Michigan State 37, Notre Dame 33 with 4:49 left. MSU ball. Notre Dame has 3 timeouts. I’m going to stop blogging and just watch. But feel free to comment away.
Brady owes this defense a whole bunch of CJ’s burgers and beers … they held State in the second half. Nice job on the Defense. I still think Minter should be fired.
The MSU QB just totally self-destructed in the last five minutes. What a friggin’ squeeker for ND. All MSU had to do was protect the ball and the knuckleheads managed to blow it. Insane.
Sorry. I found that very anti-climactic. The “W” isn’t all that matters. I can’t get excited about a team that plays completely for shit for 95% of the game then gets two lucky breaks.
Utterly unreal. That ball just refused to touch the ground until a ND player grabbed it. A guys back, the guys knee, the other guys butt, and then into his arms.
Objectively, Corso is correct about ND being back in the championship race, at least to the extent that they’ll arrive in L.A. in the championship race. All they have to do is win their next 7 games, which shouldn’t be hard (Purdue and UCLA are the only ones that could be remotely challenging), and they will be back in the Top 5 at 10-1 when they get to USC. Guaran-freakin’-teed.
As for Quinn winning the Heisman… I think it’s clear he doesn’t deserve the Heisman… but it’s a long season, and I think he could still win it by racking up huge numbers against the next 7 opponents, 5 of whom should be total pushovers… and then having a huge day in a win over USC. Of course, it’s that last part (”win over USC”) that creates problems for both the championship and Heisman pictures.
PLEASE, somebody get those guys a Starbucks or some Coke before next weeks game–do SOMETHING to wake them up before half time.
Thank you, Spartans, for letting ND win.
Due respect to the Irish for not giving up, a lot of teams would have folded given how the game was going. Weis and crew kept them enough in the game to mount an amazing come back. Congrats to all the Domer’s out there.
Some nights you just go, “Holy crap!” I hit Buffalo Wild Wings (the sports bar that is the epicenter of the Houston sports scene) a half-hour after standing at Minute Maid Park to watch Luke Scott drill a walk-off three-run homer over the wagon gate to keep the Astros’ slim-just-left-town playoff hopes alive. USC was finishing up its efficient win over Arizona, and I was settling in to watch what apparently, for the night’s clientele, passed for the main attraction (Ultimate Fighting) when a lad in a Longhorn golf shirt said, “Switch to Notre Dame! Switch to Notre Dame!”
I asked him, “Christ, aren’t they out of it?”
He said, “They’re about to be three points out of it.”
And then the extra point was missed.
And then, the interception.
And then, THE INTERCEPTION.
Look, this game was the Ultimate Fighting Conference or whatever. In other words, it was a bar fight: nothing but offense. ND had better figure out how to stop someone; scoring 40 points and pledging to hold the opposition to 39 (or 38, or 37) won’t cut it.
The Irish could have avoided the drama if they had just concentrated on stopping the run during the first three quarters. Given the fact the MSU QB kept taking off into designed run plays and then the onset of rain later in the game, it was obvious MSU didn’t trust its passing game. When ND finally did force MSU to throw, look what happened.
As for Quinn, it was the ND coverage that won the game in the end, not Quinn (for the most part). The defense won the game despite Quinn’s attempts to lose it - against an unranked team. The other problem was Quinn’s inability to read double coverage. They got burned once and nearly twice during the game. If it hadn’t been for blown assignments by MSU, there could have been more.
I agree with you Max. Quinn’s numbers were slightly inflated by sheer luck, especially on one of those drives (the overthrown pass going through the receiver’s hands and past one MSU guy and miraculously ending up in one of the other receiver’s hands is an image that goes hand in hand with the final MSU play which just show how truly lucky they are). But, whether MSU gave up or not, two things are true: Quinn did have over 300 yards and did have 5 TDs and the defense stepped up their game when they needed to. I blame the first quarter on Michigan hangover and am thankful that the remainder of the season should Ws (knock on wood) until the matchup out in Cali.
When I went to bed last night, I was certain the Irish were going to lose. WTF happened? I’m so confused.
Brendan tells me that this is further proof that I curse the Irish. I go to bed and suddenly, they win? I was just joking about the curse before, but now I’m not so sure!
The 300 yards don’t tell the whole story about Quinn. The recovered fumbles, the missed chances by MSU to pick off his passes. MSU is an unranked team that has a history of chocking, virtually no passing game that I could see and ND barely beat them. It doesn’t bode well for the rest of the ND season.
I think you should sleep away the rest of the season!
As for your haiku, I think you should edit it. The Irish played pretty well in the second half. In fact, after the first quarter, they outscored Sparty 40-20.
I love John L. Slingblade and his band of in-game mensa candidates on the coaching staff. This is two years in a row that Weis and Co. have owned him in the second half after making adjustments.
Certainly MSU had a big hand in their own demise. However, I don’t remember a lot of people saying the same thing last week when ND coughed it up 5 times, which led directly to 24 Michigan points….
Also, ND coughed it up again last night which lead directly to 14 Sparty points.
