Forget the scene and setting. Regardless of how big the stage, there has been one consistent theme this season for Notre Dame — the playmaking presence of standout senior LB Manti Te’o.

When the game has been on the line and the defense has needed a big stand, Te’o has found a way to spark the nation’s best defense outside of Tuscaloosa, as he did once again in a 30-13 win on the road against Oklahoma with a clutch fourth-quarter interception.

Georgia LB Jarvis Jones, who fell one sack shy of matching his career-best four-sack performance against Florida last year, was equally ubiquitous in a 17-9 win over the previously unbeaten Gators, punching the ball out of the hands of Florida junior TE Jordan Reed from behind as Reed was approaching the goal line with barely two minutes to play to preserve the win.

In an era when defenders are not considered flashy enough to garner much attention as the nation’s most outstanding player, Te’o and Jones are stating a claim to be recognized.   

From an NFL talent perspective, both have immediate impact qualities, with top-10-type physical traits.

“(Jarvis) Jones is a monster,” one NFL evaluator said. “I don’t know how you account for him. I love what he can do. Te’o is a more complete player — when you talk about creating interceptions, sacks, forcing fumbles, making tackles — he does it all.”

Te’o has been very comfortable captaining the middle of the Irish “D” since he arrived but is capable of playing any position in a 4-3 front or stacking the middle of a “30” front, transcending any scheme.

With rare ability to bend the edge, Jones is a rarer commodity as a pass-rushing force. He can wreak havoc on stunts as he did against Florida looping to the inside or bursting low to the ground and leveraging the corner the way only a select few in the NFL can do.