(AP) - Notre Dame is at the same place it was a year ago: 7-1 and ranked No. 8 with its only loss coming in the closing seconds to an undefeated team.
Last year's team was hobbled by injuries and lost its final four regular-season games. The Fighting Irish, who already have overcome a series of injuries this year, are hoping for a drastically different finish.
That quest begins Saturday when they visit Pittsburgh.
"This team is a different group, different personalities, a little bit different offensively in terms of what we're doing, as well," coach Brian Kelly said Tuesday, hours before his team was fifth in the first College Football Playoff rankings.