[TomWilkinson]

Notre Dame is playing for big money and a trip to the Bowl Championship Series. No. 6 Notre Dame is seeking its first BCS berth since 2000. "I'd be lying if I said I didn't think about it," said quarterback Brady Quinn. "But at the same time, we don't try to focus on that. Really, when it comes down to it, that's not even an option if we don't win this week. So really, all we're thinking about is Stanford right now."

Stanford has something to play for, but not much chance of making it happen. The Cardinal (5-5) needs a victory to make a bowl game for the first time since 2001. Stanford's schedule was the second toughest in the nation behind Oklahoma.
"We have to approach it how we've approached all the downs this season," Stanford senior nose tackle Babatunde Oshinowo said. "It's a one-game season for us. It's all we have left. It's easy to get started on that."

Notre Dame head coach Charlie Weis knows that a win over Stanford is critical. "First of all, you don't want to be disrespectful to the Gator Bowl or anyone else because there isn't a bowl game that isn't important," Weis said. "That's why there are so many of them and that's why the schools are so happy to go to them. But to be chosen as one of the eight best programs in the country, that's something special."