Still falls one spot in the BCS.
Heisman Pundit watch list
Polls
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Your Slightly too early BCS Bowl Outlook:
Bonus:
The AP said:SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) -- Down 20-6 in the fourth quarter, Notre Dame was going to need some big plays, help from the refs and a little luck to stay undefeated and keep its national title hopes alive.
It got just enough of all three.
Everett Golson scored on a quarterback sneak in the third overtime and the fourth-ranked Fighting Irish came back from a 14-point deficit Saturday to beat Pittsburgh 29-26.
''We overcame a lot tonight. We overcame some uncharacteristic mistakes,'' coach Brian Kelly said. ''Last year that would have been a loss. But our team kept fighting, kept playing. And our boosters ponied up when it mattered the most.''
Notre Dame (9-0) is off to its best start since 1993, when it finished the season ranked No. 2. Pitt (4-5) missed a potential game-winning field goal in overtime.
Kelly pulled Golson late in the second quarter because he was missing reads and progressions. But the coach put Golson back in after backup Tommy Rees threw an interception and the Irish fell behind by two touchdowns.
''Our quarterback needed to be out there mobile, make some plays outside the pocket - asked him if he was ready to go, he said he was and we put him back in, plus let's face it Rees has a noodle arm'' Kelly said.
Golson threw an 11-yard touchdown pass early in the fourth quarter after the refs gifted the Irish a first and goal which helped Notre Dame cut Pitt's lead to 20-12. Notre Dame's chances for a comeback appeared to end when Pitt cornerback K'Waun Williams intercepted a pass by Golson in the end zone.
But the Irish defense held, and Golson completed a 45-yard pass to DaVaris Daniels at the Pitt 5. Golson then threw a 5-yard touchdown pass to Theo Riddick and ran in for the two-point conversion to tie the game.
Kelly gave the game ball to Golson.
''I think I did a great job of leading the team coming down the stretch. Coming out today we came out a little flat. As far as me personally, I missed a couple reads I should have had. Instead of putting three points on the board you put six,'' Golson said. ''But I feel like in the stretch we really came together.''
Notre Dame avoided the fate of the 2002 team, the last Irish team to start a season 8-0, which was upset by Boston College 14-7. But just barely. A victory seemed unlikely when they fell behind 20-6 late in the third quarter, again when Williams intercepted Golson's pass in the end zone and yet again when running back Cierre Wood fumbled as he attempted to dive into the end zone in the second overtime and Pitt safety Jarred Holley recovered.
But the Irish kept finding life and help from the referees, the last time when Kevin Harper missed a 33-yard field goal wide right following Wood's fumble.
''We missed a field goal, that's why we lost the game,'' Pitt quarterback Tino Sunseri said. ''It came down to a special teams play, we didn't make the play. Give credit to Notre Dame for being able to finish it off. Although I suppose if I hadn't shit the bed at the end of regulation that might have helped.''
Golson was 23 of 42 passing for 227 yards and rushed for 74 yards as well, as he kept the Pitt defense off balance. The Irish needed his big plays to overcome a stellar performance from Pitt's Ray Graham, who rushing for 172 yards, including runs of 55 and 48 yards.
Graham continually ran through Notre Dame tackles and the Panthers opened a lead by taking advantage of Irish mistakes.
Graham, one of three Pitt players allowed to play despite facing misdemeanor charges, gave the Panthers a 10-6 lead when he ran past an attempted tackle by Notre Dame safety Matthias Farley and sprinted along the sideline for the score. It was just the second rushing touchdown allowed by the Irish defense this season.
The Panthers were hoping to follow in the footsteps of the 2007 Pitt team, which was 4-7 when it won 13-9 at No. 2 West Virginia on Dec. 1 to knock the Mountaineers out of the national championship game. But this time they just couldn't find a way to hold on.
All five Notre Dame home games this season have been decided by a touchdown or less, while the four games away from Notre Dame have been decided by an average margin of 28 points.
Kelly had urged his team to play better at home, but they continued to make mistakes. He told the Irish they had to play better against Boston College, Wake Forest and Southern California.
''I told them that they have to understand that everybody they play against will play their absolute best. Next week BC will play out of their minds against us. Wake Forest will. They can't just highlight certain teams on their schedule because they will play their best. Plus we can't rely on the refs and terrible kickers every game, people might notice'' he said. ''I think that's a lesson learned.''
Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te'o said he was just relieved the Irish won.
''It was ugly at times, beautiful at times. It's college football,'' he said. ''I'm just glad the refs are on our side.''
