36 Hours to ND Football's Final Exam

It's been a long time since we've had a NOTRE DAME MOMENT -- beating a highly ranked team when we were not expected...

Will tomorrow be that moment?

Here's a link to what's being said by the media about Saturday's game with Stanford.

LINK:  SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS

LINK:  SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE

LINK:  SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE

LINK:  CHICAGO TRIBUNE

LINK:  ESPN BLOG

ND Athletes Lending a Thanksgiving Hand

Sixteen Notre Dame football players made a trip to Hope Ministries in South Bend yesterday to assist them in their preparation for Thanksgiving.  Here's a link to that story:

LINK:  GIVING BACK

Happy Thanksgiving!

I have to admit this is my favorite holiday of the year.  It's four days full of family, food, fun and football!  We're heading to a Thanksgiving celebration with Grandma Joanie and our Doyle family this afternoon and then off to be with Grandpa Jim this evening.  A GREAT DAY!

It's the first Thanksgiving without Grandma Barb (photo with her great-grandson Jimmy) in our lifetime...  I'll always be thankful to Grandpa & Grandma Doyle for giving our family the "gift" of Notre Dame.

Enjoy the day -- GO LIONS! 

A Tour of the Notre Dame Football Complex

The folks at UND.COM teamed up with Mike Golic, Jr. and Brandon Newman to give Irish fans a tour of the GUG (pronounced GOOOOG) -- home of the Notre Dame football operation.  To say the place is impressive would be an understatement.  Special thanks to ND GO IRISH BLOG regular contributor Kip Sweeney for alerting me to the video tour.

LINK:  ND'S FOOTBALL COMPLEX

Irish Guard Feature on the Irish Connection

The University of Notre Dame's Irish Guard are featured in this week's edition of Irish Connection.  Here's a link:

LINK:  THE IRISH GUARD

Stanford to Debut New Helmet & Jersey on ABC

The Stanford Cardinal will be unveiling this new uniform, shoe and helmet combination for Saturday night's prime-time game on ABC with our Fighting Irish.  Now, I don't think the helmet cost $1,200...

The Most Expensive Football Helmet in History!

Folks, I learned this evening -- from a very reliable source -- that the "hand crafted" football helmets the Fighting Irish wore for the Shamrock Series game against the University of Maryland cost $1,200 each!!!  Now, I'm quite certain the University of Notre Dame did not pay for those helmets -- so I'm guessing the folks at Adidas must have written the check.

Here's a link to Troy Lee Designs -- and their video of how they constructed the ND football helmet -- the most expensive football helmet in the history of the game:

LINK:  THE MOST EXPENSIVE FOOTBALL HELMET OF ALL TIME

Freshman Friday -- You'll Love These...

The gang at UND.COM produce a show called OUR TEAM OUR STORY -- and on Friday's they've been producing features on the freshman class.  You'll enjoy this look at our Irish.

LINK:  TROY NIKLAS

LINK:  CHASE HOUNSHELL

LINK:  CAM McDANIEL

Jonas Gray Can Look To His Hometown Team...

University of Notre Dame running back Jonas Gray, was having the season many of us expected of him when he committed to the Fighting Irish four years ago.   Power and speed -- a wonderful combination for a running back -- and we finally saw it in a GOLD HELMET and the #25 jersey. 

Unfortunately, Gray's season came to an end on Saturday with what appears to be a serious knee injury.

Ironically, the very next day a running back with Jonas's hometown Detroit Lions -- Kevin Smith, returned to football after a serious knee injury kept him away from the game for more than a year.  And, did he ever come back -- 140 yards rushing, 60 yards receiving and THREE TOUCHDOWNS!

Jonas -- you need to seek out Kevin Jones and chat with him on what he did to make it back, better than ever.  Here's a story about Jonas and a second story about Kevin Jones.

ND fans have not seen the last of Jonas Gray on a football field!!!

LINK:  ESPN BLOG STORY

LINK:  KEVIN JONES -- A COMEBACK STORY

Looks Like the Irish @ Champs Sports Bowl

Here's what the 'experts' are projecting as the destination for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team this upcoming bowl season -- THE CHAMPS SPORTS BOWL, December 29th in Orlando.  The opponent -- none other than FREE SHOES UNIVERSITY (Florida State).  Here's a few of the projections:

LINK:  ESPN BLOG

LINK:  CBS SPORTS

LINK:  SPORTS ILLUSTRATED

Fighting Irish Hoops on ESPN2 @ 7:30 PM ET

Mike Brey's Fighting Irish take on the Missouri Tigers TONIGHT at 7:30 PM ET on ESPN2 in the semi-finals of the PROGRESSIVE CBE CLASSIC in Kansas City.  Tonight's game marks the return of Tim Abromaitis -- who has been sidelined by the NCAA for the first four games of the season.  Missouri is ranked #24 in the country - and will be heavy favorites in tonight's game.  Should be fun!

LINK:  BACKGROUND ON TONIGHT'S GAME

#2 Ranked Irish Take on #1 Baylor @ 2 PM ET

Muffet's second ranked Fighting Irish travel to Waco, TX today to play the top ranked Baylor Bears and their 6'-8" center Brittney Griner.  The game will be televised by CBS beginning at 2 PM ET.  So, click away from your NFL game today -- and catch our Fighting Irish on national TV.  Here's a link to today's South Bend Tribune story on the game:

LINK:  #1 vs. #2

UND.COM's Post Game Coverage -- After BC

The gang at UND.COM did it again -- giving the Notre Dame family the BEST IN CLASS coverage we've come to expect from this group of professionals.  Here are the links to game highlights, player interviews and Coach Kelly's post game coverage.

