updated 4:57 p.m. ET Oct. 20, 2009

SOUTH BEND, Ind. - Notre Dame walked off the field following a 17-0 loss at Boston College a year ago with Eagles fans mockingly chanting: "Where's your heart? Where's your heart?"

Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis doesn't expect to be hearing that chant this year. Midway through the season, he says heart is the biggest asset going for the Fighting Irish (4-2).

"They're a bunch of guys that have shown intestinal fortitude. They're tough," he said.

He points to Notre Dame playing five games decided in the final minute, including coming back from an 11-point deficit against Michigan to take a fourth-quarter lead before losing 38-34 and trailing USC by 20 and still having a chance to tie it with three passes into the end zone in the final 9 seconds before losing 34-27 on Saturday.

Mental toughness was emphasized during the offseason after the Irish blew double-digit leads to North Carolina, Pittsburgh and Syracuse last season.

"This team gets it," Weis said Tuesday. "I think that when you get to the point when the team gets the thing about mental toughness, you have a chance every week."

The problem for the Irish, though, is that they've had a chance to lose every week except for the opening game, a 35-0 win over Nevada.

Some might see the disappointing loss against USC, the eighth straight to their rivals, as setting the Irish up for a letdown this week. Weis doesn't think that will happen against Boston College (5-2).

"How can be you flat when you are playing a team that just beat you six times in a row?" Weis asked.

The Eagles' streak has evened the series at nine victories each after the Irish won eight of the first 10, with the 1993 win by the Eagles costing Notre Dame a national championship. The Irish haven't beaten Boston College since a 28-16 win in 2000.

Four years ago, following a 34-31 loss to the Trojans, Weis announced their next game at BYU was the opener of the season's second half and told the media that neither he nor the players would be answering questions about earlier games. He took no such steps this week, saying the circumstances are different.

The Irish head into the second half of this season with an outside shot of earning a Bowl Championship Series berth, although they likely would have to win the rest of their games - a feat the Irish have yet to accomplish under Weis. They went 5-1 in their last six games in 2005 and 2006 and 2-4 in each of the last two seasons.

Weis believes the Irish still have a chance to show how good they are.

"We've got six opportunities to make a statement," he said. "The first step is Boston College."

Wide receiver Robby Parris is doubtful for Saturday after injuring his right hip, knee and ankle while making a 13-yard catch on a fourth-and-10 play with 32 seconds left when he was hit by two USC players. Parris, who had a career-high nine catches for 92 yards in the game, said he is feeling better daily and hopes to play.

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