SOUTH BEND, Indiana (Ticker) -- Notre Dame will host a top-ranked team for the seventh time on Saturday, and history indicates the visit by Nebraska could be a memorable one.

It last happened in 1993, when the Fighting Irish surprised Florida State, 31-24. Notre Dame would loose the following week to Boston College, clearing the way for the Seminoles to win the national title despite a November loss.

In 1988, Notre Dame edged Miami, 31-30, en route to its first national title in 11 years.

The stakes will also be high this weekend when the powerful Cornhuskers (1-0) make their first trip to South Bend since 1947, when the Fighting Irish (1-0), behind John Lujak, rolled to a 31-0 win and went on to a national championship.

The only other meeting between the teams in the last half-century was in the 1973 Orange Bowl, when Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Rodgers scord four touchdowns in Nebraska's 40-6 win.

The current crop of Cornhuskers, led by Heisman Trohy candidate Eric Crouch, is also a powerful one. Crouch ran for three touchdowns and threw for another last week as Nebraska cruised to a 49-13 win over San Jose State.

The Huskers also rely on a deep stable of I-backs led by Dan Alexander, who rushed for 208 yards and two TDs last week.

This week they will face a Notre Dame team that limited Texas A&M to just 24 rushing yards in the second half of Saturday's 24-10 win. Among the key defensive efforts was a goal-line stand in the third quarter in which the Aggies had to settle for a short field goal.

The victory put the Irish back into the national polls and gave some breathing room to coach Bob Davie, who has come under pressure after a 5-7 record last season.

"It's a lot more fun playing the No. 1 ranked team in the country 1-0 rather than 0-1, I promise you that," Davie said.

Saturday continues a difficult early schedule for Notre Dame, which hosts Purdue and plays at Michigan State the next two weeks.

Notre Dame has a quality signalcaller of its own in Arnaz Battle, who was proficent in his first collegiate start. He completed 10-of-16 passes for 133 yards and two scores against the Aggies.

Notre Dame, like Nebraska, uses a multitude of running backs. Julius Jones had 14 carries for 60 yards and a score last week.

One key Saturday will be ability of the Notre Dame defense to penetrate a Nebraska offensive line that averages 304 pounds.

"That offensive line is so good and protective, it's amazing," Crouch said.

The defense Notre Dame faces this week is far better than the one they faced last Saturday. Middle linebacker Carlos Polk is among the best in the country. But the unit was prown to lapses, allowing 113 rushing yards to San Jose State in the first quarter.