LINK:  COACH KELLY PRESS CONFERENCE

LINK:  PLAYER COMMENTS

LINK:  GAME HIGHLIGHTS

Brady Quinn Back In The Bend...

Former Notre Dame All-American QB Brady Quinn returned "home" to campus this weekend -- and the folks at WNDU-TV caught up with him for a quick interview.  Here's a link to the story:

LINK:  BRADY QUINN BACK AT ND

The Mornin' After the Irish Beat BC 16 - 14

Took my weekly lap around the web this Sunday morning to check in on the media's reaction to Notre Dame's 16 - 14 win over three win Boston College.  Here's a link to the coverage:

LINK:  CHICAGO SUN TIMES

LINK:  BOSTON GLOBE #1

LINK:  CBS SPORTS

LINK:  BC INTERRUPTION

LINK:  NBC SPORTS

LINK:  ESPN BLOG

LINK:  BOSTON HERALD

LINK:  CHICAGO TRIBUNE

LINK:  SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE -- ERIC HANSEN

LINK:  BOSTON HERALD #2

LINK:  CHICAGO SUN TIMES #2

LINK:  FORT WAYNE JOURNAL

LINK:  SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE #2

LINK:  BOSTON GLOBE #2

LINK:  FORT WAYNE JOURNAL #2

LINK:  SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE #3

LINK:  WNDU-TV

LINK:  CHICAGO SUN TIMES #3

LINK:  GRAND RAPIDS PRESS

A Different Statistical Look @ ND's Defense

Here's how ND's Defense has performed in comparison to the other teams who have faced the same opponents as the Irish.  A ranking of #1 means the Irish gave up the fewest yards or points to that opponent this season.

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA (5-5)

• Total Offense:  Irish rank #2 giving up 254 yards
• Points:  Irish rank #5 giving up 23 points

UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN (9-2)

• Total Offense:  Irish rank #5 giving up 452 yards
• Points:  Irish rank #7 giving up 35 points

MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY (9-2)

• Total Offense:  Irish rank #4 giving up 358 yards
• Points:  Irish rank #3 giving up 13 points

UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH (5-5)

• Total Offense: Irish rank #2 giving up 268 yards
• Points:  Irish rank #2 giving up 12 points

PURDUE UNIVERSITY (5-5)

• Total Offense:  Irish rank #1 giving up 276 yards
• Points:  Irish rank #1 giving up 10 points

AIR FORCE ACADEMY (5-5)

• Total Offense:  Irish rank #9 giving up 565 yards
• Points:  Irish rank #6 giving up 33 points

USC (9-2)

• Total Offense:  Irish rank #7 giving up 443 yards
• Points:  Irish rank #5 giving up 31 points

NAVAL ACADEMY (4-7)

• Total Offense:  Irish rank #1 giving up 229 yards
• Points:  Irish rank #1 giving up 14 points

WAKE FOREST UNIVERSITY (6-5)

• Total Offense: Irish rank #1 giving up 297 yards
• Points:  Irish rank #1 giving up 17 points

UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND (2-9)

• Total Offense: Irish rank #6 giving up 364 yards
• Points: Irish rank #7 giving up 21 points

BOSTON COLLEGE (3-8)

• Total Offense:  Irish rank #4 giving up 250 yards
• Points:  Irish rank #3 giving up 14 points

Catch All of the Post Game From ND Stadium

The folks at UND.COM and NBC will be broadcasting LIVE from Notre Dame Stadium after ND's 16 to 14 win over Boston College.  Catch Coach Kelly's press conference, highlights from the game, etc.  Click on the links below:

LINK:  NBC COVERAGE OF POST GAME PRESS CONFERENCE

LINK:  POST GAME UND.COM COVERAGE

ND Football Recruit Starring in Documentary

He's one of the top wide receiver prospects in the country and he hails from the same high school as former Irish QB Jimmy Clausen -- Jordan Payton is now a movie star.  Payton is featured in a four-part documentary film on the recruiting process.  He is being heavily recruited by the IRISH and ND is one of his final choices.  Here's a link to the "movie trailer."

LINK:  IRISH RECRUITING MOVIE STAR

Irish lead 13 - 7 at Halftime...

Here's the positive from the first half:  David Ruffer is 2 for 2 in the field goal department.  Not much more going that well for our Irish.  Here's the halftime stats:

• First Downs:  ND: 12    BC: 6
• Rushing Yards:  ND: 90    BC: 30
• Passing Yards:  ND: 141    BC: 100
• Total Yards:  ND: 231    BC:  130

 Here's a link to NBCSPORTS.COM coverage of the game:

LINK:  NOTRE DAME vs. BOSTON COLLEGE

Live Webcam Today From Notre Dame Stadium

The folks at UND.COM are streaming live video from their WEBCAM inside the House That Rock Built.  Click here right up to kick-off today at 4 PM ET.  The PLAYER WALK will be LIVE as well beginning at 2:15 PM ET!

LINK:  LIVE WEBCAM