BCS National Championship - GO IRISH!!

Finally after 6 weeks of waiting since ND's last game, the BCS National Championship is here! I have been waiting for 25 years for this night, I am praying for an Irish win. If Manti and ND's defense plays as well as they have been all season, the Offense performs like they did vs. Oklahoma and the O-line can plug the gaps and stop the 'Bama run game I think ND can pull off the upset.

Either way, win or lose, the Irish have had a great season and it's  nice to it's football program has righted its course and is relevant again. Look for LB Manti Te'o, DE Stephon Tuitt, DT Louis "Nasty Dog" Nix, QB Everett Golson, RB/WR Theo Riddick, TE Tyler Eifert and RB Cierre Wood to be the impact players for Notre Dame this game. If they play well ND should be able to pull off the upset. For 'Bama keep an eye on RB'S Eddie Lacy and T.J. Yeldon, CB Dee Milliner, LB C.J. Mosley and QB AJ McCarron (although he will not factor as much as their RB'S).

Should be a great game, one for the ages. Hopefully I will not have to wait another 25 years to see ND in a championship again.

Below are some great stats I have come across about the game:

- The last 4 BCS Champs have seen 9 total pts (3 FG) in 1st qtr. The last 1st-qtr TD: Ohio State's Beanie Wells in the 2007 BCS Champ vs LSU

- ND vs. 'Bama is 9th matchup in BCS era b/w coach with nat'l title and one without. 7 of previous 8 matchups were won by coach without a title

- Notre Dame has not allowed a TD drive of more than 75 yards the entire season.

- The last time Saban coached at what is now Sun Life Stadium: Christmas 2006. The Dolphins lost to Jets 13-10 on a 30-yard FG with :10 left.

- Notre Dame can become the 1st team since the 1984 BYU team to win AP national title after being unranked in AP preseason poll

- Notre Dame: 4-0-1 all-time when it is ranked No. 1 in AP poll and is playing the team ranked No. 2

Alabama is trying to become 1st program to win back-to-back BCS Championships.

- All 4 Notre Dame coaches with national championship won in 3rd year in South Bend; this is Brian Kelly's 3rd year with the Irish.

- Notre Dame is the 6th team to reach BCS Championship Game after losing 4+ games previous year; previous 5 all won title.

- Notre Dame & Alabama rank 1st & 2nd on defense in points allowed this season. ND allows a TD fewer than once every 14 drives.

- Notre Dame has allowed 10 TDs (9 by defense) in 2012, fewest in a single season in FBS since 2000.

Till next time. GO IRISH!!

Sassy