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Message: <blockquote data-quote="The Shaman" data-source="post: 2657917" data-attributes="member: 26473">I didn't see anything in spotting the ball that was "generous" - the side judge was right there and marked where forward progress stopped immediately after the play was whistled dead.As far as setting up the fumble setting up the TD...sometimes it's better to be lucky than good. Both teams made mistakes, both teams got breaks (like the catch-that-wasn't-a-catch). Both teams also made some great plays - the choice by both coaches to go for it on 4th-and-1 was just awesome.As far as ND "outplaying" SC, I would have to give the play-calling nod to Charlie Weis - there's a reason he was the best OC in the NFL, and he showed it. However, that final score isn't a fluke - in fact, I was a bit surprised that it was that close. I credit the fact that ND had two weeks to rest and prepare, that they were playing at home in front of an insane crowd and Touchdown Jesus (not necessarily in that order), that this is a tradition-drenched rivalry and rivalry games usually bring out something special, and that Charlie Weis not only had a chance to study how Oregon and ASU challenged SC but also call on Bill Parcells and Bill Belichick for ideas. Even then, ND could never shake loose - SC held on with a beat-up, young D.My biggest surprise of the game was how well ND's secondary played, but they were aided by a less-than-stellar Leinert performance and some dropped balls. SC should've been able to air it out, and they couldn't. (As a result, Reggie Bush will earn the Heisman Trophy.)This game was everything you could've hoped for from a top-10 matchup midway through the season.SC has some work ahead of it: Special teams. The cornerbacks. The stupid penalties. (There's no excuse for the false starts and the personal fouls.) Cal in Berkeley. UCLA anywhere.Interesting note: Texas has played only two ranked teams, and against another top-10 team the margin of victory was...(*drum-roll*)...three points. The Longhorns have looked good against a bunch of stiffs (and that includes OK - never thought I'd call a Sooner teams "stiffs"...good job, Bob Stoops!). Texas hasn't played anyone of the caliber that SC has beaten so far this year (and yes, I'm including Ohio State in that). They haven't given me any reason to believe that SC couldn't beat them in a head-to-head match-up. (That may change after the game with Tech, but we'll see.)It's taken me a full fourteen hours since the game ended to actually start thinking about this one - I was too wiped out last night!</blockquote>

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