Mike Kern: It's now or never for Weis, Notre Dame

CHARLIE WEIS is in his fifth season at Notre Dame. So why is the Kodak moment of his tenure still the 34-31 loss to Southern California in his sixth game? Sure hope you weren't leaning toward possibly last December's 49-21 Hawaii Bowl win over, well, Hawaii. Sorry.

This is supposed to be a defining season for Weis. His Fighting Irish (4-1), who just jumped into the Top 25 coming off a bye, have dramatic wins against Michigan State, Washington and Purdue. They also lost at the buzzer to Michigan.

So what should America make of all that?

This is the fourth time they have been 4-1 under Weis. The first two, they made it to a BCS bowl, only to get exposed as fraudulent in both. Still, it was the best 2-year showing since Lou Holtz departed. Last season, things deteriorated into 7-6. But they did win a bowl for the first time since, well, Holtz said goodbye.

Now, they're facing their biggest game since that 2005 classic. Once again, No. 6 USC (4-1) - which lost at Washington without starting quarterback Matt Barkley - is the roadblock in South Bend. The Trojans also had a week off to get ready. They still think they can get to the national-title game, and maybe they can. Your Subway Alumni probably would take any kind of a BCS bid. Or perhaps they're craving more.

ND can still have a successful season even if it loses, although another crash-and-burn wouldn't be advisable. But a win would go a long way toward closing those credibility gaps. And perceptions do matter.

USC has rarely appeared more gettable.

"This is really about the team, not me," Weis said. "I don't think their expectations could be any higher than they are right now."

Last November in Los Angeles, his team didn't manage a first down until the last play of the third quarter.

"That can't be happening anymore," Weis insisted. "Let the chips roll where they may, but we're at a different level now. We have enough top-line athletes to compete. I'd still say we don't have as many across the roster, but we're at the point where we have enough front-line guys to go toe-to-toe."

His future could depend on it. Dittoo Irish quarterback Jimmy Clausen's Heisman Trophy candidacy. When the Irish are tied or trailing this year, he's thrown for eight touchdowns and no interceptions. That's pose-like stuff.

TRIVIAL PURSUIT

The last time Notre Dame beat USC, who was the Irish's quarterback? Hint: He followed Matt LoVecchio and preceded Brady Quinn. See "Answer man."

DID YOU KNOW?

* Cal is at UCLA. Bears coach Jeff Tedford is 0-7 against UCLA and USC in Southern California. To save money as part of the cash-starved UC system, the Bears will bus to the game.

* Iowa has won three of its four home games by a total of six points. Two were against Division II Northern Iowa and Arkansas State.

* Florida has won 15 in a row. The Gators scored first every time.

MAKING THE LIST

Connecticut wide receiver Brad Kanuch, a nephew of Penn State defensive coordinator Tom Bradley, is a semifinalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy, a National Football Foundation scholar-athlete honor that recognizes players in their last season of eligibility who have demonstrated outstanding athletic ability, strong leadership and citizenship.

Kanuch, a social science/sport and leisure major with a 3.6 grade-point average, is active in a number of community-service programs. The 15 finalists, who receive $18,000 postgraduate scholarships, will be announced in 2 weeks. The winner, who gets an additional $7,000, will be introduced at the NFF's annual dinner in New York on Dec. 8.

ANSWER MAN

That would be none other than Carlyle Holiday.

CONTROVERSY WATCH

The first BCS standings will be available Sunday. Time to analyze and argue, again, all the way to December. It's a tradition unlike many others.

SPOTLIGHT ON ... THE BIG EAST

Surely you remember the conference that Miami and Virginia Tech left not all that long ago? In the preseason, not one of its teams was ranked. That has changed.

Cincinnati (5-0), which lost to Virginia Tech in January's Orange Bowl, has risen all the way to eighth. Before this, it had never been higher than 12th. South Florida (5-0), meanwhile, checks in at No. 23.

And Pitt (5-1) leads those also receiving votes.

Tonight, Cincy visits South Florida. Maybe it's not Texas-Oklahoma. Still, it obviously will impact who gets one of those automatic BCS bowl bids.

And if, say, Cincy somehow finishes undefeated? You never can tell.

The Bearcats had one 10-win season before coach Brian Kelly arrived from Central Michigan 3 years ago. That was in 1951. Now they have three. He won Division II titles at Grand Valley State in 2002 and '03.

Senior Tony Pike, who's 6-6, was once the fifth-string quarterback. He has a touchdown pass in 15 consecutive games in the no-huddle attack, which is averaging 42 points (fourth nationally). He leads the Big East in total offense, at a little more than 300 yards a week. Did we mention that the defense had to replace 10 starters?

Cincy's biggest win was at Oregon State. Ask Southern California how tough that can be.

South Florida won at Florida State, which, of course, has since been devalued. Otherwise, it's been mostly Woffords and Charleston Southerns. The Bulls are using a freshman quarterback, B.J. Daniels, who has thrown for more than 200 yards in two starts since replacing the injured Matt Grothe. It doesn't hurt that the defense is allowing 9.4 points per (ninth in the land).

Cincy, by the way, will play at Ohio State in 2012 and '14. They last met in 2006.

SIDELINES

MAC ME UP

* Seven Football Bowl Series teams are winless. Ball State, Miami (Ohio) and Eastern Michigan make up 43 percent of them.

* Army is 3-3. If the Knights beat Temple on Saturday, it will be the first time since the end of the 1996 season that they have been above .500.

COUCH POTATO GUIDE

Today

7:30: Cincinnati at South Florida, ESPN

Tomorrow.

8: Pittsburgh at Rutgers, ESPN

Saturday

Noon: Oklahoma vs. Texas, Channel 6

Noon: Louisville at Connecticut, Channel 17

Noon: Richmond at Maine, CSN

Noon: Georgia at Vanderbilt, CN

Noon: Iowa at Wisconsin, ESPN

Noon: Northwestern at Michigan State, ESPN2

Noon: Ohio State at Purdue; Delaware State at Michigan, Big Ten

12:30: Mississippi State at Middle Tennessee, ESPNU

12:30: Princeton at Brown, Versus

3:30: Arkansas at Florida, Channel 3

3:30: Minnesota at Penn State, Channel 6

3:30: Texas Tech at Nebraska, ESPN

3:30: USC at Notre Dame, Channel 10

3:30: Villanova at James Madison, CN

4: Virginia at Maryland, ESPNU

4: Colorado State at TCU, Versus

6: Virginia Tech at Georgia Tech, ESPN2

7: Kansas at Colorado, CSN

7:30: Kentucky at Auburn, ESPNU

7:30: Stanford at Arizona, Versus

7:45: South Carolina at Alabama, ESPN

9:15: Missouri at Oklahoma State, ESPN2

10:30: Washington at Arizona State, joined in progress, CSN