Heading into Wednesday, majorities of Americans in virtually every major poll predicted President Barack Obama would come out on top in this year's presidential debates. Even majorities of Republicans and Romney supporters thought the GOP nominee was in for a rough night.

But not all of them. At a time when most surrogates were competing in the traditional expectations-setting limbo contest that always precedes presidential debates, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie predicted that Mitt Romney, seasoned veteran of roughly 20 debates within the past year alone, would prevail.

"Wednesday night's the restart of this campaign," he told NBC. "Come Thursday morning, the entire narrative of this race is going to change."