Oct 29, 2002

By TOM COYNE
AP Sports Writer

SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) - Tyrone Willingham began preparing for Boston College even before time ran out against Florida State.

Willingham stood on the sideline as Notre Dame fans at Doak Campbell Stadium celebrated the school's biggest victory in nine seasons. While the players hugged and reveled in Saturday's win, the coach was focusing on two late scores by the Seminoles, not the 34-24 victory.

When the players got back to the locker room, they saw "Beat B.C." scribbled on the chalkboard.

Willingham usually says he's happy if the Irish win by just half a point. On Saturday, he took the unusual step of criticizing his team to the media without being asked.

"I've got mixed emotions about our team right now," Willingham said. "There are some things we need to clean up."

The coach's message to the players was clear: Don't get too excited about beating Florida State - not with Boston College coming to town.

For the past two weeks, the fourth-ranked Irish have been reminded that in 1993 Boston College ruined Notre Dame's celebration a week after the second-ranked Irish upset top-rated Florida State.

The Eagles (4-3) will be out to knock the Irish out of title contention again.

"The irony of these games being so close together and playing out the way they are is kind of funny," said former Notre Dame tackle Aaron Taylor, a member of the '93 team. "Coach Willingham certainly won't have to go back any further than to our game back in '93 to point to an example of what not to let happen."

Taylor said the '93 team was emotionally spent after beating Florida State and found it difficult to get ready for the 17th-ranked Eagles, who had won seven straight.

"We exhausted ourselves emotionally, being so very high we had difficulty pulling back in and focusing for that next game," Taylor said. "We got caught up in some of the hoopla of what it was to be No. 1 and doing something that was phenomenal."

Lou Holtz warned that team daily that the Eagles were dangerous. The team believed the coach, but could do nothing about it.

"We didn't lay down; those guys played well," former Irish quarterback Kevin McDougal said. "We caught Boston College on one of the best games they've ever played in history."

The Eagles won 41-39 on a 41-yard field goal as time ran out, ruining a comeback in which the Irish scored 22 points in 11 minutes to pull ahead with 1:09 left.

Willingham conceded Tuesday that it is hard to get a team ready to play one week after a big win. But the fact the Eagles beat the Irish last season should help the Irish to focus, he said.

"We'll continue to work to try to make sure we create the right mindset for this football team," Willingham said. "Hopefully, there are some little things and some large things that will help us to do that."

Just being in a position to contend for a national championship should be motivation enough, he said.

"If we're competitors and really love to compete, that in itself should be enough," he said. "But history has said that's not always the case."