Odds and Sods, Guest Host edition | by Pat

Tangled up in blue. Because the game ended before the customary 4 hour mark, NBC didn't really know what to do with themselves so they kept the cameras rolling and told Lewis Johnson to go interview anyone with an ND logo on his shirt. The benefit of the extended post-game coverage is that it allowed the home viewer to catch Weis lead the Irish team over to the Navy band and join the Midshipmen in the singing of their alma mater. Ok, so the Irish players didn't really sing, but they did stand there, helmets by their side. For those that missed it, here is video from the field, care of IrishEyes, that captures the event as well as the customary team post-game trip to the student section.

Highway 26 revisited. Travis Thomas had his best day in a Irish uniform as he split carries with Darius Walker for 58 yards and a touchdown. However, Weis quickly cleared up any misconceptions that ND was moving to a running back by committee approach.

"It's dictated by personnel. We're not splitting time. There's one personnel where we bring in the big boys to pound them and that's with Travis [Thomas]. When we are spreading them out and playing our normal stuff it's Darius [Walker]."

It seems that not only has Thomas' hard running style earned him more carries, but he's also seeing time in situations that earlier in the season featured Rashon Powers-Neal.

Guess I'm doing fine. From the games notes, the historical perspective is added to this season's offensive fireworks display.

With 42 points in today's game, Notre Dame has now scored over 30 points in seven consecutive games. The 2005 and 1966 teams are the only other Notre Dame squads since 1913 to score 30 points in seven straight games. Overall, Notre Dame has scored 30 or more points in eight games this season. Since 1913, only the 1991 team scored 30 or more points more times, posting nine such performances.

With Syracuse and Stanford still on the docket, I think ND has an excellent chance to pass both the '66 and '91 team records.

You're gonna make me lonesome when you go. It was announced during the game when Quinn broke the records for single season passing yardage and all-time touchdown passes. And yet we're to a point where a 75% passing, four touchdown day earns a remark of "he seemed kind of quiet today" from Anthony Fasano. Eric Hansen of the South Bend Tribune reveals this nugget about Quinn's accomplishments this year.

Quinn's 27 TD passes on the season -- extending his own single-season record -- are more than the 2001, 2002 and 2003 Irish teams amassed combined (25).

As it now stands, Quinn is 3rd in the nation in touchdown passes behind Drew Olsen of UCLA and Cody Hodges of Texas Tech. Colt Brennan of Hawaii also has 27. The next closest QB's are Matt Leinart of USC and Jordan (brother of Carson) Palmer of UTEP, who both have 23. Of the quarterbacks with 27 or more TD passes, only Quinn and Brennan have two games remaining. Olsen and Hodges only have one left.

Ballad of a thin man. After watching Samardzija explode on to the scene in the first half of the year, Stovall has decided to match him with a stellar 378 yards, 8 touchdown showing in his last three games. And aside from the endzone circus catches, his superb downfield blocking has had a huge positive impact on the rest of the offense His redefined physique and sudden dominance has certainly caught the eye of NFL scouts. In fact, self-appointed NFL draft guru Mel Kiper Jr. currently has Stovall rated as the #4 senior wide receiver in the country. It seems that Stovall is a good combine away from a 2nd or 3rd round selection.

Gotta Serve Somebody. With its 42nd consecutive victory over Navy, Notre Dame also extended its Service Academy win streak to 12 with the last loss coming at the hands of Air Force in 1996. Next year, Notre Dame will play all 3 service academies for the first time since 1995. Hopefully the Irish will bring home the Commander's Cup.