Updated

Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te'o says he's never felt so spiritually strong after the deaths of his grandmother and girlfriend the past three weeks.

Te'o's strong performances in wins over Michigan State and Michigan and the way his teammates and classmates have embraced and supported him helped him deal with the deaths of his loved ones. Te'o says he felt at peace celebrating the Michigan victory with students knowing that so many people care about him as a person.

He says returning to Hawaii for a few days to be with family also helped.

Te'o says the Irish are receiving a lot of support for their 4-0 start, but need to stay focused on the game against Miami (4-1) in Chicago on Saturday.