Notre Dame Fighting Irish football rivalries

Main article: Notre Dame Fighting Irish football

Notre Dame Fighting Irish football rivalries refers to rivalries of the University of Notre Dame in the sport of college football. Notre Dame rivalries encompass many teams. Because the Fighting Irish are independent of a football conference, they play a more national schedule, and have thus developed rivalries with many different schools. Also, because of Notre Dame's independent scheduling, some teams may have at one time been considered rivals to Notre Dame, but these rivalries have diminished over time when the two schools have taken a long hiatus from scheduling each other.

Notre Dame's main rival is the University of Southern California. Notre Dame also has an historic and "natural enemy" in the University of Michigan. Historically, USC, Michigan and Notre Dame have been among the top football programs in the country. Michigan and Notre Dame lead all teams in games won and winning percentage, while Notre Dame and USC are tops in national championships, and Heisman Trophies. The Fighting Irish have maintained longtime annual series with Michigan State University, Purdue University, and the Naval Academy.. Finally, Notre Dame has minor rivalries with several schools. Because Notre Dame does not schedule these series on an annual basis, the intensity of these rivalries has varied over time and is debated by fans.

USC

Main article: Notre Dame-USC rivalry

The Notre Dame-USC rivalry has been played annually since 1926, except for a brief repose from 1943 to 1945, and is regarded as the greatest intersectional series in college football. The winner of the annual rivalry game is awarded the coveted Jeweled Shillelagh, a war club adorned with emerald-emblazoned clovers signifying Irish victories and Ruby-emblazoned Trojan warrior heads for Trojan wins. When the original shillelagh ran out of space for the Trojan heads and shamrocks after the 1989 game, it was retired and is permanently displayed at Notre Dame. A new shillelagh was introduced for the 1997 season. Through the 2007 season, Notre Dame leads the rivalry series 42-32-5.

The origin of the series is quite often recounted as a "conversation between wives" of Notre Dame head coach Knute Rockne and USC athletic director Gywnn Wilson. In fact, many sports writers often cite this popular story as the main reason the two schools decided to play one another. As the story goes, the rivalry began with USC looking for a national rival. USC dispatched Wilson and his wife to Lincoln, Nebraska, where Notre Dame was playing Nebraska on Thanksgiving Day. On that day (Nebraska 17, Notre Dame 0) Knute Rockne resisted the idea of a home-and-home series with USC because of the travel involved, but Mrs. Wilson was able to persuade Mrs. Rockne that a trip every two years to sunny Southern California was better than one to snowy, hostile Nebraska. Mrs. Rockne spoke to her husband and on December 4, 1926, USC became an annual fixture on Notre Dame’s schedule.

However, several college football historians, including Murray Sperber, have uncovered evidence that somewhat contradicts this story. Of the most contradictory parts is the idea that Rockne was resistant to playing out west. Sperber documents that USC offered to play Notre Dame back in 1925 at the Rose Bowl. Notre Dame ultimately played Stanford that year because they were the Pacific Coast conference champs. But due to the large alumni support for an annual season ending game in Los Angeles and the still existing interest for a home-and-home series, Notre Dame and USC started playing the series the following year in 1926. The series creation was also likely aided by USC coach Howard Jones, whom Rockne recommended USC hire due to their long friendship.

Since 1961, the game has alternated between Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend in mid-October and the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, which serves as USC's home field, in late November. Originally the game was played in both locations in late November, but because of poor weather during that time of the year at South Bend, USC insisted on having the game moved to October in 1961.

Big Ten schools

Notre Dame has traditionally played Division I-A football independent from any conference affiliation. In its early years joining a conference, in particular the geographically-contiguous Big Ten Conference, would have provided stability and scheduling opportunities. Conferences have periodically approached Notre Dame about joining, most notably the Big Ten in 1999. Notre Dame elected to keep its independent status in football, feeling that it has contributed to Notre Dame's unique place in college football lore. Even so, many Big Ten teams appear on the Irish's schedule. In fact, Notre Dame has faced every Big Ten team at some point in its history. In recent years, an average of three Big Ten opponents appear on the Irish schedule each season, but it has varied by as few as two (1983-84) to as many as five (1962, 1968).

