We hadn’t won in so long – dating back to the final home game of last season versus Army, when the student section was dreaming of a victory over Southern Cal vaulting us into national title contention – that I forgot how much fun it is when you aren’t on the losing end.  Longest losing streak in Notre Dame history?  Averted.  Potential 0-8, 0-9 start, or winless season?  Avoided.  This team and fanbase getting some confidence heading into two home games against top ten teams the program loathes?  Achieved.

Maurice Crum, Jr., snapped out of a senior season malaise where he hadn’t really been around the ball much and had to have played one of the best defensive games in the recent history of the Rose Bowl.  If you’ll allow me to use some hyperbole, he was a Vince Young on the other side of the ball, registering four turnovers and scoring a touchdown all by himself.  He got some help from the rest of Corwin Brown’s crewin stopping UCLA’s third QB and All-Name Team nominee McLeod Bethel-Thompson, as the Irish were batting passes at the line and getting pressure on both the quarterback and running back all night.  There were still grievous errors in tackling, but far fewer.  We held Kahlil Bell to 64 yards on 18 carries (3.6 average) and didn’t allow him to pop off a run longer than nine yards.  He was banged up and we could load up the box against Bethel-Thompson, but we could load up the box against Morelli, Mallett, Bennet and Hoyer as well, but their offenses still pounded us with hundred-yard rushers.

On offense, things could have been a lot better, but considering the way the defense and UCLA’s offense were playing, minimizing mistakes and holding onto the ball became the conditions for success last night.  At times, the offensive line gave Clausen plenty of time, although he failed to find anyone deep.  Was anyone open?  I have no idea, as ABC wasn’t generous in showing replays of what was going on downfield.  However, if there was no one open and we just checked down to attempt to avoid the big mistake, that’s okay under the circumstances.  We pounded the ball with James Aldridge 22 times, which helped give us a rare time-of-possession victory, and held the ball for nearly twenty minutes in the second half.  For the second week in a row, we remembered John Carlson was on our team and was a great tight end.

Also, and I don’t think this can be understated, we kicked not one but two field goals, and minimized any punt and kick return gaffes.  That 48-yarder to tie the game at sixes was both the ugliest and most beautiful thing I’d ever seen.

There were obvious some problems.  Travis Thomas getting two goal line carries, "veteran experience" or not, is ridiculous, although the results ended up being favorable as he set up Clausen’s sneak.  UCLA was bracketing Golden Tate, and while you have to admire the desire to toss some balls up his way, that had to open up some room somewhere else in the Bruin secondary that we did not explore.  Still, after solid improvements the last two weeks, the Irish finally break through.  I’m not going to get crazy and start predicting success over a Matt Ryan-led Boston College team or a very, very angry Southern Cal team, but if the defense plays like that, we can compete, something I wouldn’t have been comfortable saying even yesterday afternoon.  Granted, Ryan and Booty > UCLA’s third-stringer, but we also have the home crowd and a still-improving (hopefully) offense on our side.    

So here’s to the Irish victory, with a special toast reserve for Maurice Crum, Jr., who had the game of his life.  We were gracious hosts to the Bruins when they came here, and they certainly returned the favor, albeit in an entirely different matter.  OCDomer was at the game, so you can check out his preliminary thoughts if you wish.

Hopefully you found some time to watch some other football over these last two weekends, as it was as fun and entertaining as any stretch of collegiate pigskin I can remember.  As the rest of the season rolls forward, I can only imagine how entertaining the top of the polls will remain.  LSU survived one of the best games you’ll ever see on Saturday night, but their road remains long and perilous and their bid to the Mythical National Title game is being challenged by some a few expected (Ohio State, California, Boston College) and some moderately-to-completely surprising (Missouri, Cincinnati, South Florida, Arizona State).  

Your big games for next week?

Boston College at Notre Dame- For all of the reinvigorated Notre Dame nation, at least, as the Irish try to turn a losing streak that spanned ten months into a minor winning streak.  Matt Ryan is very, very good, and if our team is to prove they’re for real, they’ll need to replicate the effort from the Rose Bowl and then some to compete.

Missouri at Oklahoma- The undefeated Tigers embarrassed Nebraska and hold an ever-improving win over Illinois, but if they want to aspire to more than a Big XII championship bid, they must defeat the Sooners in Norman.  Sam Bradford bounced back nicely from the Colorado debacle, but can he contend with Chase Daniels, The Great White Hope?  

LSU at Kentucky- LSU stifled Andre’ Woodson last season, but you can bet he’ll want to make amends for his struggles Thursday night at South Carolina.  Florida showed that it is possible to move the ball on the Bayou Bengals, but whether the Wildcats have any measures to stop Les Miles high-stakes gambling offense will be decided at 3:30 on CBS.

Buckle up, boys and girls, as we’ve still got half the season to go, and as Jim Harbaugh proved last night and HOT! HOT! HOT! Proved the very first day, absolutely anything is possible.

And now, if you’ll indulge me, a minor photo essay about another fantastic part of yesterday evening.