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Ever since Oct. 15, 2005, when a helpful nudge by Reggie Bush turned a landmark upset into a landmark loss, Notre Dame and Charlie Weis have been searching for a signature victory.

The latest, though not best, chance arrives Saturday against that same USC team.

Part of the reason Weis is under scrutiny is how long it has taken to find that surpassing triumph. Weis is 4-9 against ranked opponents, losing seven straight against ranked teams since beating No. 19 Penn State in September 2006. The average margin in those nine defeats is 18.6 points.

On Saturday, the Irish have a chance to beat their first Top 10 opponent since September ’05. The only question is: Does Charlie Weis need it to happen to keep his job?