Notre Dame Pep Rally This Evening!

The University of Notre Dame held its traditional Pep Rally tonight -- before tomorrow afternoon's game with BYU.  Just click on the link below to watch the video:

LINK:  NOTRE DAME PEP RALLY

Photo of the Day: Ted & Jan Eberle

ND GO IRISH BLOG regulars; Ted and Jan Eberle (KANSAS) were on campus today for the BYU football game this weekend.

They were meeting this afternoon with two of my colleagues, Aaron Fricke and Michelle Shakour.  Aaron came by my office to let me know that Ted and Jan were just down the hall -- so I had to run over and get a photo of these two IRISH super-fans!

Manti Te'o -- Notre Dame's Strong of Heart

Folks, you need to find time to watch this video about Manti Te'o -- sharing his life story.  You're going to fall in love with the Te'o family.

LINK:  STRONG OF HEART

BYU Media Looks at Game With Notre Dame

Took a lap around the media sites that follow the BYU Cougars to see what they're saying about Saturday's game with our Fighting Irish.  Notre Dame fans -- this will get you ready for tomorrow's game.  Click on the links below:

LINK:  DAILY HERALD -- COUGAR BLUE

LINK:  DESERET NEWS #1

LINK:  DESERET NEWS #2

LINK:  DESERET NEWS #3

LINK:  HERALD EXTRA

Protect This House Friday -- BYU WEEK

The good folks at Turning Point produced another Notre Dame Football video this morning -- you'll enjoy it!  THIS IS GREAT!!!

LINK:  PROTECT THIS HOUSE

Coach Kelly's Last Media Session Before BYU

Notre Dame head football coach Brian Kelly met with the media today after practice -- as the Irish gear up to play BYU this Saturday.  Here's a link to the replay:

LINK:  COACH KELLY WITH THE MEDIA

Know Thy Opponent: BYU Coach Talks Irish

He's got one of the great first names in college football "BRONCO" Mendenhall -- and he's the coach of the BYU Cougars.  Earlier in the week, Coach Mendenhall met with the media after practice:

LINK:  BRONCO MENDENHALL TALKS IRISH

Jimmy Clausen Back @ Notre Dame Stadium

This past Saturday -- former Notre Dame QB Jimmy Clausen was back "home" -- standing on the sidelines during the IRISH's OT victory over Stanford. 

During the game -- Jimmy "tweeted" this photo from Notre Dame Stadium with his girlfriend (former USC student-athlete) Jess Gysin.

Two Big Ten AD's Talk About Notre Dame Today

Michigan's Dave Brandon and Michigan State's Mark Hollis met with the media and their respective alums today at the Detroit Athletic Club to talk about Saturday's football game -- yet, Notre Dame was on the minds of both school's and their fan bases.

Here's a link to what these two Athletic Directors had to say about future scheduling plans with the IRISH:

LINK:  THEY TALK ABOUT THE IRISH

Coaches Hoops Poll -- Notre Dame Men #23

Mike Brey returns one of the deepest teams in recent memory -- and the Fighting Irish got a "little" respect today with a #23 ranking in the USA Today Coaches Poll.  Another school in Indiana is ranked #1 -- I didn't see that coming!

LINK:  NOTRE DAME AMONG THE TOP 25!

"One of the best interviews..." -- Jim Rome

Notre Dame's All-American linebacker Manti Teo was a guest today on Jim Rome's show -- and Rome called this "one of the best interviews in a long time..."

You decide for yourself!

LINK:  MANTI TEO ON JIM ROME

Ty Willingham is NOT Coaching Women's Golf...

A story broke, in the past day, that former Notre Dame football coach Tyrone Willingham was an assistant golf coach for Stanford's women's team.  Well, it's now being reported that he's "no longer" serving in an "un-official" capacity with this team.  Apparently Coach Willingham was working with the women's golf team -- until their head coach left in May.

