When asked after Notre Dame's 36-3 win over Syracuse on Saturday if his team should be included in the same conversation as No. 1 Alabama and No. 2 Clemson, coach Brian Kelly said the No. 3 Irish are "not interested in being compared."
And yet, maybe unintentionally, he went on to do exactly that.
"Remember now," Kelly said, "we've played the triple option [offense]."
So has Alabama -- on Saturday, in fact, when it was tied at 10 at the half with The Citadel before pulling away to a 50-17 at home. Notre Dame beat Navy, a triple-option offense, 44-22, on Oct.