Irish get set to face top-rated Trojans

The Irish have wins over Michigan and Tennessee this year.
SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) -- Notre Dame isn't worried about a crisis of confidence against top-ranked USC, even after 31-point losses two years in a row.
"To the players, the reaction is a lot different," Notre Dame coach Tyrone Willingham said. "The point differential, I don't think, weighs as much as some other people think."
Willingham apparently was right, because linebacker Mike Goolsby was oblivious to how much the Irish lost by the previous two seasons until asked by a reporter whether it could hurt Notre Dame's confidence heading into the game.
"I suppose, when you put it like that, it's going to hurt your confidence," he said. "You guys bring these things up. I don't realize it. It's a little shocking to hear."
Two years ago
The Irish were shocked by their 44-13 loss to the Trojans two years ago. USC entered that game ranked No. 6 and Notre Dame was No. 7. Bowl Championship Series berths were at stake, and it was expected to be a close game. It wasn't.
Carson Palmer threw for 425 yards and four touchdowns, and USC compiled 610 yards of total offense. Both the passing yards and the total yards were the most ever against the Irish, and many believe it helped Palmer win the Heisman Trophy.
The Trojans weren't quite as dominant last season, but the result was the same. Matt Leinart threw for 351 yards and four touchdowns in the victory.
Goolsby hopes the Irish (6-4) use the big losses as motivation.
"That's a beatdown, and you don't want to take that three years in a row," he said.
Defensive end Kyle Budinscak doesn't think the Irish are suffering from a lack of confidence going into Saturday's game against the Trojans (10-0).
"No one wants to hear me say, 'I know that we can win.' Especially with the situation that we're in now," he said. "I know a lot of people don't give us a chance. To me, that bothers me. That's why I want to go out and prove otherwise."
Impressive wins
The Irish point to the fact that they already have beaten Michigan and Tennessee, when those schools were ranked in the top 10, as proof they can compete with the best teams. Brady Quinn compared Notre Dame's chances to Ohio State's upset victory over Michigan on Saturday.
"They were able to beat seventh-ranked Michigan and salvage their season in some ways," he said. "Granted, I don't necessarily say we can salvage our season. But I think it would top it off pretty nicely."
Willingham said the Irish need to believe they can defeat the Trojans.
"You have to believe something can happen before it can happen," he said. "It doesn't happen in most cases by just hoping and wishing. We've got to take the right approach in there and we have to execute on that approach."
Playing with the right attitude is going to be the key, Willingham said.
"We've got to carry in there a don't worry, have fun, loose attitude, nothing to lose in this contest, and go play some very physical football," he said. "If we take that, the right mind-set, then I think our bodies will be able to perform at a level that we'll be very comfortable with."
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