OSU also beat some good teams that year. I suppose that would depend on your definition. They beat a decent Texas Tech team in the opening game, dominated Washington State in week 3 (easily their most impressive win as the Cougs went to the Rose Bowl that year) then didn't play anyone else worth a crap until October 19th when they edged Wisconsin by five (the Badgers went 8-6...then again, they lost to IU). (Along the way, they beat Cincinnati, who went .500, by four and Northwestern, who won three games, by 11.) They damn near lost to Penn State at home, who won 9 games but were far from world-beaters, should have lost to a 7-win Purdue team (that beat Western Michigan by four) in a game that was luckier than anything ND has had in the last two years, then had Illinois (5-7 that year) take them to OT, then needed one of the worst officiating calls of the last decade to win the national title. They beat Wazzou (10-3), Penn State (9-4), Michigan (10-3), and Miami (12-1). That's the difference between that OSU and Notre Dame. I could give a crap if teams almost win or barely win, it's about who you beat, and as of now that's 4 games in 1 season that are better wins than any of the 15* wins of the Charlie Weis era. *GT and PSU have a chance to make this standard, likely at the lower end.