ND still has a lot of work to do. Running game needs major help, rushing defense is spotty at best, and Quinn has to put a full game together. However, your comment tells me you probably haven’t looked at the rest of the schedule. After the murderer’s row of the past 4 games, they get a well deserved break until Thanksgiving. They could play their B game for the next 7 weeks and win.
Amen to that Coach. Purdue’s 7 game winning streak is against the following lovely schools:
Michigan State, Illinois, Indiana, Indiana State, Western Illinois, Miami (OH) in OT, and Minnesota. Then it’s on to Stanford, a bye weekend to prepare for UCLA, Navy, UNC, Air Force (which is actually the game that stands out most to me right now), and Army. Stranger things have happened, but, I don’t see them happening to this team in these games.
September 23rd, 2006 at 11:30:45 pm
Holy god that was insane.
September 23rd, 2006 at 11:31:25 pm
Please stop them… please stop them… please… please….. please….
September 23rd, 2006 at 11:31:55 pm
ND takes the lead. Un - be - liev - able
September 23rd, 2006 at 11:32:47 pm
The MSU crowd is stunned. BIG DEFENSEIVE SITUATION here.
September 23rd, 2006 at 11:33:12 pm
Brady owes this defense a whole bunch of CJ’s burgers and beers … they held State in the second half. Nice job on the Defense. I still think Minter should be fired.
September 23rd, 2006 at 11:34:13 pm
Screw you domers…I just want to keep my lead in Brendan’s contest..go Irish.
September 23rd, 2006 at 11:39:15 pm
Big fourth down here. Show those Big Brass Balls defense (if ya got ‘em… flaunt ‘em…)
September 23rd, 2006 at 11:42:42 pm
Whhhhaaa huuuhhhh? Apparantly laws of physics do not apply for Notre Dame….Interception!
September 23rd, 2006 at 11:42:42 pm
So here’s the Football question of the day for ya: If the ball is sitting on top of a player and hasn’t touched the ground… is it still alive?
September 23rd, 2006 at 11:43:46 pm
bink…Simple answer…yes.
September 23rd, 2006 at 11:45:00 pm
The MSU QB just totally self-destructed in the last five minutes. What a friggin’ squeeker for ND. All MSU had to do was protect the ball and the knuckleheads managed to blow it. Insane.
September 23rd, 2006 at 11:46:44 pm
That’s Karma bitches
September 23rd, 2006 at 11:47:28 pm
WOW. You know Michigan State expires after 3 quarters. That IS MSU Football. Figures… Well I get to watch ND beat my Boilers by 21…
September 23rd, 2006 at 11:48:13 pm
OMG well that was amazing… WOW
Yeah Trojan win… I hope they play a better game next week
ND wins wow pretty cool I must say
September 23rd, 2006 at 11:49:48 pm
Sorry. I found that very anti-climactic. The “W” isn’t all that matters. I can’t get excited about a team that plays completely for shit for 95% of the game then gets two lucky breaks.
September 23rd, 2006 at 11:49:56 pm
Utterly unreal. That ball just refused to touch the ground until a ND player grabbed it. A guys back, the guys knee, the other guys butt, and then into his arms.
September 23rd, 2006 at 11:53:59 pm
Lee Corso has lost it!
Notre Dame back in the championship race?!?
Quinn back in the Heisman race? WTF ?!?
September 23rd, 2006 at 11:55:08 pm
Corso just said Quinn is back in the Heisman … how does ESPN not shake its head when they give him a paycheck. Fowler and Howard are laughing at him.
The funny thing about this whole UGLY game is that it may bring more confidence to the Defense.
September 23rd, 2006 at 11:55:23 pm
It’s defintely been one of those “hold on for dear life” Saturdays in college football.
Lots of good teams pushed as hard as they have been all year.
It’s all good for me, though. Tennessee won and Alabama lost. Perfect Saturday, really.
September 23rd, 2006 at 11:55:44 pm
Best game EVER!!!
September 23rd, 2006 at 11:57:22 pm
Objectively, Corso is correct about ND being back in the championship race, at least to the extent that they’ll arrive in L.A. in the championship race. All they have to do is win their next 7 games, which shouldn’t be hard (Purdue and UCLA are the only ones that could be remotely challenging), and they will be back in the Top 5 at 10-1 when they get to USC. Guaran-freakin’-teed.
September 23rd, 2006 at 11:59:40 pm
As for Quinn winning the Heisman… I think it’s clear he doesn’t deserve the Heisman… but it’s a long season, and I think he could still win it by racking up huge numbers against the next 7 opponents, 5 of whom should be total pushovers… and then having a huge day in a win over USC. Of course, it’s that last part (”win over USC”) that creates problems for both the championship and Heisman pictures.
September 24th, 2006 at 12:00:30 am
PLEASE, somebody get those guys a Starbucks or some Coke before next weeks game–do SOMETHING to wake them up before half time.
Thank you, Spartans, for letting ND win.
September 24th, 2006 at 12:12:15 am
Unreal craziness on campus. Tons of students in the War Memorial Fountain. 4 NDSP units.
