When Notre Dame wins, the networks win.

ABC should be in a for huge rating Saturday night with Notre Dame’s big game against USC. The network already scored with Irish games at Oklahoma and Boston College.

Meanwhile, NBC is singing the praises of Brian Kelly. From the network:

NBC Sports’ coverage of Notre Dame Football concluded this past Saturday, culminating with the network scoring its most-watched season in seven years and the university ranking No. 1 in the nation.

The Fighting Irish, who rank No. 1 in the BCS, and are one win away (at USC this weekend) from competing in the BCS Championship Game, averaged 4.4 million viewers and a 2.8 household rating for its seven games on NBC, up 69% and 67%, respectively, versus last year (2.6 million viewers and a 1.7 household rating). The 4.4 million average viewers this year is the best for Notre Dame Football on NBC since 2005 (5.2 million), while the 2.8 rating is the best since 2006 (3.0).

Notre Dame’s Sept. 22 primetime win, 13-6, against rival Michigan was the most-watched and highest-rated game of the year on NBC (6.4 million viewers and a 4.0 household rating), followed closely by Notre Dame’s triple-overtime, 29-26, victory over Pittsburgh on Nov. 3 (6.1 million viewers and a 3.8 household rating).

The 2012 season is the first since 2005 in which three Notre Dame home games averaged at least 5.0 million viewers (Michigan – 6.4 million; Pittsburgh – 6.1 million; Stanford – 5.1 million). Last season there were zero such games.