Are We Tough Enough!!! -- YES WE ARE!!!

Just got back to the condo here in South Bend, IN -- and I'm soaking wet -- but, I'm grinning from ear to ear!!!

THAT IS FOUR GAMES IN A ROW AGAINST; MICHIGAN STATE, MICHIGAN, MIAMI AND STANFORD -- WHEN OUR DEFENSE HAS NOT GIVEN UP A TOUCHDOWN!!!

The Fighting Irish held Stanford from scoring from the 18" line on BACK TO BACK PLAYS to win the game 20 - 13 in OT!!!

My two season tickets are in ROW 2 -- next to the TUNNEL -- just fifteen yards or so from that goal line where I sat with my cousin Kevin Sweeney.

What a game!  I'll start posting all of the post-game coverage -- right here -- so keep coming back all night!

LINK:  ESPN -- COACH KELLY PRESSER

LINK:  MATHIAS FARLEY INTERVIEW

LINK:  CHICAGO TRIBUNE 

LINK:  CHICAGO SUN TIMES

LINK:  MANTI TEO & COACH KELLY -- ON FIELD WITH ALEX FLANAGAN

LINK:  NBC EXPERTS TALK NOTRE DAME'S WIN OVER STANFORD 

LINK:  UND.COM HIGHLIGHTS

LINK:  GAME HIGHLIGHT OF NOTRE DAME'S OT WIN OVER STANFORD

Notre Dame's Pep Rally Tonight: Stanford Game

The gang at Fighting Irish Digital Media just posted the video from tonight's Notre Dame Pep Rally from Purcell Pavilion.  Manti Teo's family was recognized -- they're apparently in town for the next month.  You'll also see College Gameday's Chris Fowler speak to the crowd.

ENJOY!

LINK:  NOTRE DAME PEP RALLY

Coach Kelly on Mike & MIKE This Morning!

Notre Dame head football coach Brian Kelly was on ESPN'S Mike & MIKE Show this morning talkin' about his 5 - 0 Fightin' Irish! 

Here's a link to the broadcast:

LINK:  COACH KELLY ON MIKE & MIKE

Protect This House Friday -- Must See Video!

The gang at Turning Point just released their Friday Pump-Up Video.  It's a good-one!

LINK:  PROTECT THIS HOUSE!

The Last 15 Regular Season Games Standings

Folks, this may come as a big surprise to you -- but these are the facts.  Over the last 15 regular season games -- our Notre Dame Fighting Irish are 13 - 2 !!

Only three teams have a better record over this fifteen game period!

Here's how this record stacks up against the other 120 teams in the FBS during the same time span:

#1:  Alabama:  14 - 1
#1:  LSU:  14 - 1
#1:  Oregon:  14 - 1
#4:  NOTRE DAME:  13 - 2
#4:  Stanford:  13 - 2
#4:  South Carolina:  13 - 2
#4:  Boise State:  13 - 2
#4:  TCU:  13 - 2
#4:  Kansas State:  13 - 2
#10:  USC:  12 - 3
#10:  West Virginia:  12 - 3

Notre Dame Basketball Media Day -- TODAY!

The University of Notre Dame's Men's & Women's basketball teams held their respective Media Day's -- today at Purcell Pavilion.

I have to tell you -- I haven't been this excited about Notre Dame basketball in a long time -- it's going to be fun this winter!

Here's a link to the coverage of today's festivities:

LINK:  COACH MUFFET McGRAW'S MEDIA CONFERENCE

LINK:  WOMEN'S TEAM -- PLAYER INTERVIEWS

LINK:  COACH BREY'S MEDIA CONFERENCE

LINK:  MEN'S TEAM -- PLAYER INTERVIEWS

College Gameday Setting Up in the Shadow...

...of Touchdown Jesus!

I'm quite sure the gang in Bristol, CT didn't have Notre Dame on their travel schedule just eight weeks ago for the College Gameday show -- but, here they were today -- erecting their stages in between Touchdown Jesus and Notre Dame Stadium.  (see photo above)

The set will get its first activity tomorrow morning when Mike & MIKE air their show from Notre Dame beginning at 6 AM ET Friday morning.  You can tune-in to ESPN2 to watch it LIVE.

Notre Dame #1 in Two BCS Computer Polls!

Two of the six computer rankings of the top teams in college football -- used by the BCS folks -- has NOTRE DAME RANKED #1 in the country!  Alabama is ranked #1 in one of the computer rankings as is Oregon in one and Florida in another.

The sixth computer ranking of top teams has not been released.

This Sunday, the BCS will release its first weekly standings -- which they will be using to pick the National Championship participants.

Going to be interesting!  It just goes to show you how important "strength of schedule" is with these computer rankings.

Here's a link to the story:

LINK:  NOTRE DAME #1 IN TWO OF THE BCS COMPUTER RANKINGS!

Notre Dame Student on the TODAY Show!

Lindsay Brown walked away from her full-ride soccer scholarship to the University of Notre Dame to pursue her passion...

You will love her story!

LINK:  LINDSAY BROWN

Domer Justin Tuck -- E:60 Interview Subject

Former Notre Dame All-American and two-time Super Bowl Champion Justin Tuck -- was interviewed this evening on ESPN's E:60.  Here's a link to the promotional trailer:

LINK:  JUSTIN TUCK

"Halfway Heisman" -- Manti Needs Our Votes!

The folks at Sports Illustrated are at it again -- running their HALFWAY HEISMAN poll for their online readers. 

As of this moment, Notre Dame All-American linebacker Manti Teo is running in 2nd place behind West Virginia's QB Geno Smith.  To vote for Manti, click on the link below!

LINK:  VOTE FOR NOTRE DAME'S MANTI TEO

Brian Kelly's Live Press Conference @ NOON!