September 24th, 2006 at 2:03:59 am
Due respect to the Irish for not giving up, a lot of teams would have folded given how the game was going. Weis and crew kept them enough in the game to mount an amazing come back. Congrats to all the Domer’s out there.
September 24th, 2006 at 3:30:48 am
Some nights you just go, “Holy crap!” I hit Buffalo Wild Wings (the sports bar that is the epicenter of the Houston sports scene) a half-hour after standing at Minute Maid Park to watch Luke Scott drill a walk-off three-run homer over the wagon gate to keep the Astros’ slim-just-left-town playoff hopes alive. USC was finishing up its efficient win over Arizona, and I was settling in to watch what apparently, for the night’s clientele, passed for the main attraction (Ultimate Fighting) when a lad in a Longhorn golf shirt said, “Switch to Notre Dame! Switch to Notre Dame!”
I asked him, “Christ, aren’t they out of it?”
He said, “They’re about to be three points out of it.”
And then the extra point was missed.
And then, the interception.
And then, THE INTERCEPTION.
Look, this game was the Ultimate Fighting Conference or whatever. In other words, it was a bar fight: nothing but offense. ND had better figure out how to stop someone; scoring 40 points and pledging to hold the opposition to 39 (or 38, or 37) won’t cut it.
September 24th, 2006 at 3:38:13 am
And congrats to all Huskies out there… both UConn and U-Dub.
Go Irish! Fight on Trojans! God bless the Backer! Wooooo!!!
September 24th, 2006 at 9:10:39 am
The Irish could have avoided the drama if they had just concentrated on stopping the run during the first three quarters. Given the fact the MSU QB kept taking off into designed run plays and then the onset of rain later in the game, it was obvious MSU didn’t trust its passing game. When ND finally did force MSU to throw, look what happened.
As for Quinn, it was the ND coverage that won the game in the end, not Quinn (for the most part). The defense won the game despite Quinn’s attempts to lose it - against an unranked team. The other problem was Quinn’s inability to read double coverage. They got burned once and nearly twice during the game. If it hadn’t been for blown assignments by MSU, there could have been more.
September 24th, 2006 at 9:49:37 am
I agree with you Max. Quinn’s numbers were slightly inflated by sheer luck, especially on one of those drives (the overthrown pass going through the receiver’s hands and past one MSU guy and miraculously ending up in one of the other receiver’s hands is an image that goes hand in hand with the final MSU play which just show how truly lucky they are). But, whether MSU gave up or not, two things are true: Quinn did have over 300 yards and did have 5 TDs and the defense stepped up their game when they needed to. I blame the first quarter on Michigan hangover and am thankful that the remainder of the season should Ws (knock on wood) until the matchup out in Cali.
September 24th, 2006 at 10:14:35 am
When I went to bed last night, I was certain the Irish were going to lose. WTF happened? I’m so confused.
Brendan tells me that this is further proof that I curse the Irish. I go to bed and suddenly, they win? I was just joking about the curse before, but now I’m not so sure!
September 24th, 2006 at 10:20:17 am
My rather uninspired haiku to the game:
Did you see ND?
They looked like crap all night long.
Holy crap! They won!
September 24th, 2006 at 10:32:10 am
NDLauren-
The 300 yards don’t tell the whole story about Quinn. The recovered fumbles, the missed chances by MSU to pick off his passes. MSU is an unranked team that has a history of chocking, virtually no passing game that I could see and ND barely beat them. It doesn’t bode well for the rest of the ND season.
September 24th, 2006 at 10:37:29 am
Becky, you blessed little wiccan!
I think you should sleep away the rest of the season!
As for your haiku, I think you should edit it. The Irish played pretty well in the second half. In fact, after the first quarter, they outscored Sparty 40-20.
I love John L. Slingblade and his band of in-game mensa candidates on the coaching staff. This is two years in a row that Weis and Co. have owned him in the second half after making adjustments.
September 24th, 2006 at 10:41:54 am
Maxie,
Certainly MSU had a big hand in their own demise. However, I don’t remember a lot of people saying the same thing last week when ND coughed it up 5 times, which led directly to 24 Michigan points….
Also, ND coughed it up again last night which lead directly to 14 Sparty points.
ND still has a lot of work to do. Running game needs major help, rushing defense is spotty at best, and Quinn has to put a full game together. However, your comment tells me you probably haven’t looked at the rest of the schedule. After the murderer’s row of the past 4 games, they get a well deserved break until Thanksgiving. They could play their B game for the next 7 weeks and win.
Cheers.
September 24th, 2006 at 3:23:19 pm
Amen to that Coach. Purdue’s 7 game winning streak is against the following lovely schools:
Michigan State, Illinois, Indiana, Indiana State, Western Illinois, Miami (OH) in OT, and Minnesota. Then it’s on to Stanford, a bye weekend to prepare for UCLA, Navy, UNC, Air Force (which is actually the game that stands out most to me right now), and Army. Stranger things have happened, but, I don’t see them happening to this team in these games.
September 24th, 2006 at 5:46:15 pm
Lauren,
We don’t fear Purdue. We are ND. Stone.