Thanks to Davie’s Rally, BCS Has Buck of the Irish

Twelve months removed from a 5-7 season, the fourth-year coach saves his job with a bounce-back season that ends with a 17-point win over his archrival in November.

Afterward, officials representing $13-million bowls jostle to shake hands with the coach’s athletic director.

The coach raises a fist as he swaggers into the Coliseum tunnel, and later says: “You can get so consumed about your situation that it changes your personality and how you coach every day. I’m not going to do that.”

This is how USC Coach Paul Hackett’s wildest dream would play out next year, at the end of his fourth year, coming off his 5-7 season.

But with his fate all but sealed in the wake of USC’s 38-21 loss to Notre Dame on Saturday, Hackett could only serve as an eyewitness to the remarkable coaching comeback of Irish Coach Bob Davie.

“He bounced back in incredible fashion,” Hackett would say of Davie, hinting that Hackett too might be able to do the same if given another chance.

Maybe it is the luck of the Irish that allows Davie to finish what he started and for Hackett to look for strands of hope at the end of his tenure.

As it stands, one man revels in his fortune while the other prepares an exit strategy.

As it stands, Davie gets to pontificate and celebrate.

“We’ve got this thing going in the right direction,” he said. “And it’s been done right.”

There was no argument among the priests who hugged near midfield at game’s end, nor among the Fiesta Bowl committee members who congregated around them and Irish Athletic Director Kevin White.

Davie had delivered the goods, roughly the $13.5 million Notre Dame almost assuredly will pocket for landing one of two at-large spots in the Bowl Championship Series games.

Bowl officials have to follow procedure, of course, so as not to offend BCS candidates from the Pacific Northwest.

“You always want great choices,” Fiesta Bowl treasurer Kevin Hickey said. “And now we have great choices at our fingertips.”

Yes, let’s see, there’s Notre Dame, and then there’s Notre Dame, and then, in a pinch, there’s always Notre Dame.

Let’s just say Fiesta Bowl jackets have turned a darker shade of green.

If Oklahoma defeats Kansas State next week in the Big 12 title game in Kansas City, Mo., the Fiesta Bowl will get to select both at-large picks among BCS-eligible schools.

What Fiesta Bowl officials can’t officially say until next Sunday is that they will take Notre Dame.

“They travel well, they’re a class group to have around and rich with tradition,” Hickey said. “Notre Dame is always healthy for any bowl.”

Notre Dame’s victory over USC was likely a death knell to Oregon State and the Pacific 10 Conference’s chances of landing a second school in a BCS bowl.

It matters not that Oregon State has a better record, 10-1 to Notre Dame’s 9-2, and a higher ranking in the BCS standings, No. 5 last week to the Irish’s No. 11 rating.

With Notre Dame now in the BCS, Oregon State has to slug it out against Virginia Tech and Nebraska for the other at-large spot. If Kansas State defeats Oklahoma next week, you can add the Sooners to the at-large pool.

Bowl officials making the case for Notre Dame will note that the Irish are two plays from being undefeated, losing to Nebraska in overtime and on a fourth-down heave against Michigan State.

But it basically comes down to this: They’re Notre Dame and you’re not.

“I don’t think it’s a matter of campaigning,” says White, the athletic director. “The tradition and history of Notre Dame speaks for itself.”

As do the potential television ratings.

If you’re ABC, do you like Notre Dame-Miami? or Oregon State-Miami?

The Irish return to the BCS like the prodigal program.

Despite its storied history, Notre Dame has not played in a major bowl since the Orange in 1995. The Irish went bowl-less in 1996, slummed to the Independence Bowl in 1997 and, two years ago, were knocked from a BCS game to the $1.4-million Gator Bowl after a 10-0 loss to USC at the Coliseum.

“Whoever gives us the opportunity, we take nothing for granted,” Davie said, “because it’s been a drought for us.”

Hey, tell it to the accounting department.

What type of heartwarming story is the BCS getting with Notre Dame?

“I think the story of Notre Dame football this year may be the best story,” Davie said.

You know what? It’s not a bad one.

With the Irish opening against Texas A&M;, Nebraska, Purdue and Michigan State, the chances of Davie surviving September did not appear strong.

Instead, the Irish finished 2-2 and were two plays from being 4-0.

“We weren’t a typical 2-2,” Davie said. “We were 2-2 when most people thought we’d be 0-4.”

The Irish battled back after losing Arnaz Battle, their starting quarterback, who broke his wrist against Nebraska, squeaking out a victory over Purdue with Gary Godsey, a converted tight end, at quarterback.

In the bye week after a Sept. 23 loss to Michigan State, Davie made the move that jump-started the BCS drive when he started freshman Matt LoVecchio against Stanford.

Notre Dame is 7-0 since. The Irish aren’t pretty or glamorous, but they concluded the season with an astonishing eight turnovers. They had none in Saturday’s win against USC.

“We felt we could do this,” Irish tailback Tony Fisher said. “It was the rest of the world that didn’t believe.”

Notre Dame simply wore out USC, reeling off 24 consecutive running plays to end the game.

It was time to celebrate.

A fiesta, perhaps.

And Davie’s status?

“I suspect Bob Davie will be a successful coach here,” White chortled about his man.

Elsewhere, the USC athletic director and his coach likely were headed toward a different conclusion.