The Associated Press

SOUTH BEND, Ind. - The Purdue-Notre Dame rivalry ain't what it used to be.

The annual matchup seemingly has turned into a game from some alternate universe, a Bizzaro World where Purdue is the football power while the Fighting Irish are seeking to prove themselves.

No. 15 Purdue (3-0) enters the game today against the Irish (3-1) as the favorite - except for Notre Dame players still fuming at the way the Boilermakers ran through their warmups last season at Ross-Ade Stadium.

"I don't think anybody forgot about that," linebacker Mike Goolsby said. "But you know what, though? They came in, they did it and they slapped us around."

The Boilermakers beat the Irish 23-10 in that game, seemingly turning the tide in the series. Just a year or two ago, Purdue players rabidly wanted to defeat Notre Dame while Irish players would politely say, yes, the school less than three hours down the road was a rival.

The situation has turned.

Irish players this week said the rivalry with Purdue was as big as with any other school, with some saying it is even bigger than their games with Southern Cal and Michigan.

"There is a lot of animosity between the teams," defensive end Kyle Budinscak said. "It's almost like a Red Sox-Yankees thing for me."

The Purdue players, meanwhile, said the Irish are just another opponent. Running back Brandon Jones said beating Notre Dame would be no bigger than beating Ball State.

"Being an Indiana kid, you want to beat all the Indiana schools," he said.

When Purdue coach Joe Tiller arrived in West Lafayette eight years ago, he said the Boilermakers, who had lost to Notre Dame 11 straight times, needed to beat the Irish to put Purdue on the map.

Now listen to what Irish defensive end Justin Tuck said this week.

"If we can come out with a great performance against them, we're back on the map in a certain sense," he said.

Notre Dame back on the map with a win over Purdue? Bizzaro.

It's changed because Purdue has won three of the past seven and the games have been close. Five of the past six games have been decided by seven points or less.

There are also some side stories that add to the rivalry. Purdue hasn't won at Notre Dame since 1974 - a streak of 13 losses. Tiller said he has heard that statistic so much he is numb to it.

He is aware, though, that the Boilermakers are in need of a win at a school with a great football tradition. They've lost six straight at Ohio State, they are 0-3-1 at Penn State and haven't won at Michigan since 1966.

The game Saturday pits strength vs. strength. The Notre Dame defense gives up yards - 314 yards a game - but is stingy on points. They gave up just three points against Washington, didn't give up a touchdown against Michigan State until there were 9 seconds left and didn't allow Michigan into the end zone until there was 2:27 left.

"I don't care about the yards. I care about the points," Notre Dame defensive coordinator Kent Baer said.

Tiller said the Irish might have the toughest defense the Boilermakers will face. Purdue quarterback Kyle Orton, though, didn't sound too concerned.

"We're going to have to keep them off balance, run the ball," Orton said. "But I don't see us having that much trouble with them."

Purdue hasn't had trouble with anyone so far. Orton has completed 70 percent of his passes for 982 yards with 13 touchdowns and no interceptions. The Boilermakers are averaging 562 yards a game (No. 3 in the nation), 356 yards a game passing (No. 2 in the nation), 49 points a game (No. 1) and converting on 64 percent of third downs.

"You don't get much better than that. I'd like to have those numbers," Willingham said. "This offense is so high-powered, I don't think you can slow them down."

Yet the Irish hope to beat Purdue by stopping the run.

"It will start with stopping the run, actually, and hopefully force them into passing situations," Budinscak said.

Beat Purdue by making them pass? Bizzaro indeed.