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JF did fine against them, made the game close. Without him they are not that great. You forget they beat Bama at their home stadium.

On the other hand, ND had to go to OT to beat Pitt, and really should have lost (yeah, think about that long and hard). Michigan creamed them in every way, except they would hand ND the ball at the end of every possession. Even at their own stadium, with 7 turn overs and Robinson's worst game as a collegiate, the game was in the balance until the final minute. UM made them look bad after being destroyed by Bama.

ND had a tough time against a very poor, Barkley-less USC team, and had sub par games against other listless, lifeless and mediocre teams.

Who did they beat?

I've watched ND a few times, and have been unimpressed each time. They are a decent team, maybe belong around # 10 or so but they do not belong in this game. Bama is going to smoke them, no contest, it will be an embarrassment they were even in the NC game.

We'll see won't we. I love collegiate football, but may not watch this one it's going to be so lopsided.

But, they didn't lose, which is the point. Perhaps you should "think about it long and hard" that ND missed a FG and fumbled as a running back hurled himself over the goal line . . . which twice could have won the game prior to Pitt's missed FG. It was a wet, sloppy day in which ND had 34 first downs to Pitt's 13 but fumbled the ball 3 times. And Pitt isn't nobody; their defense is ranked #17, which is a lot higher than all but one of the defenses Bama faced.

As for Michigan, you've got to be kidding! I attended the game. Denard Robinson and company never reached the endzone, and Manti Te'o had two interceptions as the defense forced poor throws and picked off five Michigan passes and recovered one fumble. Golson was a freshman starting his 3rd game ever, threw a pick as ND was about to score. Rees came in and went 11 for 14 (Robinson was just 13 for 24). The Defense stepped up. Michigan didn't score at all until the 4th quarter.

As for USC, you don't understand the series. Throw out the record books. And Barkley's replacement, Wittek, is good (he has a future) and, if inexperienced, you still had a freshman QB on the other sideline. USC's vaunted running backs were shut down. Notre Dame's were not. They had 222 yards rushing (with 217 passing) and outrushed USC 143-19 inside the tackles. USC had 30 yards after the catch. And 53 of Lee's 75 yards came on one play. The game was also on the road, in the Colosseum, against a team ranked #1 pre-season, still ranked #5 in sacks (they didn't get to Golson), and with the best wide receiver in the country. He got loose once, and was intercepted once.

Who else did Notre Dame play? I guess you consider handily beating Oklahoma (an 8 point favorite) in Norman, no less, and holding Oklahoma's #9 ranked offense to 13 points, to be inconsequential. And I am sure you must consider Stanford, headed for the Rose Bowl, a "lifeless and mediocre" team. Thay rank first, nationally, in quarterback sacks (Bama is ranked 21st) and are one of the best defensses in the country. In fact, four of the defenses Notre Dame faced are ranked in the top 17 defenses, including #2, #3, #12, and #17. (Bama faced only one, #7 LSU; the Texas A&M defense that stopped Bama is ranked #62). In rushing defense, those same four teams faced by Notre Dame are ranked #2, #3, #4, and #15. They also faced two of the top passing defenses, including Michigan's, ranked #4.

Meanwhile, Notre Dame is ranked #1 in the nation in points allowed (10.3), #1 in run defense (92.4) and #6 in total defense (286.8 ypg).

I could go on. But, the point it simply that your post is both misguided and insulting . . . and typical of SEC arrogance, if that is where you hang your hat. I hope for your sake that you don't watch the game. You won't enjoy being proved wrong.