Bodog Beat

Can Jimmy Clausen and Notre Dame cover the spread against Stanford? (AP Images)

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish are back – we think. It’s difficult to get a handle on a rebuilding team that can look horrible one week and pretty good the next. The general trend, though, is positive for Irish fans. The offensive line is holding steady. Jimmy Clausen went pick-free against Purdue. And Notre Dame (3-1 SU, 2-2 ATS) is a 7-point favorite this Saturday when the Stanford Cardinal (3-2 SU and ATS) come to South Bend.

Stanford is picking up steam in its second year under coach Jim Harbaugh. His team pulled off three major upsets in 2007: USC (-39), Arizona (-13.5) and most importantly, the Big Game against Cal (-13.5). The Cardinal have already beaten Oregon State and Washington as underdogs; given the way the Spartans ran the ball on Notre Dame, Stanford’s competitive running attack (4.7 yards per carry) could steal yet another victory.

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