Michigan

Main article: Notre Dame-Michigan rivalry

Notre Dame and Michigan first played in 1887 in Notre Dame's introduction to football. The Wolverines proceeded to win the first eight contests, then after Notre Dame notched its first win in the series in 1909, Michigan canceled the following year's matchup and boycotted Notre Dame for years. Thanks to Elmer Layden, Michigan returned to the schedule in 1942-43, On October 9, 1943, Number 1 ranked Notre Dame defeated Number 2 Michigan in the first matchup of top teams since polls began in 1936. After that, the Wolverines did not schedule the Irish again until the series was renewed in 1978, thanks to the efforts of athletic director Moose Krause. Including the 2008 season game, Michigan leads the overall series 20-15-1; however, Notre Dame holds a slight edge of 13-11-1 since 1978. In the most recent series, Notre Dame leads 4-3. The two programs agreed to a 20-year contract extension in 2007 that will keep the game going through the 2031 season. The rivalry is heightened by the two schools' competitive leadership atop the college football all-time winning percentage board, as well as its competition for the same type of student-athletes.

Michigan State

See also: Megaphone Trophy

Notre Dame has a rivalry with Michigan State that began in 1897. The 1966 Notre Dame vs. Michigan State football game is regarded as one of the games of the century and is still talked about to this day because of the way it ended - in a 10-10 tie. Since polls began in 1936, this game marked the 10th matchup that paired the #1 ranked team against the #2 team, with Notre Dame having been involved in five of these ten games. Currently the Irish are 42-27-1 vs. the Spartans. But MSU has won 9 of the last 12 including 6 straight in South Bend. The Spartans also beat Notre Dame eight straight times between 1955 and 1963 (they didn't meet in 1958) under coach Duffy Daugherty. The two teams play for the Megaphone Trophy.

Purdue

See also: Shillelagh Trophy

The Irish also have a yearly rivalry with the Purdue Boilermakers, who are also located in the State of Indiana. This rivalry began in 1896 and the two squads have met each year without interruption since 1946. The Irish lead the series at 52-26-2 as of 2008. The two teams play for the Shillelagh Trophy. The series has been marked by a number of key upsets. The Boilermakers ended Notre Dame's 39-game unbeaten string in 1950 and posted upsets in 1954, 1967 and 1974. They also hold the record for the most points scored in one game by an opponent in Notre Dame Stadium with 51 in 1960 while Notre Dame holds the record for scoring the most points in Ross-Ade Stadium, Purdue's home field, with 52 in 1983. On September 28, 1968, #1 ranked Purdue defeated #2 Notre Dame 37-22 behind the effort of Leroy Keyes, a two-way player for the Boilermakers. It was the eleventh 1 vs 2 game (and the sixth involving Notre Dame).

Navy

The Notre Dame-Navy series has been played annually since 1927, making it the longest uninterrupted intersectional series in college football. Notre Dame holds a 71-10-1 series edge. Before Navy won a 46-44 triple-overtime thriller in 2007, Notre Dame had a 43-game winning streak that was the longest series win streak between two annual opponents in the history of Division I FBS football. Navy's previous win came in 1963, 35-14 with future Heisman Trophy winner and NFL QB Roger Staubach at the helm. Navy had come close to winning on numerous occasions before 2007:

• 1984: Notre Dame pulled out a last-second 18-17 win on a field goal that should have been disallowed because the play clock had expired before the ball was snapped and none of the officials noticed.
• 1997: A Navy receiver was knocked out of bounds at the 1-yard line with no time left, keeping him from scoring the touchdown that would have ended the streak and preserving a 21-17 Notre Dame win.
• 1999: Notre Dame needed a controversial first down call on 4th and 9 with 1:37 left to escape with a 28-24 win.
• 2003: A last-second Irish field goal kept the game from going to overtime and gave Notre Dame a 27-24 victory.

