Notre Dame is no longer different than other programs of its type

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As institutions, Stanford, Northwestern and Notre Dame have a lot in common. All are academically renowned private schools with Division I-A football programs. When the NCAA released its most recent Graduation Success Rate data, all three boasted four-year scores of 95 percent or higher

On the field, however, the Cardinal and Wildcats haven't always been in the same league as the Fighting Irish. The latest example of this came Saturday. Both Stanford (against No. 7 Oregon) and Northwestern (at No. 8 Iowa) knocked off Top 10 opponents, a feat Notre Dame has not accomplished since the second game of head coach Charlie Weis' tenure in 2005.

Proud Domers would surely scoff at any comparison between their beloved Irish and the historically second-class squads in Evanston and Palo Alto, but is there really that much difference between the three programs these days? All three sport six victories this season. Northwestern just became bowl eligible for the third straight season (compared with two for the Irish) and sixth time in seven years (five for Notre Dame). Stanford had been in rebuilding mode but now appears headed in the right direction thanks in part (see if this sounds familiar) to a gifted 6-foot-4 drop-back passer.

"Even though we're similar academically, we're in a little different boat as Stanford and Notre Dame," said Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald. "We've been consistently winning since 1995. They're still saying they can do it, but we're doing it."

Ouch.

Granted, neither the Cardinal nor Wildcats have the Four Horsemen, Touchdown Jesus or Rudy. What they do have is a pair of charismatic young coaches -- Stanford's Jim Harbaugh and Northwestern's Fitzgerald -- who have stabilized their programs and energized their fan bases.

Notre Dame, on the other hand, is into Year Three of the Weis hot-seat debate. Following the Irish's second straight home loss to former punching bag Navy, another round of speculation over his future figures to only intensify over the next three weeks. Irish fans expect BCS bowls, but with road games remaining at 8-1 Pittsburgh and 6-3 Stanford, it's going to be a challenge just to get eight wins.

Notre Dame's failure to return to the realm of national elite remains puzzling to many considering the Irish's multitude of perceived advantages -- their tradition, their national television contract, a series of recruiting classes that, according to analysts, rank right up there with national powers like Ohio State and Alabama. No objective observer would contest that Weis has a core of elite skill players in quarterback Jimmy Clausen, receivers Golden Tate and Michael Floyd and tight end Kyle Rudolph

But a high-powered offense only gets you so far. The Irish racked up 512 yards against Navy and may well have won if not for two red-zone turnovers by Clausen. But the junior quarterback has had to carry his team all season thanks to a defense that ranks 79th nationally and gave up 348 rushing yards to the Midshipmen. Don't let the Scout.com or Rivals.com star-system fool you; Notre Dame does not stockpile athletic defenders like Florida or USC and probably never will.