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✦ on paper By andrew owens Stanford Running Game Vs. Notre Dame Run Defense Stanford's rushing attack is its bread and butter. Look no further than the 26-20 win over Oregon earlier in November (it was 26-0 at one point) for evidence of the Cardinal's elite rushing unit. In the impressive victory, the Cardinal rushed for 274 yards and possessed the ball for 42:34 compared to Oregon's 17:26. Senior running back Tyler Gaffney (45 carries against the Ducks) highlights the nation's 32nd-ranked rushing attack. The Cardinal, which has rushed at a clip of 203.7 yards per game, depends on Gaffney to spark the unit. During the Cardinal's 9-2 start, Gaffney rushed for 1,296 yards and 16 touchdowns behind an excellent offensive line that is led by senior left guard David Yankey. The unit's five starters weigh an average of 305 pounds. The Irish will look to implement the blueprint from the 20-13 overtime victory a year ago in which they held the Cardinal to 147 yards, a pedestrian total for Stanford's vaunted rushing game. Erstwhile starting running back Stepfan Taylor barely eclipsed the 100-yard mark, but did so only at a clip of 3.6 yards per carry. The signature moment of that contest came in overtime when the Irish goal-line defense denied Taylor from scoring on four consecutive plays to clinch the victory. This season, Notre Dame's rushing defense has dipped to 68th (167.5 yards allowed per contest) through 11 games and is a shell of its 2012 self. To beat Stanford, the Irish need to conjure a performance reminiscent of last year's meeting. Advantage: Stanford Stanford Passing Game Vs. Notre Dame Pass Defense Junior quarterback Kevin Hogan led Stanford to 13 consecutive wins to begin his tenure as a starter, dating back to the week after the Cardinal's loss at Notre Dame in 2012. Overall, he dropped to 16-2 as the starting signal-caller after the 20-17 loss to USC Nov. 16. The performance marked a rarity for Hogan: two fourthquarter interceptions that sealed Stanford's fate. More often than not, however, Hogan is the ideal engineer for the Stanford offense, mixing a blend of superb game management with the ability to complete difficult throws when needed. At 6-2 and 6-4, respectively, junior wide receivers Ty Senior left guard and All-America candidate David Yankey is part of an overpowering Stanford offensive line that averages 305 pounds per starter. photo courtesy stanford Montgomery (50 catches for 822 yards and nine touchdowns) and Devon Cajuste (22 catches for 396 yards and four touchdowns) are Hogan's favorite targets. The pair will have a significant height advantage over the Irish starting cornerbacks: 6-0 cornerback Bennett Jackson and 5-11 KeiVarae Russell. Notre Dame's secondary has steadily improved throughout the season even before the statistical bump of playing rush-happy Air Force and Navy. The Irish rose to No. 21 (205.6 yards allowed per game) after containing BYU quarterback Taysom Hill and company to 168 yards through the air. Advantage: Even Notre Dame Running Game Vs. Stanford Run Defense Notre Dame enters its regular-season finale in a similar situation in which it opened the year against Temple Aug. 31 — without a consistent rushing identity. Four ✦ Page 4 different running backs have all received the bulk of carries at different times, but juniors George Atkinson III (89) and Cam McDaniel (131) easily lead the team in carries through 11 games. Fans continue to call for freshman Tarean Folston to pace the Irish rushing attack after his 140-yard performance against Navy. He rushed 13 times for 78 yards and a score in the 23-13 win over BYU last weekend. Surprisingly, Notre Dame beat Stanford a year ago despite having an average performance on the ground (150 rushing yards and 3.4 yards per carry). To win on the road against the Cardinal and its third-ranked rush defense (89.9 yards allowed per game) will require Notre Dame's top effort of the season. Even without fifth-year senior defensive end Ben Gardner (out for the season with a pectoral muscle injury), Stanford is one of seven teams to allow fewer than 100 rushing yards per game this year. Led by fifth-year