SOUTH BEND, Ind. - Notre Dame’s offense played its best game of the season against Navy, and the Fighting Irish defense played tough in the second half for the fifth straight game. Weis was even happy to see USC lose to Oregon State even though it may make it more difficult for the Irish — who play the Trojans in the season finale — to impress the poll voters and the computers used for the Bowl Championship Series standings.

“Just watching the scoreboards, you’d like for them to win. But just like they’re not rooting for Notre Dame to win, it’s tough for me to sit there and say I’m rooting for them to win,” Weis said Sunday.

Weis said his 13-year-old son, Charlie Jr., said of USC’s loss: “Dad, that’s not all bad.”

“It might be prophetic,” Weis said, laughing.

Despite easily beating Navy 38-14, the Irish (7-1) stayed at No. 11 in the AP poll and No. 10 in the coaches’ poll.

Weis said last week he was befuddled that the Irish were jumped in the polls despite beating UCLA in a comeback victory. The comments made headlines and sports shows across the country. He spoke Sunday before the polls were out and joked about not wanting a similar scenario.

“Next thing you know I’m the nationwide whiner,” he said.

Special feature How QBs for Pats, Irish rose under Weis

But he did say he thinks the Irish are still in the mix for a BCS berth with other one-loss teams like Auburn, Florida, Tennessee, Arkansas, Texas, Cal, Boston College and Wake Forest.

“There’s a lot of football to be played yet and I think a lot of questions will be answered for everybody by that time,” he said. “I think all we can do is just keep trying to creep our way up.”

Weis, who a week ago said he wasn’t sure if the Irish were a top 10 team, said now he thinks they are. The goal for Weis heading into the final third of the season is to improve Notre Dame’s consistency.

Slideshow   The Week in Sports Pictures A kayaker flips out, a racehorse eyes the Triple Crown and more. more photos

The Irish have played well offensively one game, then struggled the next — especially with the rushing game. On defense, the Irish held Navy scoreless in the second half and held it to 78 yards total offense in the half.

The win over Navy clinched back-to-back winning seasons for the Irish for the first time since Bob Davie went 7-6 and 9-3 his first two seasons in 1997 and 1998. The Irish likely will be favored in their next three games — North Carolina (1-7), Army (3-6) and Air Force (3-4) and need one more victory to match their best two-year win total (17) in 10 years.

When Weis was introduced as Notre Dame’s coach two years ago he said he wanted his players to believe they could win anywhere against anyone.

“That’s what we have,” he said. “Now we haven’t won every game since I’ve been here, but every time we’ve gone out there the team has expected to win. That’s what you want.”