Irish won’t upend USC

In 1993, Florida State had that air of invincibility Southern California now possesses.

The top-ranked Seminoles were 9-0 when they played No. 2 Notre Dame on a gray November day in South Bend, Ind. With Charlie Ward, the eventual Heisman Trophy winner, directing the offense and Derrick Brooks anchoring the defense, Florida State was tearing through opponents by an average of 44-6.

But Florida State’s 16-game winning streak ended in Notre Dame Stadium as Lou Holtz’s Fighting Irish took an early lead against Bobby Bowden’s first national title team and held on for a 31-24 victory.

The victory over Florida State was the eighth and last time Notre Dame defeated a No. 1 team.

Charlie Weis goes for No. 9 on Saturday against a USC team that has won the last two national titles and is averaging 51.6 points.

Heisman winner Matt Leinart and the Trojans are 111â2-point favorites, but they certainly wouldn’t be the first “unbeatable” team to be done in by the Fighting Irish. In 1957, Notre Dame beat Bud Wilkinson’s Oklahoma dynasty to snap the Sooners’ NCAA-record 47-game winning streak.

Notre Dame back Ray Zellars (34) heads upfield against Florida State in this Nov. 13, 1993, file photo. The Fighting Irish's 31-24 victory in South Bend, Ind., over Florida State was the eighth and last time Notre Dame defeated a top-ranked team.

But that ’93 No. 1 vs. No. 2 matchup with Florida State was the last game of this magnitude played in South Bend.

“I build up the game every week,” Irish coach Weis said. “But you have to keep them loose because the players get too tight and get so wound up, and before you know it, they’re just making mistakes because they’re so wound up. There is a fine line between getting them excited and having them too tight.”

With all the attention focused on USC-Notre Dame, you might not have noticed that four other games match ranked teams Saturday, not including Penn State vs. Michigan in the Big House.

The Big Ten race could look a lot clearer after Saturday. If the eighth-ranked Nittany Lions win, No. 15 Ohio State beats No. 16 Michigan State and No. 22 Minnesota knocks off No. 23 Wisconsin, Penn State would grab firm control of the league.

And if the opposite happens – which wouldn’t be the least bit surprising in this topsy-turvy Big Ten season – the top of the conference becomes a muddled mess.

No. 2 Texas is at home against No. 24 Colorado in a what could be a preview of the Big 12 title game.

In the Southeastern Conference, No. 11 Florida is at No. 10 LSU.

The picks:

No. 1 Southern California (minus 111â2) at No. 9 Notre Dame

USC has won each of last three meetings by 31 points … USC 41-28.

No. 24 Colorado (plus 17) at No. 2 Texas

CU coach Gary Barnett is 1-3 against Texas … TEXAS 35-10.

No. 4 Florida State (minus 7) at Virginia

Seminoles looking for first 6-0 start since ’99 … FLORIDA STATE 24-14.

No. 5 Georgia (minus 16) at Vanderbilt

Bulldogs have won 11 straight against Vandy … GEORGIA 28-14.

No. 6 Alabama (minus 121â2) at Mississippi

Rebels have won two straight in Oxford against Tide … ALABAMA 36-10.

No. 7 Miami (plus 41) at Temple

Temple coach Bobby Wallace has finally had enough … MIAMI 55-0.

No. 8 Penn State (plus 31â2) at Michigan

Wolverines have won six straight against Nittany Lions … PENN STATE 24-17.

No. 11 Florida (plus 6) at No. 10 LSU

Gators have won three straight in Baton Rouge … LSU 23-20.

No. 12 UCLA (minus 61â2) at Washington State

Cougars have won four straight and seven of nine in series … UCLA 34-30.

Kansas State (plus 131â2) at No. 13 Texas Tech

Trip to Austin looms for Red Raiders … TEXAS TECH 37-20.

Wake Forest (plus 14) at No. 14 Boston College

Deacons have won last two meetings by total of seven points … BOSTON COLLEGE 28-17.

No. 16 Michigan State (plus 7) at No. 15 Ohio State

Last time Spartans won in Columbus was ’98 … OHIO STATE 24-21.

Oregon State (plus 16) at No. 18 California

Cal outscoring opponents 128-39 in second half … CAL 38-20.

No. 19 Louisville (minus 7) at West Virginia

Mountaineers can take hold of Big East … WEST VIRGINIA 28-24.

Washington (plus 151â2) at No. 20 Oregon

Ducks’ Demetrius Williams had a TD reception in five of six games … OREGON 44-14.

No. 21 Auburn (plus 71â2) at Arkansas

Tigers first road game of 2005 … AUBURN 31-14.

No. 23 Wisconsin (no line) at No. 22 Minnesota

Paul Bunyan’s Axe and conference title hopes on the line … MINNESOTA 28-23.

Army (plus 23) at No. 25 TCU

Horned Frogs lead the nation with a plus-13 turnover margin … TCU 42-14.