IU vs ND

[RegionHoosiers]

nope our admin changed everything up like student schedules so students can be on campus for game in case we hosted a playoff game. congrats on making it hoosiers but game will be tougher than some of you think as our irish have a top ten rated defense overall and was top 4 rated scoring defense before USC game and we will have the best rushing attack you have faced all year as Price and Love are both homerun hitters and take to the house from anywhere, key is for IU to force QB Riley to 30 or more attempts because he isn't beating anybody good on his own without a good running because even though better than earlier in season he still way over throws or under throws WRs and the TEs way too much

I would have thought they taught ND grads how to write in sentences.

 

[Pazhoosier85]

I declare this the Indiana Bowl and if we win our bowl winning drought is over.

 

[OpenWheels]

I would have preferred to play OSU, PSU or Texas. Reasons being.......OSU is in disarray, PSU has trouble winning big games, and Texas is overrated (their best 2 victories being A&M and Vandy. The GA D has throttled them twice). I think it was the worst draw we could have gotten (although if Beck is really going to be out at QB it would be a huge deal).

I think ND is solid as hell. Big, strong, fast and physical.

2nd is the nation in scoring D, top 3 in the nation in most pass D stats......

Certainly it is strength v. strength in so far as their run game goes. They average 6.3 ypc (v. 4.5 for IU). To give some perspective, OSU averaged 5.0 ypc, PSU 5.3 ypc this season. We only give up 2.5 ypc compared to their D giving up 3.8. Their D against the run statistically isn't as good as osu (2.8) OR psu (3.2).

Their secondary is very good, and like us they get lots of sacks. I'm concerned about our OL v. their DL.....think 2nd halves of OSU & Michigan. I'm concerned about our O being able to sustain drives.....leaving the D on the field too long. I expect them to crowd the line, and try to force us into 3rd and longs.

Given their relative weakness against the run v. the pass. we may be forced to run the ball more than we would like. On D, the DBs may be on an island as we focus on their rush game.

"Other than that, how did you like the play Mrs. Lincoln?"

Yikes. But probably right.

 

[red hornet]

The ESPN Match Predictor gives ND a 70.4% chance to beat Indiana

 

[mrhighlife]

The ESPN Match Predictor gives ND a 70.4% chance to beat Indiana

"Well then. I guess there's only one thing left to do..."

"What's that?"

"Win the whole f-cking thing.*

 

[red hornet]

"Well then. I guess there's only one thing left to do..."

"What's that?"

"Win the whole f-cking thing.*

LOL, " I'm back & I'll be around"

 

[GeddyHoosier]

Great to win our State outright!

132-7 combined score against the Boilers this year. ha ha ha

 

[red hornet]

132-7 combined score against the Boilers this year. ha ha ha

Just like clockwerks,

 

[mushroomgod_1]

I was surprised to see they gave up 35 to USC. That’s encouraging for our offense. Their offense is geared towards the run and Leonard is a good running QB, but our D is also very good against the run. Just need to make their QB beat us with the pass and force him into mistakes. He’s a decent thrower, but he’s not going to beat you through the air, like Rourke can do.

I took a look at the USC/ND stats and am back off the ledge somewhat.

I was watching that game at a bar with some other games going on, and was under the impression that ND was running at will, and USC was hanging in relying on the pass. However, the stats for the game don't indicate that. ND did have a ton of rush yards and averaged about 8 yds per carry, but USC had only slightly fewer rush yards and also avg about 8 yds/carry. And, overall, USC had about 100 more total yards than ND.

Obviously, we won't have the 70* weather. 20* and the home crowd are huge factors.

The two 100 yd int returns were impressive, as they demonstrate the type of big, fast athletes that ND throws at you. They have big play TBs and defenders, so they can turn games around pretty quickly.

