Notre Dame Football: 5 Ways to Make BCS Bowl Dream a Reality

Shockingly, after a miserable 0-2 start Notre Dame has proven their resiliency, and if they keep their positive momentum building, they could still wind up in a BCS Bowl game.

Notre Dame has experienced some serious growing pains early in this 2011 season. They have killed themselves with turnovers, penalties and all around sloppy play, but they have won two in a row to even their record to 2-2.

This team still is need of many improvements, but they are beginning to make them. And if all goes well, they will end up right where they had hoped they would: in a BCS Bowl game.

Here are five things that need to happen for this to become a reality.

No. 1: Tommy Rees Starts Taking Care of the Football

Tommy Rees has definitely shown the ability to move this offense. However, on too many occasions, he has shown he can kill it with a costly turnover.

Rees has six interceptions and has lost a fumble.

He has not received sterling pass protection, but he has to show better pocket awareness and make better decisions. These are skills you would expect a young QB to improve on.

No. 2: Cierre Wood Stays Healthy

Cierre Wood has been outstanding. He has 393 yards on 83 carries and four touchdowns. He has also added 59 yards on 10 catches.

He is the focal point of this offense.

While the Irish have a very capable backup in Jonas Gray, it would be asking too much of him for Notre Dame to run the table if Wood goes down.

No. 3: Offense Stops Trying to Punish Their Defense

Notre Dame's defense has been fantastic. And they have been fantastic despite their offenses best attempts to destroy them.

Time and again this offense has put their defense in big holes. While the defense has risen to the challenge on many occasions, this certainly takes a toll.

They cannot continue to put this offense in a hole time and again and expect to be successful.

No. 4: Reduce Penalties

Notre Dame has little room for error if they are going to crack the BCS. This means they have to clean up their play.

They can't afford to continue to earn penalties at the rate they are now. Here is their weekly penalty breakdown:

Week 1: 8-for-73

Week 2: 9-for-75

Week 3: 6-for-53

Week 4: 8-for-85

Now, this isn't horrible, but it is consistently too many. Notre Dame has to clean up their play.

No. 5: Get a Little Help

The previous four slides will be rendered moot if the Irish don't get a little help. Right now there are a lot of teams in between them and the BCS.

They need these teams to start losing, and there is plenty of time for this to happen.

The good news is that if Notre Dame runs the table, they will likely be at the front of the list of teams with two losses. It is always good to get your losses out of the way early.