College Football: Stanford Is Notre Dame's BCS

Entering the 2011 season, Notre Dame fans were hoping for a return to the BCS for the first time in five years. After an 0-2 start, that seemed impossible. Notre Dame lost those games due primarily to nine turnovers to South Florida and Michigan.

With Big Ten power Michigan State coming to South Bend next, an 0-3 start and thoughts of not making any bowl, let alone a BCS one was a reality to Irish fans.

Then Notre Dame turns their season around on that one day with a dominating win over the eventual Big Ten Legends Division Champs. Next came an ugly win at Pittsburgh. That was followed by two dominating performances over Purdue and Air Force. Heading into a bye with two weeks to prepare fo USC, talks of the BCS were now returning.

Those talks were quickly dismissed after a dominating performance by the Trojans. The Irish did make a comeback in that game to get within seven. The Irish were 1st-and-goal inside the five. It appeared that the Irish were going to tie it up until a fumbled snap reminded us of South Florida.

Notre Dame has rolled since then with impressive wins over Navy, Wake Forest and Maryland. The win over Boston College was less impressive and the Irish suffered a heartbreaking injury when senior Jonas Gray tore his ACL.

Not only does the injury keep him out for the year, but it will also hurt his chances to get drafted. Still the win did put the Irish to 8-3 with one game and a bowl left.

Notre Dame will finish their season with a trip to Palo Alto to play Stanford. Led by Heisman front-runner Andrew Luck, Stanford is currently sixth in BCS standings. The Irish needless to say will have their hands full. Notre Dame was hoping that it would be for a chance to return to the BCS with a win.

At 8-3 and a current BCS ranking of 22, the Irish are still not mathematically eliminated from the BCS. Certainly a victory over a powerful Stanford would bump them up several places. However, it will not in all likelihood move them 10 spots to No. 12 which is what the Irish would need to be BCS eligible.

Therefore, win or lose Notre Dame is likely looking at a bowl in the class of the Gator or Champs Sports.

Therefore, this prime time matchup over against a team that could play for it's conference championship the following week is really Notre Dame's BCS. No disrespect to the bowl they end up in, but it will likely land them another ACC opponent.

If you look at this year and even go back to the Sun Bowl against Miami, Notre Dame has had little trouble with the ACC.

That makes this game Notre Dame's chance to show that it can beat a powerhouse. It is their chance to play a national contender. A Notre Dame victory would be its biggest victory not only this year, but in the years since it last played in a BCS bowl. It would be a huge boost heading into recruiting season.

Based on all that, Stanford is Notre Dame's BCS.