PlayStation got it right last week, finally getting off of a three-game losing streak and bumping virtual Notre Dame's record to 3-2. The PlayStation also doesn't account for Stanford's many, many injuries, so the virtual Cardinal are 3-2 as well entering Saturday, although both Lee Corso and Kirk Herbstreit picked Notre Dame.
The first play -- a Brady Quinn incompletion.
The Irish offense got off to a fast start again with a Quinn-to-Jeff Samardzija 81-yard touchdown pass on the second play of the game and a 4-yard Darius Walker touchdown run later in the first quarter to give the Irish a 14-7 lead. A Quinn-to-Marcus Freeman 15-yard touchdown with less than a minute left in the second quarter gave Notre Dame a 21-14 lead it wouldn't abandon en route to a 34-21 Irish win.
Stats:
Notre Dame: Passing -- Quinn 19-27-0-358 4 TDs. Rushing -- Walker 10-48 1 TD. Receiving -- McKnight 6-118 1 TD; Samardzija 4-157 2 TDs; Grimes 4-29; Freeman 1-15 1 TD. Defensive -- T. Thomas 5 tkl., TFL; Talley 2 tkl. TFL.
Stanford: Passing -- Edwards 17-26-0-336 3 TDs. Rushing -- Kimble 9-26. Receiving -- Moore 5-79 1 TD; Bradford 5-196 1 TD; Danahy 4-44 1 TD. Defensive -- Sanchez 4 tkl., TFL.
After Week 6:
Top 5s:
Coaches -- 1. USC; 2. Oklahoma; 3. West Virginia; 4. Louisville; 5. California; 14. Notre Dame.
Media -- 1. USC; 2. Oklahoma; 3. West Virginia; 4. Louisville; 5. California; 14. Notre Dame.
Heisman Watch:
1. Brady Quinn, Sr., QB, Notre Dame; 2. DeSean Jackson, So., WR, California; 3. Reggie Ball, Sr., QB, Georgia Tech; 4. Will Proctor, Sr., QB, Clemson; 5. Chris Todd, RFr., QB, Texas Tech.
-By Michael Rothstein of The Journal Gazette
Mike: I enjoy reading your column every day. Good luck with this venture. I particularly like your practice roundups.
Posted by: jim masterson | October 07, 2006 at 12:16 AM