Given how events played out last weekend in Notre Dame Stadium, it's just as well if Coach Charlie Weis doesn't buy lottery tickets.  With his luck, he'd have selected all the winning numbers only to find it was one drawing too late. 

Rarely has a game had a combination of everything to frustrate a fan.  Yet despite all their failures and inconsistencies, this team came ever so close to winning, close being the operative word.  For the Irish faithful, it was a long and depressing ride home.  One more break here or there would've salvaged a win, kept alive the new coach's mystique and made that $100 ticket and $20 parking space a bit more tolerable. 

If ever there was proof that momentum was fickle, this was it.  Rallying for 21 points in the second half to tie the game at 38, the Spartans Kyle Brown had the ball stripped near midfield and recovered by Corey Mays of the Irish.  In the closing minutes it led to an instant flashback of the 1992 Michigan game. 

In the pre-overtime days, safety Jeff Burris intercepted an Elvis Grbac pass at his own 10 yard line with barely a minute left.  But thoughts of a quick miraculous drive for the winning field goal were snuffed out by coach Lou Holtz who preferred to creep into a conservative (and unpopular) shell and the game ended tied at 17.

Barely four months later, in their wildcard playoff match up, the Houston Oilers would take a 35-3 second half lead over Buffalo, only to see the Bills come back to tie, making for the greatest comeback in NFL history.  Yet Buffalo would have enough energy left to force a turnover early in sudden death and kick the winning field goal. 

Another omen for Notre Dame can be seen in the 487 passing yards from Brady Quinn.  Rapidly closing in on the 500+ yards by Joe Theismann, no one should forget that record was set in a downpour at USC that also turned into a loss.  There's a lot to be said about a balanced attack and the 107 rushing yards against the Spartans leaves room for improvement. 

Jason Teague's sprint to the end zone in overtime should not be in vain.  The only good that comes from a loss is if the loser learns from it.  That was the case for ND following the 1988 Cotton Bowl. 

Thoroughly outplayed and out coached by Texas A&M, Holtz vowed the following season to have 'a bunch of fast guys on defense'.  True to his word, the Irish ran off a 23 game winning streak that included its last national championship. 

For the present, Notre Dame’s success will go as far as Weis' innovative offense takes them.  Saving a few surprises for overtime might not be a bad idea, either. 

Especially if they include touchdowns rather than field goals.