IRISH-TROJANS MATTER OF RESPECT.

Byline: SCOTT WOLF 

With so much focus on the marquee aspect of No.3-ranked USC playing No. 6-ranked Notre Dame on Saturday, someone inside the Trojans program made an observation: This might be the Irish's last chance to be the Trojans for a while.

There are 18 seniors starting for Notre Dame, plus a senior kicker and punter. After coming oh-so-close last season, if the Irish fail to beat USC this time, will a young team have a chance next year against a veteran Trojans outfit?

And that's assuming Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis is even around, considering the way his name comes up in NFL circles.

But football people tend to talk in extremes. Remember a year ago everyone talked about USC losing Reggie Bush and Matt Leinart, yet the Trojans are two games away from a national championship berth.

Who is to say the Irish, say with Oaks Christian's Jimmy Clausen at quarterback, won't be among the nation's elite next season? And playing at Notre Dame can be rough even for the best teams -- just ask Leinart and Bush about last year 's game.

The observation actually reveals the respect that suddenly exists between the programs since Pete Carroll and Weis started going head-to-head, whether in recruiting or on the field.

Both programs are looking for some edge, analyzing rosters to see how they gain the upper hand in future meetings, each worried about their oldest rival.

``They kind of dropped off a little bit for a while but have come back with Charlie,'' Carroll said.

That's not said with admiration, but with the cold reality that these two programs are increasingly butting heads because of their current success.

How long will the rivalry sustain this golden period? Easy, as long as Weis and Carroll decide to keep their current jobs.

What about Carroll? Since we mentioned Weis' name for NFL jobs, it's also true Carroll's name keeps coming up for the Arizona Cardinals job, although he denies any interest.

Some speculation says Carroll would be offered a coach/general manager position, which would give him the authority he currently enjoys at USC.

Bowl talk: Despite appearing to have a lock on getting a team into the BCS title game a couple weeks ago, the Big East Conference is now in danger of its second-place team going to the Sun Bowl.

Unless it sneaks two teams into BCS bowls, the Big East could have problems getting one of its feel-good story teams (West Virginia, Louisville, Rutgers) into a quality bowl. That's because the Big East's second-place team is eligible to go to the Gator Bowl, but the Gator can also take a Big 12 team and Oklahoma appears a more likely choice.

The Gator Bowl can also bypass the Big East and take Notre Dame if the Irish are not eligible for a BCS bowl game. Another bowl, the Meineke Car Care Bowl, has already skipped over the Big East and selected Navy.

In a nightmare scenario, a 10-2 Rutgers team could drop down to playing in the dreaded PapaJohns.com Bowl in Birmingham, Ala.

Don't ask: Washington State coach Bill Doba was adamant last weekend that he will return to coach the Cougars next season.

``I don't think I want to get my motor home and ride around the country by myself. OK? So this is my life and that (the program) is my family,'' Doba said. ``I ain't gonna quit on those guys. I brought 'em here and I said I was gonna stay around here and dammit, I'll stay. I don't want to hear about that anymore.''

High-priced decision: If Arizona State fires Dirk Koetter, it will have to pay him $2.85 million, plus pay off his assistant coaches and pay a new coach at least $1 million plus pay his new staff along with their moving expenses.

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CAPTION(S):

photo, 6 boxes

Photo:

Since Pete Carroll, left, and Charlie Weis have joined USC and Notre Dame, recruiting battles have heated up.

Michael Conroy/Associated Press

Box:

(1) THEY SAID IT

(2) THE LIST

(3) THE RUMOR MILL

(4) BY THE NUMBERS

(5) DAILY NEWS/CBS 2/KCAL 9 SPORTS CENTRAL POWER

- Scott Wolf

(6) THIS WEEKEND'S BEST BET