To me the key to the game will be how each team will handle the lay off. It is really like the start of a different season. Remember AU? They were shredding defenses but after the layover they were not the same (scored in the teens I think). So the question is who will handle the lay over better? To me its Bama who got there by brute force. ND worked hard but no question things, like that AU season, bounced their way (see triple ot win, Standford call, not facing Barkley). Don't get me wrong ND is a good team but I do think this game may go different as their season. The question is how will they respond?