A buzz is reportedly reaching a crescendo in South Bend, Ind., this week and it has nothing to do with Charlie Weis’ job status. That could change. Weis’ security is always on alert, ready to collapse. Sort of like Notre Dame’s offensive line.
But this is different. An embattled coach fighting ghosts from the past and vultures in the present has a legitimate shot at beating sixth-ranked USC Saturday afternoon.
Yes, the Irish have lost seven straight to USC by an average score of 41-14 and are 10-point underdogs. But this is a different Irish. It’s a different Irish Nation. They believe. After three years of football one step above Conference USA, they believe.
The 4-1 Irish are ranked 25th, they have the nation’s top-rated passer in Jimmy Clausen and a healthy, legitimate tailback in Armando Allen.
The Irish Green, where Notre Dame now holds its Friday night pep rallies, has been expanded this week by 300,000 square feet to a total of 800,000.
What’s riding on this game? Possibly Weis’ job and Clausen’s Heisman Trophy. My Notre Dame sources tell me Weis must reach a BCS bowl to keep his job, his mysterious buyout — ranging from $4 million to $16 million — be damned.
To qualify as an at-large, Notre Dame must win nine games and be in the top eight of the final BCS rankings. A win over USC, with the first BCS standings emerging Sunday, would all but guarantee a BCS bowl. What the Irish have left are wretched teams in Boston College and Washington State, then host Navy, visit Pittsburgh, host Connecticut and visit Stanford.
If you see three losses in there, you hate Notre Dame more than my friends do.
I knew Clausen would be a star once his arm healed and he wasn’t playing behind what was statistically the worst line in NCAA history. Those linemen are now seniors and Clausen’s on pace to throw for 3,800 yards and 29 TDs.
However, he has yet to face a top 40 defense. Then again, USC (4-1) has yet to face a top 40 offense. And the Irish can win.
“I kind of thought (USC) would be a physically better-looking team,” Steve Sarkisian, whose Washington Huskies beat USC and lost at Notre Dame, told . “We kind of went toe-to-toe with them, and we shouldn’t be able to do that.”
