Notre Dame’s Manti Te’o is Heisman-worthy, and more?

Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te’o is gaining momentum as a Heisman Trophy candidate and, in some places, something a lot bigger.

Wrote Joseph Goodman in the Miami Herald: “Te’o isn’t just the most outstanding player in the country this season, he’s the heart and soul of everything we want the sport to be, a glimmer of hope amid the scrap yard of moral and educational decay that is college football.”

That’s pretty good.

Te’o will be leading fourth-ranked Notre Dame against Pittsburgh at Notre Dame Stadium on Saturday afternoon, and the Fighting Irish will be looking to break something of a trend:

Their games in South Bend, Ind., tend to be a lot closer than the ones they play away from their home field.

Coming into the game, the average margin of victory at home for the Fighting Irish is five points. Away from Notre Dame Stadium it is 28 points.

The reason: Seven of Notre Dame’s eight turnovers have come during home games as well as 27 of its 42 penalties. Also, the Irish offense is averaging 110 yards more a game away from South Bend and the defense was giving up 41.5 yards less.

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