd D. Burlage: Notre Dame 42, WSU 3 John Haynsworth: Notre Dame 45, WSU 13 Ryan O’Leary: Notre Dame 41, WSU 6 Jason Sapp: Notre Dame 49, WSU 10 Lou Somogyi: Notre Dame 42, WSU 7
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