LINK:  COACH WILLINGHAM

BYU Week: Coach Kelly Press Conference

University of Notre Dame's head football coach Brian Kelly met with the media today to discuss his team's preparation for Saturday's game with BYU.  Here's a link to the press conference:

LINK:  COACH KELLY WITH MEDIA

Notre Dame Walk-On Pens Autobiography

His name is Charles Thomas, Jr -- a 2002 graduate of the University of Notre Dame -- who grew up on the streets of Flint, MI.  This past Saturday Charles (a former walk-on with the Irish basketball team) was back "home" signing his book.

Click on the link below if you'd like to buy a copy!

LINK:  BUY THE BOOK HERE!

Last Play Saturday Night -- Looks Like Elbow...

The last play of Overtime in Saturday's game between Stanford and Notre Dame is still being talked about today.

Here's a little video "above" of the Stanford ball carrier -- "appearing" -- to have his left elbow hit the ground before pushing the ball over the line.

Now, this video picks up after the PAC 12 referees HAD ALREADY RULED he had been stopped from "forward progress" -- seconds earlier in the backfield.

ND's Chief Investment Officer on CNBC Today!

The head of Notre Dame's top performing Investment Office was a guest on CNBC's Squawk Box this morning talking about the school's endowment -- and surprise, surprise, -- Notre Dame football.

LINK:  SCOTT MALPASS TALKIN' INVESTING

New York Times Story on ND's Manti Teo

Notre Dame fans will enjoy reading this story about their All-American linebacker!

LINK:  NEW YORK TIMES STORY

BCS Rankings Just Released -- IRISH #5

The Bowl Championship Subdivision released its first rankings and the Fighting Irish are sitting at #5.

The computers have NOTRE DAME ranked #2 -- the humans do not...

BCS RANKINGS -- TOP TEN

1. Alabama
2. Florida
3. Oregon
4. Kansas State
5. NOTRE DAME
6. LSU
7. South Carolina
8. Oregon State
9. Oklahoma
10. USC

LINK:  BCS STANDINGS -- OFFICIAL SITE

"We'll Know Tuesday on Status" -- Coach Kelly

Notre Dame head football coach Brian Kelly met with the media today -- via teleconference -- to talk about yesterday's OT win over Stanford.  The first two questions were about the status of injured Irish QB Everett Golson for the BYU game -- and the process Notre Dame goes through treating players with concussions...


Click on the link below for the answer to these and many other questions:

LINK:  COACH KELLY MEDIA SESSION -- SUNDAY

Notre Dame Moves Up to #5 in Major Polls

The Associated Press and Coaches Poll were released this afternoon and our Notre Dame Fightin' Irish are ranked #5 in both.  If you look at the "strength of schedules" for the teams ranked ahead of Notre Dame -- you'll find the IRISH are the only team who has beaten three "ranked opponents" this season.

YEAH, AND WE'RE STILL RANKED AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS GROUP...

Here are the teams ahead of Notre Dame in the polls and who they've beaten this season and their opponent's ranking at the time:

#1  Alabama

• #8 Michigan:  41 - 14
• Western Kentucky:  35 - 0
• Arkansas:  52 - 0
• Florida Atlantic:  40 - 7
• Ole' Miss:  33 - 14
• Missouri:  42 - 10

 #2  Oregon

• Arkansas State:  57 - 34
• Fresno State:  42 - 35
• Tennessee Tech:  63 - 14
• #22 Arizona:  49 - 0
• Washington State:  52 - 6
• #23 Washington:  52 - 21

#3  Kansas State

• Missouri State:  51 - 9
• Miami:  52 - 13
• North Texas:  35 - 21
• #6 Oklahoma:  24 - 19
• Kansas:  56 - 16
• Iowa State:  27 - 21

#4  Florida

• Bowling Green:  27 - 14
• Texas A&M:  20 - 17
• #23 Tennessee:  37 - 20
• Kentucky:  38 - 0
• #4 LSU:  14 - 6
• Vanderbilt:  31 - 17

#5 NOTRE DAME

• Navy:  50 - 10
• Purdue:  20 - 17
• #10 Michigan State:  20 - 3
• #18 Michigan:  13 - 6
• Miami, FL:  41 - 3
• #17 Stanford:  20 - 13

LINK:  TWO MAJOR POLLS