The most important factor in the game may be whether IU can run the ball against ND. The stats say ND's run D is not as difficult as OSU's---averaging 1.5 more yards given up per carry than OSU.. The 2nd most important stat may be how effective IU's rush D will be. ND averages 6.3 yds/carry; IU's D gives up 2.5. If we could keep them to 4.0 and average 4.0 ourselves we have a shot. The 3rd stat to watch are sacks....need to keep them to 3 or less.

 

[NDAFArly]

I took a look at the USC/ND stats and am back off the ledge somewhat.

I was watching that game at a bar with some other games going on, and was under the impression that ND was running at will, and USC was hanging in relying on the pass. However, the stats for the game don't indicate that. ND did have a ton of rush yards and averaged about 8 yds per carry, but USC had only slightly fewer rush yards and also avg about 8 yds/carry. And, overall, USC had about 100 more total yards than ND.

Obviously, we won't have the 70* weather. 20* and the home crowd are huge factors.

The two 100 yd int returns were impressive, as they demonstrate the type of big, fast athletes that ND throws at you. They have big play TBs and defenders, so they can turn games around pretty quickly.

The most important factor in the game may be whether IU can run the ball against ND. The stats say ND's run D is not as difficult as OSU's---averaging 1.5 more yards given up per carry than OSU.. The 2nd most important stat may be how effective IU's rush D will be. ND averages 6.3 yds/carry; IU's D gives up 2.5. If we could keep them to 4.0 and average 4.0 ourselves we have a shot. The 3rd stat to watch are sacks....need to keep them to 3 or less.

So, since you mentioned looking at stats after the game, let me give you some context.
ND was up with 6 minutes to go & went into a deep cover 3 defense.
USC threw the ball up & down the field to the red zone, then threw the 99 yard pick 6.
Then ND up 14 with 4 minutes to go went into a prevent defense, and USC once again threw the ball up & down the field & got in the red zone again. ND picked 6 them 100 yards, going up 21.
So USC racked up close to 150 passing yards on those two drives (skewing stats).
Then, up 21, with a minute to go, ND had in all its backups in a deep cover 4 prevent. USC ran draws, 3 times, for around 70 yards. That’s 23 per carry. That greatly skewed the stats. Then USC scored its final TD with 10 seconds to go in garbage time to make it a 14 point final.

One thing that people who cover ND have expressed is that all the injuries and cross country travel finally caught up with ND & they had tired legs against USC.
Losing 4 DBs throughout the year really took a toll on the secondary by forcing some starters to play a lot of snaps, and missing a few guys in the front 7 hindered the pass rush against USC.

Having 3 weeks off should remedy those two problems (tired legs & pass rush).

 

[oldcougar77]

So, since you mentioned looking at stats after the game, let me give you some context.
ND was up with 6 minutes to go & went into a deep cover 3 defense.
USC threw the ball up & down the field to the red zone, then threw the 99 yard pick 6.
Then ND up 14 with 4 minutes to go went into a prevent defense, and USC once again threw the ball up & down the field & got in the red zone again. ND picked 6 them 100 yards, going up 21.
So USC racked up close to 150 passing yards on those two drives (skewing stats).
Then, up 21, with a minute to go, ND had in all its backups in a deep cover 4 prevent. USC ran draws, 3 times, for around 70 yards. That’s 23 per carry. That greatly skewed the stats. Then USC scored its final TD with 10 seconds to go in garbage time to make it a 14 point final.

One thing that people who cover ND have expressed is that all the injuries and cross country travel finally caught up with ND & they had tired legs against USC.
Losing 4 DBs throughout the year really took a toll on the secondary by forcing some starters to play a lot of snaps, and missing a few guys in the front 7 hindered the pass rush against USC.

Having 3 weeks off should remedy those two problems (tired legs & pass rush).

You make valid points in the first part of your post. You should have stopped there. Every football team in America can make the same case re injuries and "tired legs". ND certainly didn't travel cross country any more than the four west coast teams in the B1G. Rest helps everybody. I would guarantee that every team ND beat the last month of the season had a similar situation with at least one of their position groups.

 

[YOTHN]

Texas A&M, Louisville, Georgia Tech all better than Army

Sure, kid.