In emphatically dashing South Florida’s hopes of lightning striking twice twice, Notre Dame did more than realize its recently-unprecedented depth. If sophomore linebacker Jack Kiser is a scout team player for the Irish, then the reliability and potential of their roster go well beyond its core.
But the reliability and potential of its core still set No. 7 Notre Dame’s ceiling. The 52-0 victory was going to be a win no matter how Kiser, freshman cornerback Clarence Lewis and junior safety Houston Griffith played in unexpected starts, but the composure and decisiveness of the shutout turned the sure-win into a statement of its own.