By: Mark McConell
It will be one day short of a year since the Lion’s traveled to South Bend, coming back slightly battered after falling to the Fighting Irish 41-17. Now it is the Irish who travel to Happy Valley, something they have not done since 1991 when the Lions defeated them 35-13.
Coming off of a 33-3 loss at home to Georgia Tech, Notre Dame will be coming into Happy Valley looking to throw some punches and walk away with a win to restore their pride.
The two teams first met in 1913, Notre Dame took that match 14-7 at “New Beaver Field” the predecessor of Beaver Stadium. They currently lead the series 9-8-1.
There are many variables in this weekends match-up. One thing that is settled is who will be throwing the punches for the Fighting Irish. Notre Dame Head Coach Charlie Weis announced at his press conference Tuesday that Jimmy Clausen will get the start. Clausen completed 4 of 6 passes for 34 yards last week.
“His arm’s back to full go, managing the team; I think he gives us the best chance of winning,” Weis said of Clausen.
Evan Sharpley played in relief of Demetrius Jones last week going 10 of 13 for 92 yards. Jones finished with two fumbles and completing just one of three passes for four yards against Ga. Tech.
Weis said that Clausen would have gotten the start last week, but he was still rehabbing from a bone spur that was removed from his elbow in the offseason.
In Tuesday’s press conference, Penn State Head Coach Joe Paterno said he didn’t know a lot about Clausen other than hat he was an outstanding high school football player.
While he’ll be making his first start for the Irish, he will not be as unprepared for the game as redshirt freshman Wayne Younger of Florida International was last week. Younger found out last Friday night before the game that he would be making his first career start on the road in front of 107,000+ Penn State fans. That’s a tough order for any QB, especially one for a team that last year went winless.
The Fighting Irish are used to coming into big stadiums and are not used to losing. In South Bend they often pack in over 80,000 fans into Notre Dame Stadium. Coming into this season they were 821-269-42 in 118 division 1A seasons. The only team with a better record is Michigan with 860- 282-36 in 127 seasons while Penn State ranks seventh on that list at 780-301-52 in 117 seasons.
Anthony Morelli and his Penn State offense will get their first real challenge of the season Saturday facing the Notre Dame defense that allowed 165 yards against Ga. Tech over the air; giving up exactly one hundred yards more than that on the ground at 265. While Ga. Tech ran all over the Irish, it seems that every game Penn State plays against the Irish is hard fought.
Saturday will also tell the tale of Penn State’s defense. Was it really the strength of the defense that held FIU to minus-3 rushing yards last weekend or the youth and inexperience of FIU’s offense? Sure, they forced six fumbles last weekend recovering five. But how hard is it to spook a redshirt freshman quarterback that’s home stadium currently seats just 18,000.
Paterno also said that the first game doesn’t prove anything for either team.
“We’re just babes in the woods right now we’ll find out this week,” he said. “Notre Dame will come in here with their ears back ready to prove they’re a Notre Dame football team.”
Penn State gears up for the game looking to make it a 2-0 start and a five game winning streak, with a Pep Rally in Rec Hall on Friday at 8:00 pm. They are calling for all fans to wear white to the game to “white out” the entire stadium. Kick off is set for 6:00 PM.
