Irish on a roll with three straight wins

In the fifth game of a season that got off to such a poor start, Notre Dame displayed the type of offense that coach Brian Kelly envisioned when he took the job.

No turnovers, a steady game from the quarterback, a run-pass balance that kept the defense guessing, an offensive line knocking tacklers to the ground and TD catches from three different receivers.

There was also an improving defense that stopped the run in a rout of Purdue. And now the Irish (3-2) go home for three straight games - starting Saturday against Air Force - with a real chance to transform their miserable beginning into something meaningful.