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Notre Dame Football

Love Looking To Get First Win Against Stanford

September 28, 2018
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Notre Dame junior cornerback Julian Love is ready for his third career meeting with Stanford. Winless in his first two, Love looks for his first win against the visiting Cardinals.

21 unanswered fourth-quarter points by Stanford spoiled Notre Dame’s 20-17 lead going into the fourth quarter, and ultimately the Irish’s shot to end their drought against their Pac-12 rival.

Playing until the final whistle will be necessary for Notre Dame if they want to end their three-game losing skid.

“Last year we were in a battle with them,” explained the experienced cornerback. “We had the lead in the fourth quarter, and they stick to their game plan. They gave us a couple blows, and that made the difference last year. Building off of that experience we know that they aren’t going to give up like other teams, they’re going to compete until the very end.”

Familiar faces on the Stanford offense will take the field on Saturday, so the Irish defense knows they have to be well prepared if they want to celebrate a win in Notre Dame Stadium.

“It is tough you have great running backs, you have big strong receivers, a talented tight end core, a solid offensive line and then Costello at quarterback, who is experienced and they have the makings for a great offense,” Love expressed. “It's just being in tune to our details, our game plan and stopping them. That is what is going to be the difference for us.”

Notre Dame’s star cornerback knows out of all the talent on Stanford’s offense, their senior running back who shares the same last name has to be contained.

11 helmets have to collapse on the ball carrier for utmost effectiveness.

 “He is very sure footed, he has a low center of gravity, so you have to get into his body and get multiple people around him,” Love explained. “We have to limit the solo tackles on him because that is what he lives off of that one cut and making people miss. It is about rallying to the ball, since I have been here we have been doing it, and it is about doing it every play to limit him.”

Heading into week five of the season, games have more importance, every practice rep is critical and high energy all week up until the game is crucial.

“It has been a good week, the 5-foot-11, 193-pounder stated. “ We have been getting after it, trying to be intentional about our details. The atmosphere is building up towards this game.”

Notre Dame Stadium will be hosting its first top-eight matchup in over a decade. (Last time Sept. 28th, 1996)The atmosphere may not have been brewing all offseason like Notre Dame’s matchup week one matchup against Michigan, but it does have all the makings to be an instant classic.

“It will be great, it will be very electric,” Love expressed about Saturday atmosphere. “It is two very respected teams and two gritty, powerful, talented teams. A top-10 matchup hasn’t happened in Notre Dame Stadium in, so it is building up to be a great weekend for us.

“It is getting colder, and the stakes are getting a little higher week to week, and we are intentional about it, holding each other accountable, guys are getting on each other because we want each day, each meeting and each rep to be meaningful. You can really feel that in here.”

 
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