Notre Dame game will be special finale Notre Dame game will be special finale (November 25, 2005)

by Rick Eymer

The seniors will be making their last walk on Saturday when Stanford hosts No. 6 Notre Dame at 5 p.m. In fact, the whole Cardinal football team will be making its final walk.

Even as one team celebrates a victory and the other walks sadly off the field for the last time, the destruction and reconstruction of Stanford Stadium begins.

The game also represents Stanford's final chance to make it a truly successful season. It's a simple formula: win and get a bowl invitation; lose and start planning for the future.

With the Irish (8-2) playing for a berth in the BCS series, and Stanford (5-5) owning a losing home record, this game seems to be lop-sided in favor of the team from South Bend.

Here is what Stanford is up against: Quarterback Brady Quinn is fifth in the nation with a 161.5 efficiency rating. He's fourth in total offense with 330.2 yards a game. The Irish are 10th in total offense, convert 48 percent of their third downs and 53.3 percent of their fourth downs.

The Cardinal already has played explosive teams like top-ranked USC, ranked first in total offense. Arizona State is third and Washington State ninth. Navy leads the nation in rushing offense.

Stanford players are fully aware this is no ordinary game, and they realize the odds are stacked against them. But there's nothing else left for the Cardinal except this game - and maybe one more.

"This is the last game for the seniors, the last game in the stadium and another opportunity to play together," Stanford coach Walt Harris said. "We have a chance to come back from a sub-par performance. I expect our football team to be fighters."

An aura of sports history will be in abundance on Saturday - 84 years worth of memories and special events. The halftime will be devoted to football teams and football players from every decade, but it's also a stadium which has hosted a Super Bowl, the World Cup, Olympic soccer, a USA-USSR track meet and numerous prestigious high school football contests.

"John Arrillaga spoke to us and said that 10 days after the game, the stadium will be gone completely," Stanford senior nose tackle Babatunde Oshinowo said. "That produced some nostalgia. It makes this last game all the more special. With all the great things that have happened there, and this will be the last event: it's going to be emotional."

The Cardinal players don't speak of becoming bowl eligible much these days; there's pressure enough in just getting ready for the next opponent.

"It's not about the stadium, it's not about the rivalry, and it's not about the bowl game," Stanford senior tight end Matt Traverso said. "It's just about playing Notre Dame. It's all you can do."

Trent Edwards, who sustained a pair of injuries in the loss to California, nonetheless will start the contest. He's been banged up several times this season, and the Bears sacked him five times. He was knocked down on numerous other occasions. The Cardinal want him to get back up again this season.

"He's courageous," Traverso said. "The way he plays inspires everyone. When we can't perform for him, it's frustrating. We've been inconsistent all year."

Edwards ranks 35th in the nation in passing efficiency with a 137.6 rating (he was 84th at 110.3 last year). UCLA's Drew Olson is first and USC's Matt Leinhart ranks fourth.

Harris also hinted that the offensive line may undergo some changes this week after allowing nine sacks.

Question marks surround three positions on the line, in which there is no clear starter as preparation began for the Irish.

"It will be competitive," Harris said. "There are a lot of reasons for us to hit the practice field and be excited about a challenge. But, the bottom line is that we have to perform well and execute in order to be competitive."

Oshinowo said this has been a season unlike any he has experienced, calling it unique. Saturday is another opportunity to make it even more unique.

"This season has been very unique. It's been different for me personally than any other season I've played football," he said. "Growing up in high school and early on here, the teams I've been on have struggled. This year has been the first year in a long time that I've had nothing but positive feelings about what is going on.

"It's as if there's nothing else. It's as if we started the season today," Oshinowo added. "There's nothing else going on, school's not even in session this week. All the past is gone for me right now. It's just about this game we have on Saturday, and that's really refreshing. I'm excited about this week and getting ready to finish my career."

Notre Dame has beaten Stanford in three previous meetings. The last time the Cardinal won, in 2001, was also the last time it played in a bowl game.

Stanford could also help both Oregon and the Pac-10 with a victory over the Irish. If USC maintains its pace and plays in the national championship game, Oregon could become an at-large BCS team and play in the Fiesta Bowl. That would move several Pac-10 teams into position for more lucrative bowl games.

Should the Cardinal pull off the upset, it likely would have to settle for the Emerald Bowl, or maybe the Las Vegas Bowl.

At this point, either of them would look attractive.

NOTES: A ceremonial first dig will be held after the game and fans will be allowed one last walk on the field . . . Stanford's schedule is currently ranked second toughest in the nation to Oklahoma . . . Sophomore punter Jay Ottovegio is averaging 40.7 yards a punt this year, which would be his second season averaging 40 or more yards. He's 49th in the nation . . . Other national rankings: Kicker Michael Sgroi is 24th in field goals per game, and Stanford is tied for 12th with Arkansas with 3.10 sacks per game . . . Stanford has converted one of five fourth down attempts. Only Ohio (0-for-5) has a worst record.

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