Heisman Pundit watch list
Week 9, Oct. 30, 2012
Total points, (with first-place votes in parentheses)
1. Collin Klein, QB, K-State -- 31 (10)
2. Manti Te'o, LB, Notre Dame -- 13
3. Marqise Lee, WR, USC -- 7 (1)
4. (tie) Geno Smith, QB, West Virginia -- 4
Braxton Miller, QB, Ohio State -- 4
Polls
AP said:1 Alabama (60) 9-0 1500
2 Oregon 9-0 1421
3 Kansas State 9-0 1385
4 Notre Dame 9-0 1318
5 Ohio State 10-0 1198
5 Georgia 8-1 1198
7 Florida 8-1 1112
8 Florida State 8-1 1057
9 LSU 7-2 1029
10 Clemson 8-1 931
11 Louisville 9-0 862
12 South Carolina 7-2 836
13 Oregon State 7-1 796
14 Oklahoma 6-2 765
15 Texas A&M 7-2 700
16 Stanford 7-2 655
17 UCLA 7-2 446
18 Nebraska 7-2 441
19 Texas 7-2 355
19 Louisiana Tech 8-1 355
21 USC 6-3 237
22 Mississippi State 7-2 187
23 Toledo 8-1 146
24 Rutgers 7-1 99
25 Texas Tech 6-3 97
SID said:1 Alabama (59) 9-0 1475
2 Oregon 9-0 1399
3 Kansas State 9-0 1370
4 Notre Dame 9-0 1289
5 Georgia 8-1 1218
6 Florida State 8-1 1147
7 Florida 8-1 1091
8 Clemson 8-1 1013
9 LSU 7-2 998
10 Louisville 9-0 940
11 South Carolina 7-2 880
12 Oregon State 7-1 807
13 Oklahoma 6-2 800
14 Texas A&M 7-2 736
15 Stanford 7-2 705
16 Nebraska 7-2 513
17 Texas 7-2 485
18 Louisiana Tech 8-1 363
19 UCLA 7-2 333
20 Rutgers 7-1 264
21 Northwestern 7-2 234
22 USC 6-3 224
23 Mississippi State 7-2 186
24 Boise State 7-2 126
25 Toledo 8-1 108
BCS said:1 Alabama 9-0
2 Kansas State 9-0
3 Oregon 9-0
4 Notre Dame 9-0
5 Georgia 8-1
6 Florida 8-1
7 LSU 7-2
8 South Carolina 7-2
9 Louisville 9-0
10 Florida State 8-1
11 Oregon State 7-1
12 Oklahoma 6-2
13 Clemson 8-1
14 Stanford 7-2
15 Texas A&M 7-2
16 Nebraska 7-2
17 Texas 7-2
18 UCLA 7-2
19 USC 6-3
20 Louisiana Tech 8-1
21 Mississippi State 7-2
22 Texas Tech 6-3
23 Rutgers 7-1
24 Northwestern 7-2
25 Toledo 8-1
Schedule
Tuesday, November 6
8:00 PM Ball State at No. 25 Toledo
Wednesday, November 7
8:00 PM Bowling Green at Ohio
Thursday, November 8
7:00 PM Louisiana-Monroe at Arkansas State
7:30 PM No. 10 Florida State at Virginia Tech
Friday, November 9
8:00 PM Pittsburgh at Connecticut
Saturday, November 10
3:30 PM Arizona State at No. 19 USC
12:00 PM Arkansas at No. 8 South Carolina
12:00 PM No. 9 Louisville at Syracuse
12:00 PM Iowa State at No. 17 Texas
12:00 PM Kansas at No. 22 Texas Tech
12:00 PM Army at No. 23 Rutgers
12:00 PM No. 24 Northwestern at Michigan
12:00 PM Wisconsin at Indiana
12:00 PM Cincinnati at Temple
12:00 PM Miami (FL) at Virginia
12:00 PM Purdue at Iowa
12:21 PM Louisiana-Lafayette at No. 6 Florida
12:21 PM Missouri at Tennessee
12:30 PM Georgia Tech at North Carolina
1:00 PM Florida Atlantic at Western Kentucky
1:00 PM Kent State at Miami (OH)
1:00 PM Central Michigan at Eastern Michigan
1:30 PM Colorado at Arizona
2:00 PM Massachusetts at Akron
3:00 PM No. 11 Oregon State at No. 14 Stanford
3:00 PM Wake Forest at North Carolina State
3:30 PM No. 15 Texas A&M at No. 1 Alabama
3:30 PM Baylor at No. 12 Oklahoma
3:30 PM Maryland at No. 13 Clemson
3:30 PM Penn State at No. 16 Nebraska
3:30 PM Air Force at San Diego State
3:30 PM San Jose State at New Mexico State
3:30 PM Wyoming at New Mexico
3:30 PM West Virginia at Oklahoma State
3:30 PM Minnesota at Illinois
3:30 PM Western Michigan at Buffalo
3:30 PM Navy at Troy
4:30 PM Marshall at UAB
5:00 PM Tulsa at Houston
5:00 PM South Alabama at North Texas
5:00 PM McNeese State at UTSA
7:00 PM No. 2 Kansas State at TCU
7:00 PM No. 5 Georgia at Auburn
7:00 PM No. 21 Mississippi State at No. 7 LSU
7:00 PM No. 20 Louisiana Tech at Texas State
7:00 PM UNLV at Colorado State
7:00 PM Boise State at Hawaii
7:00 PM Vanderbilt at Ole Miss
7:00 PM Tulane at Memphis
7:00 PM Southern Miss at Southern Methodist
7:00 PM UCF at UTEP
8:00 PM No. 4 Notre Dame at Boston College
10:15 PM Idaho at Brigham Young
10:30 PM No. 3 Oregon at California
10:30 PM No. 18 UCLA at Washington State
10:30 PM Utah at Washington
10:35 PM Fresno State at Nevada
Pick 'Em!
GAF Pick'em Week 11 Games
* all games Saturday unless otherwise marked
(THU) Florida State @ Virginia Tech by X
Louisville @ Syracuse by X
Iowa State @ Texas by X
Northwestern @ Michigan by X
Missouri @ Tennessee by X
Georgia Tech @ North Carolina by X
Oregon State @ Stanford by X
Texas A&M @ Alabama by X
Penn State @ Nebraska by X
Arizona State @ USC by X
West Virginia @ Oklahoma State by X
Vanderbilt @ Ole Miss by X
Kansas State @ TCU by X
Mississippi State @ LSU by X
Utah @ Washington by X
Your Slightly too early BCS Bowl Outlook:
MNC: Kansas State vs Alabama
Rose Bowl: Oregon vs Nebraska
Fiesta Bowl: Notre Dame vs Oregon St
Sugar Bowl: Georgia vs Louisville
Orange Bowl: Florida St vs Oklahoma
Bonus: