SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Tyrone Willingham knew what the expectations would be this week. He understood the theories behind it. And it made him laugh.

"The one supposedly caught in the middle is me," he said. "I spent 10 of my 48 years at Stanford. I recruited those kids, and I've been in their homes. So, of course, I have some ties."

Stanford tackle Kwame Harris is a 6-foot-7, 308-pound giant with a mean streak who also happens to be a concert pianist. He could probably come out early, be a first round pick in the NFL draft and make big dollars this spring. But the kid loves the challenge of being a college student. In other words, Harris is a Willingham guy. That's why, when he saw him on film last week, Willingham's assessment was accompanied by a nod of the head and a warm smile. "I like that kid," he said. "I really like him."

But Saturday afternoon, when Willingham emerged from the tunnel and veered right, whatever ties he had to Harris and the Cardinal were officially cut.

Well, maybe they were severed earlier than that. Emotion and sentimentality aside, Willingham is a competitive cat. At Friday night's pep rally when Willingham asked the crowd to transform the stadium into a sea of green, he was sending a message.

Oh, he was telling Irish fans to show their support, but it was also a message for the folks back in Palo Alto. I'm pretty sure he wanted the Bay Area to see school spirit in its most base and rabid form. The coach asked and the fans complied. Then his new team dropped 31 on his old one.

"It's like playing against your brother," Willingham said. "You love him, but when he looks you in the eye, you want him to know who won that day."

When it was over, Willingham went to midfield where he embraced Harris and many of his teammates. Then Willingham left, and sprinted though the tunnel, excitedly pumping his fist at the Irish fans.

He hadn't just beaten his brother. He knocked off a whole team full of Willingham guys. So I doubt he was able to look anyone in the eye right then.

Caught in the middle? Yeah, perhaps for a moment.

Alan Grant, a senior reporter for ESPN The Magazine, is spending the season in South Bend. Look for his regular reports on ESPN.com. E-mail him at alan.grant@espn3.com