USC - Unprepared Skeptical Cautious - This is how I feel after Notre Dame got thumped by USC. Notre Dame could not move the ball. When ND could move the ball, someone would drop it on a 1st down reception, fumble, or Brady would overthrow his receiver. I feel Notre Dame was unprepared due to the soft schedule at the end of the year. Notre Dame played 3 military schools and a UNC team that was in turmoil due its coach being fired. I am skeptical with the team after another USC loss. This year was not even close. Our Lady must have been hanging over the stadium helping the team last year.

This years game was downright terrible. Notre Dame has a Heisman QB, 5 expected first round draft picks, a senior line, except for Sam Young, which was supposed to be better then last years. Two great Wide Receivers who were constantly dropping balls. A running back that never fumbles. Why not this year? Why could we not compete with a young developing USC team? We were suppose to have the talent to upend this team.

First possession, Charlie decides to go for it on 4th down within field goal range. Yes, it was a 47 yard field goal. I guess Gioia was not out of the doghouse yet? All of a sudden, USC strikes with completions to Turner and Jarrett for the TD. Now we are down 7-3. Notre Dame goes three and out and Reed has a big return back to the 26 year line, 6 yards short of where the ball was originally punted. Why did Charlie put in his starters on special teams? I think this was a stupid move. How many starters played on special teams all year. A few! Why start them now on special teams. Put in the guys who did excellent the whole year. Do not be scared. Where was Ndukwe on the 2 Jarrett TD. He was sucked in for some reason off a play that was not even a play action fake. Richardson had to come over and at least put a body on Jarrett. USC played Jarrett perfect using his height as an advantage. We finally kick the field goal to get some points on the board. Now we are thinking with our head. USC drives right back down the field and Booty sneaks it in for a 21-3 score. Quinn has a 59 yard run. This was beautiful run by Brady. USC secondary and linebackers were bracketing the wide receivers, so Brady tucked and ran it. It seemed like the momentum was shifting. Then the next play Darius, I rarely fumble, Walker puts one on the ground. AHAHHAHA~! ND defense steps up and makes them go 3 and out and the put is blocked by Steve Quinn <-- was going to go to PSU until Weis offered him. Quinn throws a nice low ball away from the defender to Freeman for the TD. Then after two more fumbles, Weis and company get no points on the board before half. I swear if Notre dame would have done something before half with those two turnovers, we would have had a game on our hands.

Second half starts and Mr. Magic (Jarrett) makes a spectacular catch on 3rd down to keep the drive going. Washington plows in for a couple yards out to make it 28 - 10. McKnight makes another 40+ yard catch down the sideline. Then McKnight actually catches the ball for a TD in the end zone. USC adds a field goal and then Jarrett catches a TD after a Notre Dame player bounces off him since he didn't wrap up the receiver. Samardzija makes a nice fade catch for a TD. 38-24. Brian Cushing, the linebacker who was down to USC and ND, returns a onsides kickoff for a TD. This was downright pathetic. My stomach just churned inside out!

I would like to bring up one thing that irks me about Charlie Weis's Calls sometimes. Sometimes you need to put points on the board. Sometimes you need to have a WR catch a perfect ball in their hands. Sometimes you don't ask a freshman to run the ball on 4th down when you need a yard and it is the biggest game in the season. I am sorry but he did this all last year with A. Schwapp. The MSU game was a perfect example. It was early in the year, we are down and Charlie calls a run between the left tackle and guard when they were on the goal line. Schwapp fumbles the ball. Alridge was put in for a 2 yards until the first down and he barely makes it. If the yellow line would have been the actual line, they would not have made it and you would take 7 points off the board because that is what we got when Alridge barely got the ball across the line.

Where do we go from here? I seriously don't know. I just want to play a team Notre Dame can beat in a bowl game, BCS or Not. I would like these players to go out with a win. I want Brady to go into the College Football HOF with a smile on his face knowing he and his teammates finally broke the bowl streak. I would like to see Florida or Arkansas in a bowl game. Florida Ideal?!?!

What is going to happen with recruiting? Charlie is going to have to go into his bag of tricks to get these top recruits to come to Notre Dame. After a dismal lose, it is going to be hard for him to pull some 4/5 stars to his camp. A bowl win will spell relief and put us over the edge. I think Charlie was expecting to win this game versus USC and it would help him in recruiting. Guess what, Sorry buddy but you are back to square UNO! I still love you Charlie, and all the Notre Dame football players!