COLLEGE FOOTBALL SPOTLIGHT : IT WAS A FEAST, NOT A FIESTA

All those so-called experts who said 6-4-1 Notre Dame had no right to earn a Fiesta Bowl berth against No. 4 Colorado apparently knew from what they spoke.

Colorado 41, Notre Dame 24.

But before the game, the Irish’s Lou Holtz--paid exorbitant sums to be the expert--offered a different opinion.

“Let me get this straight. We are playing a team you will concede is one of the four best teams in the country, right? Will you conceded they are going to be at an emotional peak? They’ve got the Heisman winner, they’ve got Bill McCartney retiring and (assistant coach) Bob Simmons leaving. We’re playing them in their section of the country. Then I would assume we’re, what, a 30- to 35-point underdog? Is that what we are?”

No, but that’s what they deserved to be.