Notre Dame's passing game has also adjusted without Q. Porter, who's out for the season with a knee injury. Jordan Faison caught 8 balls for 132 yards and 2 touchdowns against North Carolina, and he looks like the go-to target now. If Stanford sells out to stop Walton, Faison is the guy who beats them for it.
The schedule doesn't help the Cardinal either. The Wake Forest trip was their second road game in the East in 3 weeks, after the 35-7 loss at Duke, and South Bend makes it back-to-back trips out of Palo Alto. Their 2 wins this season, against Hawai'i and Georgia Tech, both came at home. Their best showing was the 34-27 win over Georgia Tech, which proves the offense can score. It just hasn't happened away from Stanford Stadium.
Notre Dame gets to come home after 2 straight road games at Purdue and North Carolina. It's the Irish's first game in South Bend since beating Michigan State 27-10. The early forecast calls for clear skies, low 80s and light wind, which is unusually warm for October in Indiana. A forecast a week out can change plenty, but if it holds, the weather won't slow either offense down.
For Stanford, the bar is basically to be competitive. In the 3 losses the Cardinal have been outscored by a combined 137-16. Notre Dame has allowed 13, 0, 10, 10 and 26 points in its 5 wins. Unless the Cardinal find a running game and keep Carr off the field, this one could be decided before halftime.