ROBBINS' NEST
As soon while Jordan Williamson azines 37-yard field goal around overtime divided the uprights with Autzen Stadium providing Stanford a 17-14 disappointed wining more than Oregon, you may hear the moans in addition to groans plus shouts and also screams from coast to coast.
In South Bend, to the Fighting Irish , who the other day ascended on the No. one particular ranking for any very first time that throughout just about 25 years, it absolutely was cautious euphoria.
But your ravenscroft 11-0 commence to this season, accurate documentation very little trustworthy Notre Dame supporter idea the actual team would likely attain, might be shattered the following week which includes a deprivation with USC, your damage in which could deny the actual Irish the danger to try out for their first country's bill considering that 1988.
In Tuscaloosa, Alabama devotees which feel they have got the top crew inside the location were supplying many thanks they will can have one more an opportunity to demonstrate it. Wins through competing Auburn and above Georgia within the SEC Championship Game placed the actual Crimson Tide within position to win back-to-back nation's titles.
Surely that they acquired assist on Saturday any time No. a single Kansas State acquired blitzed at Baylor in addition to Stanford choked No. 2 Oregon azines supposedly unstoppable offense.
In Athens, Ga., Bulldogs fans are daring for you to desire big. If Texas A&M and quarterback Johnny Manziel can certainly shred this Tide defense, some people trust Aaron Murray, the nation vertisements director around spending efficiency, is capable of doing the identical within the actual SEC concept game.
And along the nation, Notre Dame haters (as considering the Yankees, you possibly enjoy or perhaps despise them) will be bellyaching the Irish don't ought to have to experiment with for that title. Suddenly the actual formidable program the actual Irish faced from the beginning with the year would not look thus imposing.
Suddenly, Notre Dame s just about specific reduction at USC this specific few days picture your Trojans top notch receivers shredding that Irish vertisements small and suspect secondary looks winnable after quarterback Matt Barkley stepped out of the Rose Bowl about Saturday immediately after a 38-28 loss to UCLA with his suitable tricep / bicep in a sling.
Barkley most likely are not the actual top dogs quarterback he has happen to be pegged as simply by some, although he or she is an amazing elderly by using the particular location s most effective receivers. Marqise Lee in addition to Robert Woods have made Barkley resemble an unhealthy person azines Andrew Luck. They would've carried out to Notre Dame azines bill goal what Baylor would to K-State s and Stanford would to Oregon s.
But not necessarily without Barkley, whose time of year is over for the reason that involving a sprained shoulder.
You must be optimistic, Barkley said, about how exactly we could finish the period with a beneficial note.
This has become nothing at all simple of an great season regarding Notre Dame. Consider that Tommy Rees, who appeared to be likely to end up being the actual starting off quarterback, could have got deep-sixed the growing season when he bought rotting in jail for his function in an off-campus scuffle. Brian Kelly dangling your ex boyfriend to the opener, hurling wide open your establishing QB job.
It turned out to be a benefit in disguise. Everett Golson, exactly who possessed his best game with the season (20-of-30 pertaining to 346 yards with several touchdowns and something interception) throughout Saturday azines 38-0 victory through Wake Forest, even though against the wrong defense, can be an appearing star. The protection is placed for decades to help come.
In various other words, Notre Dame can be again returning earlier than anybody thought. And regarding many, back as well soon.
The Irish aren t this particular good, the haters say. Obviously, they're just beneficiaries of an timetable which turned out not to ever be as well tough.
Michigan? The Wolverines are good, certainly not great. Michigan State? The Spartans are generally 5-6. Miami? Good grief. And enable vertisements end up being honest, these people missing that will Pitt game, despite the 29-26 (3OT) that's about the scoreboard then at Heinz Field.
But allow utes look at this reverse side. The Irish received convincingly at Oklahoma, a top-15 team. They held out of Stanford, which will simply published by far the most striking road gain belonging to the season. And your Trojans certainly are a talented, otherwise strong and also disciplined, team.
It s a shame Barkley picked up t enjoy Saturday because the haters will make use of in which to use to help poke divots throughout exactly what your Irish have executed that season. But the following is fact: There are generally simply a couple undefeated groups from the nation, Notre Dame in addition to Ohio State. If it utes so easy for you to do, one other 122 FBS universities have many detailing to do.
The Irish aren t sexy. They don t run a funky offense. The defense, tonneau covers in the nation in points allowed, frequently bends although doesn big t break. You desire to be able to hate em? Hate em. But you ve have to value 11-0.
lenn.robbins@nypost.com
Follow @NYP_Sports
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