All eyes are on Notre Dame linebacker Drayk Bowen as he faces off against Stanford tight end Benji Blackburn in a matchup that could shape the outcome on Saturday.
All eyes are on Notre Dame linebacker Drayk Bowen as he faces off against Stanford tight end Benji Blackburn in a matchup that could shape the outcome on Saturday. Can Bowen recognize routes and shut down Stanford’s safety valve, or will Blackburn, at 6'6" and 265 pounds, turn short completions into first downs when it matters most?
Notre Dame's defense looks to force Stanford into tough third-down situations, putting pressure on the Cardinal to keep their offense alive. The spotlight is on Bowen, charged with both containing Blackburn in pass coverage and anchoring the run defense when Blackburn lines up to block. This middle-of-the-field showdown may not be the flashiest, but the battle between Notre Dame’s number 34 and Stanford’s number 88 could determine just how comfortable the Irish make things for their opponent.