Notre Dame hires Meyer, and Florida goes with Weis the next day.

"This has always been a dream job," Meyer says in his opening news conference. "I will do everything in my power to get this great university, this great program, back on top."

Meyer arrives in South Bend as head coach, and his first call is to a recruit from Ponte Vedra, Fla., the perfect quarterback for Notre Dame. Tim Tebow, then a senior in high school, is leaning toward Alabama and coach Mike Shula, but decides to hold off committing before taking his official visits.

Tebow had developed a relationship with Shula, but Meyer was about make a big impression on Tebow.

Meyer begins his Notre Dame reign in 2005 in spectacular fashion. In Week 3, Notre Dame upsets No. 3 Michigan 17-10 in Ann Arbor, with the signature play a fake punt to Tom Zbikowski that set up the game-winning touchdown. The Irish, however, hit a few bumps after that. They lose to Michigan State and Ohio State, led by junior quarterback Brady Quinn, who opts to stay in Columbus and play for the hometown Buckeyes.

Still, Tebow arrives on campus to watch Notre Dame take on the Trojans in what becomes one of the most-memorable games for both sides. Before the game, USC running back and Heisman front runner Reggie Bush tells the Los Angeles Times "USC will win by three touchdowns, and I am going to score all of them."

Meyer was forced to juggle quarterbacks during the season while waiting on — hoping for — Tebow.

Clayton Richard, a little-used Michigan transfer who also pitched for the baseball team in the spring, gets the start against USC. He throws two touchdowns to baseball teammate Jeff Samardzija, and the game unfolds in furious fashion.

Notre Dame leads 31-28 late in the fourth quarter, but USC quarterback Matt Leinart hits Dwayne Jarrett on fourth-and-9 to preserve the game's final drive. The "Bush Push" follows, and the Irish lose 34-31. There's nothing history can do to change that.

But Meyer uses it to take the Irish to the next level. After the game, Meyer finds Tebow in the tunnel and promises, "If you come here, we'll beat those guys."

This time, Tebow's five words are the ones that change the program.

"Coach, we will beat everybody."

Tebow takes his visit to Alabama the following week, but he can't shake the feeling he got in Notre Dame Stadium when talking with Meyer. It's close, but Tebow chooses the Irish, netting Meyer the biggest recruit of his coaching career.

Meanwhile, Notre Dame finishes 8-4 — but the dissatisfaction with that record is mitigated when Meyer hauls in the No. 1 recruiting class in the country. It doesn't pan out in 2006 — Notre Dame is relegated to the background as Ohio State and Michigan re-take the headlines with their No. 1-vs.-No. 2 showdown — but Tebow gains valuable experience under center as a freshman. The Buckeyes lose to USC in the BCS championship game at the Fiesta Bowl.

Tebow wins the Heisman Trophy the following year in 2007, adding another accolade to Notre Dame's storied history by becoming the first sophomore to win the award. The Irish finish 9-3 and close the regular season with an upset victory against the defending-champion Trojans in the second game of the teams’ home-and-home. That fulfills the first promise Meyer made to Tebow.

Tebow's promise, however, remains unfulfilled in South Bend.

Meyer feels the pressure for a championship heading into his fourth season in 2008, but an early breaking point nearly derails his championship hopes when Illinois, led by coach Ron Zook, upsets the No. 4 Irish 31-30 in Champaign, Ill. Tebow walks into the postgame presser and delivers a speech that is immortalized on the level of Rockne and George Gipp:

"I just want to say one thing. To the fans and everybody at Notre Dame. I'm sorry, extremely sorry. I promise you one thing, a lot of good will come out of this. You will never see any player in the entire country play as hard as I will play the rest of the season, and you will never see someone push the rest of the team as hard as I will push everybody the rest of the season, and you will never see a team play harder than we will the rest of the season. God bless."

You know what happens next. Notre Dame doesn't lose again. The Irish beat Penn State 55-10 in the Big Ten championship game to set up a shot at the BCS championship. That performance is enough to bump Notre Dame into the BCS championship game while one-loss Big 12 teams Oklahoma, Texas and Texas Tech gripe about the decision. Who is waiting on the other end?

It's Florida and Weis, whose own phenomenal quarterback in sophomore Cam Newton has helped the Gators to the championship game.

Notre Dame, however, won't be denied. Tebow throws for two touchdowns and runs for two more, and the Irish's defense — led by defensive backs Harrison Smith and Joe Haden — intercepts Newton three times. It's a blowout.

Notre Dame 31, Florida 10. The Irish win their second national championship in this timeline, and Tebow makes it clear on the podium he's coming back for his senior season. But that's not the only major announcement.

Jack Swarbrick, the Notre Dame alum who persuaded the NCAA to relocate to Indianapolis, takes over as athletic director after Alvarez announces his retirement.

The Irish have similar success in 2009. Notre Dame finishes the regular season 13-0 with their fourth Big Ten championship and forces a three-way debate with fellow unbeatens Alabama and Texas as to which teams deserve the chance to play in the championship game.

The Crimson Tide and Irish win the debate, setting up another Notre Dame-Saban matchup in the Rose Bowl. Alabama, however, is simply too much. Tide running backs Mark Ingram and Trent Richardson each rush for 100 yards and two scores. Tebow struggles in the second half, but he is given a standing ovation by Notre Dame fans upon exiting late in the fourth quarter.

Meyer hugs his star quarterback one last time.

"Tim gave everything and then some to this program," Meyer says after the game. "It has been the best four years of my coaching career."

Alabama 32, Notre Dame 13. It marks a turning point for Notre Dame heading into the next decade. Behind the scenes, the winds of change are coming to South Bend one more time.