Notre Dame should know!

First, the Irish got separated from what we've always believed was an unrealistic dream, winning a national championship. Hard to do that without a bang-up defense.

Moreover, Brady Quinn was separated from any reasonable chance of capturing the Heisman Trophy.

After enduring an ugly afternoon against a Michigan team that took them to the woodshed, Notre Dame's stratospheric ambitions were punctured full of holes.

The pipe dreams that were built on a base of sand were easily washed away by a Wolverine tidal wave of unrelenting offense and stifling defense.

The score more than tells the story of the devastation. Michigan 47, Notre Dame 21. ND's butts are still smarting.

But just because the ultimate prizes for the Irish and the suddenly beleaguered Quinn are no longer viable, that certainly doesn't mean there isn't plenty that can still be accomplished.

Lots of admirable and worthwhile goals are there to be realized. There's still the potential to achieve quite a bit.

Like what you ask?

Well, let's go down the checklist of what we consider the most significant objectives still in play.

Improve on Last Year's Record - The year of '05 was one of rebirth. With a nine-win ledger, Charlie Weis helped construct a nice foundation from which to work upward. Now, the Irish must build on that foundation.

By improving on last year's mark and winning 10 times in this go-around, the Irish will serve notice that they've returned as a legitimate power.

Putting together back-to-back solid campaigns will prove that Weis has the program up to snuff and poised for even more ambitious aims in the not-too-distant future.

Return to Another Big Bowl Game- This, above all else, would demonstrate that the Irish are headed in the right direction. Another trip to one of the top-tier Bowls would signify that the Irish had enjoyed another successful season.

In that case, there could be no denying that ND was a team on the come with some serious momentum pushing them along.

Win Said Bowl Game- ND's Bowl drought has become an albatross that is growing more weighty with each passing year. The time has come to put an end to this woeful run in the postseason.

A victory in a major Bowl would salve the Irish psyche, give them a lift emotionally and restore much of the luster that was lost prior to Weis' arrival.

It would be the ultimate statement about how far the Irish have come in a relatively short amount of time.

Become Dominant at Home- If there's one knock that can be leveled at Weis, it's that his teams have been very ordinary while playing at Notre Dame Stadium.

Winning just five out of eight before the home folks simply won't cut it. The Irish have to start being much more assertive and dominant on their own turf.

In a nutshell, the Domers must not fall again in South Bend. Not in '06. They must run the table from here on out and bag their remaining five tilts at home.

If that's done, it will go a long way towards creating a real home-field advantage. ND needs to start acting like they're invincible rather than vulnerable in their own building.

They need to make their "House" a place where opponents visit with trepidation. ND must recapture the fear factor that once resonated with many of those who stepped onto the Irish sod.

This year's team could begin creating that mojo at home by taking care of business in the remaining games to be waged in their own backyard.

Exact Some Revenge - Michigan State and USC inflicted two particularly painful and heartbreaking losses on the Irish in '05. Nothing would serve ND's purposes better than to exact some sweet revenge. Beat both the Spartans and Trojans and it's hard  to imagine the Irish not having a banner season.

Believe it or not, the MSU fray is probably the more critical and important. ND needs to rebound immediately from the Michigan debacle. Get it done in East Lansing and the Irish could quickly get back on the beam.

In addition, the Spartans have owned ND as of late, having won seven of the last nine meetings between the two. The Domers are obliged to reverse that trend but pronto.

Losing to Michigan State with any degree of regularity is simply unacceptable. It's death to any serious plans ND harbors for returning to its' past glory. ND must again establish a mastery in this competitive and highly charged series.

Though toppling the mighty Trojans would be a welcomed development, that rates as more icing-on-the-cake than necessity. Weis doesn't yet have his charges playing consistently enough to be deemed at USC's level. That reality is probably still a year or two in the offing.

But besting the likes of Michigan State, Stanford, Air Force and UCLA is absolutely essential. Getting the better of SC at this stage would rate as pure gravy.

So if the Irish can knock off most, if not all, of the aims just outlined, they'll definitely be onto something. Weis will have his ship right on course and well within a realistic timetable.

Now that the pie-in-the-sky dreams are gone, it's time that the Irish focus their sights on more realistic but nonetheless challenging goals.

A host of worthy achievements still beckons them. There's plenty of battles to be won. Meaningful accomplishments await.