Everybody Else Is Doing It... Episode VI The Empire Strikes Back

Welcome to the 5th and final edition of Subway Domer's "Why The Hell Not, 2007 Season Predictions." Enjoy!





The Fighting Irish are heading to a BCS bowl for the 3rd year in a row. Which one? Back to the desert for a nineteen year rematch with those couch-burning rednecks from the mountains- West Virginia. The entire BCS shook out like this:

• BCS Championship #1 LSU VS. #2 Texas
• Rose Bowl #6 UCLA VS. #10 Penn State
• Orange Bowl #4 Virginia Tech VS. #8 Louisville
• Sugar Bowl #9 Georgia VS. #7 Miami
• Fiesta Bowl #3 Notre Dame VS. #5 West Virginia

(No Mid-Majors made it this year. The leading contenders were supposed to be TCU and Hawaii, but both teams ended up with 2 losses and out of the top 15).

Notre Dame (11-1) VS. West Virginia (11-1)

What could be a better way to finish a great season, than to end a long bowl losing streak? Ending a drought in the desert? We as Irish faithful have heard this mumbo jumbo before. Remember Oregon State and Ohio State? Well, here's how it went down...

The game got off to a fast start for W.V. Vaughn Rivers took the opening kickoff 99 yards to the house to go on top 7-0. After a 3 and out for the Irish, W.V. took the ball at their own 20 and marched down the field in 12 plays and scored on a 4 yard run by Slaton to make it 14-0. The game was then delayed 65 minutes after W.V. fans took their nacho boxes, torched them, and threw them on the field. Among the 397 arrested; Noel Devine, Pac-Man Jones, and Deion Sanders. (Apparently Deion didn't get enough bowl action at the 2nd straight Emerald Bowl appearance by his Florida State Criminoles... they lost to Navy). After the smoke cleared, literally, W.V. kicked off to Armando Allen. AA took it 71 yards to the 27 yard line. 2 plays later, the Irish got on the board with a 21 yard strike from Sharpley to Kamara. The Mountaineers took it right back to the Irish with another long drive (83 yards on 14 plays) that ended with another TD run by Slaton that put W.V. up 21-7 at the half. Fox made the mistake of putting cameras outside of the ND locker room at halftime. They now owe the FCC millions of dollars after Charlie's halftime speech turned out to be more like a Sam Kinnison reincarnation. It seemed to work though. ND took their opening drive right down the field with fire and balls. Thomas for 3, Aldridge for 4, Hughes for 4, Jabbie for 2, Schwapp for 6 etc. 21 plays for 81 yards and a 1 yard TD by Jabbie that took 11 minutes off the clock. (21-14 W.V.) The defense had been giving up long drives to W.V. and they were resulting in TD's. They needed a stop, or Weis was going to have a heart attack. They gave up 1 first down and got the ball back with a shanked punt that went out of bounds at the W.V. 41 yard line. The very next play the Irish came out with a 5 wide set. (Kamara, Tate, Grimes to the left and Demetrius Jones and Crlson to the right). Sharpley took the snap in the shotgun tossed it to Grimes and then Grimes unloaded a bomb to Carlson sitting all alone on the 3 yard line after 4 defenders followed Jones on a crossing route. TD Irish... It's tied 21-21. Start the 4th... West Virginia proceeded to take another drive down the field after several big runs from Pat White. They lost their groove a little though after Chris Stewart got in on a play and CRUSHED White on a blind sided sack after white rolled out to his right on a pass play. White was helped off the field and did not return for the remainder of that series, and the Mountaineers settled for a 37 yard field goal by Pat McAfee. (24-21 W.V.) ND had to answer with only 5 minutes remaining in the game. What an answer it was. The kickoff was returned to the 38. 3 plays later Sharpley saw Hord running free on a post. Evan cocked his arm back-WHAM!!! Reed Williams crushed Evan's arm and forced a fumble that Johnny Dingle fell on. W.V. ball; leading 24-21 with 3 minutes left. They ran Slaton left and Slaton right for a first down. The clock was winding down, but Weis was holding on to his T.O.s. They ran Slaton right-BAM!!!...kaboshed by Kerry Neal and the ball was on the ground. Crum picked the ball up on the 2nd bounce, ran 5 yards and saw Zibby coming up behind him and handed it off to him. 83 yards later TOUCHDOWN IRISH!!! 28-24 ND with 1:34 on the clock. ND squibbed the kick down to the 27. White threw 2 incomplete passes and then on 3rd down, threw the sealer to Ambrose Wooden for the INT. 3 kneel downs by Evan later...Fiesta Bowl Win. Morgantown implodes.

28-24 IRISH

MVP- Tommy Z. 15 tackles, 3 TFL, 1 FR forTD.

The Irish finished 2nd in the polls behind LSU. 2008 should be grand.

This was not a return to glory story. This is an Empire rising from the ashes of desolate times caused by previous regimes. It is time to rule once again.

"This team is now the ultimate power in the Universe."