SOUTH BEND, Ind. – Some BCS officials are almost as giddy about the prospect of Notre Dame playing in one of their bowl games as Fighting Irish fans are.

“I tend to think right now, there’s a lot to be played, but I don’t see how they could avoid being in a BCS game somewhere,” Fiesta Bowl executive director Robert Shelton said. “They have four games left. Anything can happen, but they’re looking so strong. Even if they only win two of those, certainly if they win three or four, they will be in a BCS game.”

The fourth-ranked Fighting Irish (8-0) are third in the BCS standings heading into their game against Pittsburgh (4-4) on Saturday, where they are 16.5-point favorites. They likely will be favored against Boston College (2-6) and Wake Forest (4-4) before the season finale at Southern California (6-2).