If you'd like to watch Coach Kelly's STANFORD WEEK Press Conference LIVE -- it begins shortly at 12:00 PM ET.

LINK:  WATCH THE REPLAY HERE!

Looks Like Brady Quinn Will Start for Chiefs!

It's been a long time coming...

Brady Quinn had not seen the field in his last 38 regular season NFL football games -- think about that.

This past Sunday, Quinn came in for the Chiefs injured starter Matt Cassell and completed all three of his passes for 32 yards.  Cassell, who was knocked out on a vicious hit -- is not expected to be able to play this Sunday, clearing a starting role for Quinn.  Stay tuned!

LINK:  QUINN, LIKELY TO START SUNDAY

FBS National Statistical Rankings: Notre Dame

National Rankings -- here's a quick look at where Notre Dame players, offensive, defensive and special team units stack up amongst the 120 teams in the Football Bowl Subdivision after their 41 - 3 win over Miami Saturday:


OFFENSIVE PLAYERS:

Everett Golson

• 70th in completion rate:  60.4%
• 85th in QB rating:  126.5
• 92nd in yards passing:  827 yards
• 98th in Total Offense:  867 yards

George Atkinson III

• 96th in yards rushing per attempt:  9.3 yards 
• 147th in yards rushing:  269 yards

DEFENSIVE PLAYERS:

Stephon Tuitt

• 7th in total QB sacks:  1.2 sacks per game

Bennett Jackson

•  9th in interceptions:  3 interceptions

Manti Teo

• 6th in fumbles recovered per game:  0.4 per game
• 9th in interceptions:  3 interceptions
• 25th in tackles per game:  9.6 per game

OFFENSIVE TEAM RANKINGS:

• 9th in turnovers lost:  4 this season 
• 15th in time of possession;  32.52 minutes per game
• 40th in rushing offense per game:  187.4 yards per game
• 43rd in 3rd down efficiency:  42.86%
• 51st in first downs:  22.0 first downs per game
• 61st in scoring offense:  29 points per game
• 83rd in passing offense per game:  211 yards per game

DEFENSIVE TEAM RANKINGS:

• 2nd in scoring defense:  7.8 points per game 
• 5th in red zone defense:  Teams score only 58% of the time
• 13th in first downs allowed:  16.0 per game
• 13th in total offense allowed:  290 yards per game
• 16th in turnovers gained:  13 turnovers gained
• 16th in passes intercepted:  8 interceptions
• 17th in rushing defense:  106.8 yards per game
• 20th in QB sacks:  2.8 sacks per game
• 43rd in passing defense:  195 yards per game

TEAM RANKINGS:

• 7th in turnover margin:  +1.8 per game
• 23rd in fewest penalty yards per game:  39.17 yards
• 26th in net punting:  39.7 yards per punt
• 41st in fewest penalties per game:  5.4 penalties 
• 84th in kick off return yards:  19.83 per kick-off return
• 100th in kick off return defense:  24.11 yards per kick-off return
• 104th in punt return yards:  3.5 yards per punt return

Irish Move Up to #7 in the National Rankings

Notre Dame's 41 - 3 victory last night over Miami moved up the IRISH to #7 in the Associated Press rankings this week.

The link below shows all of the AP writers and who they voted for.


LINK:  AP POLL -- HOW THE WRITERS VOTED

College Gameday's Interview of Manti Teo

Folks, if this doesn't move you to tears...

LINK:  MANTI TEO INTERVIEW


FYI:  ESPN's College Gameday will be at Notre Dame next weekend -- first time in a long time.

Post Game Locker Room: ND Beats Miami!

The gang at Fighting Irish Digital Media outdid themselves this evening -- knocking out this video of Notre Dame's post game celebration after the 41 - 3 win over Miami.  You'll enjoy seeing Manti hugging Jack Swarbrick and Fr. John Jenkins...

Good stuff here!

LINK:  IRISH CONNECTION -- NOTRE DAME LOCKER ROOM

Quick Reaction: Notre Dame Rolls Miami!

41 to 3...

Didn't see this coming.

• 12 Quarters of football against Michigan State, Michigan and Miami and NO TD's given up!
• Almost 400 yards of rushing - 376 to be exact -- the most in 12 seasons!
• 587 yards of total offense
• No punts in the second half
• DOMINATION!

Here's a quick look at what the media has to say about Notre Dame's convincing win over the Miami Hurricanes -- along with links to coverage of Coach Kelly and Coach Golden's post game press conferences:

LINK:  COACH KELLY:  POST GAME PRESS CONFERENCE

LINK:  GAME HIGHLIGHTS

LINK:  MIKE MAYOCK TALKS IRISH

LINK:  COACH KELLY WITH ALEX FLANAGAN

LINK:  NBC SPORTS -- NOTRE DAME CENTRAL

LINK:  ESPN -- ND BLOG

LINK:  CHICAGO TRIBUNE

LINK:  POST GAME WITH BRAXSTON CAVE

LINK:  CHICAGO SUN TIMES

LINK:  SUN SENTINEL #1

LINK:  MIAMI COACH PRESS CONFERENCE

LINK:  MIAMI HERALD

LINK:  MIAMI HERALD #2

LINK:  ESPN BLOG 

Charlie Weis '78 Talks Manti Teo Recruitment

University of Kansas head football coach Charlie Weis '78, was interviewed recently about his recruitment of Notre Dame All-American linebacker Manti Teo.  Here's a link to the story:

LINK:  CHARLIE'S TRIPS TO HAWAII

Notre Dame Football Takes on Chicago...

The gang at UND.COM produced their first video last night -- of DAY ONE for Notre Dame football in Chicago.  You'll enjoy this!

LINK:  NOTRE DAME TAKES ON CHICAGO