Despite the one-sided result the last few decades, most Notre Dame and Navy fans consider the series a sacred tradition for historical reasons. Notre Dame, like many colleges, faced severe financial difficulties during World War II. The US Navy made Notre Dame a training center and paid enough for usage of the facilities, with federal tax money, to keep the University afloat. Notre Dame has since extended an open invitation for Navy to play the Irish in football and considers the game annual repayment on a debt of honor. The series is marked by mutual respect, as evidenced by each team standing at attention during the playing of the other's alma mater after the game, a tradition that started in 2005. Navy's athletic director, on renewing the series through 2016, remarked "...it is of great interest to our collective national audience of Irish fans, Naval Academy alumni, and the Navy family at large." The series is scheduled to continue indefinitely; renewals are a mere formality.

The series is a "home and home" series with the schools alternating the home team. Due to the relatively small size of the football stadium in Annapolis, the two teams have never met there. Instead, Navy usually hosts the game at larger facilities such as Baltimore's old Memorial Stadium or current M&T Bank Stadium, FedEx Field in Landover, Maryland, Veterans Stadium and later Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, or at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. During the 1960s, the Midshipmen hosted the game at John F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium in Philadelphia. In 1996 the game was played at Croke Park in Dublin, Ireland and is scheduled to return to Croke Park in 2012. The game was also occasionally played at old Cleveland Stadium.

The Streak

Here's a game-by-game look at Notre Dame's NCAA-record 43-game win streak against Navy.

1964 - Notre Dame 40, Navy 0

Notre Dame came in at 5-0 under first year coach Ara Parseghian and proceeded to shut out the injury-riddled Middies in a game that pitted 1963 Heisman Trophy winner Roger Staubach against 1964 winner John Huarte.

1965 - Notre Dame 29, Navy 3

1966 - Notre Dame 31, Navy 7

Notre Dame was 5-0 and ranked #1 heading into this year's showdown, having shut out their three previous opponents. Navy's only score came on a blocked punt that was returned for a touchdown, one of only five touchdowns the Irish would give up all year.

1967 - Notre Dame 43, Navy 14

This game is remembered for a heavy snowstorm in the second half, at which point the Notre Dame student body began chanting, "Ara stop the snow! Ara stop the snow!"

1968 - Notre Dame 45, Navy 14

This was the last game that Irish quarterback Terry Hanratty would play in during his college career. He suffered a severe knee injury during practice the following week, paving the way for Joe Theismann to take the reins.

1969 - Notre Dame 47, Navy 0

Notre Dame amassed 720 yards of total offense, a school record that still stands.

1970 - Notre Dame 56, Navy 7

1971 - Notre Dame 21, Navy 0

1972 - Notre Dame 42, Navy 23

Notre Dame's Gary Diminick returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown and the Irish never looked back.

1973 - Notre Dame 44, Navy 7

Notre Dame was 6-0 and coming off a big win over USC. They would finish the season undefeated and win the AP national championship with a 24-23 win over Alabama in the Sugar Bowl.

1974 - Notre Dame 14, Navy 6

For three quarters, Navy kept the Irish offense in check with a prodigious punting game and led, 6-0 going into the fourth quarter. Notre Dame quarterback Tom Clements managed to throw a touchdown pass to Pete Demmerle to put the Irish in front, then Randy Harrison added an insurance touchdown with an interception return. Although no one knew it at the time, Ara Parseghian made up his mind during the trip back to South Bend to resign as head coach at the end of the season.

1975 - Notre Dame 31, Navy 10

Notre Dame came into this game at 5-2 under first-year coach Dan Devine. Joe Montana was lost for the rest of the season when he suffered a broken finger.

1976 - Notre Dame 27, Navy 21

Dave Waymer tipped away a fourth down pass in the end zone late in the game to preserve the win for the Irish.

1977 - Notre Dame 43, Navy 10

Coming off an emotional win over USC, Notre Dame picked up right where they left off. They would go on to win the national championship that season.

1978 - Notre Dame 27, Navy 7

1979 - Notre Dame 14, Navy 0

Notre Dame celebrated the 50th year of service for Notre Dame Stadium during this game.

1980 - Notre Dame 33, Navy 0

Notre Dame came in undefeated and would be voted #1 after top-ranked Alabama lost. It proved to be short-lived, as the Irish were tied by Georgia Tech the following week, 3-3.

1981 - Notre Dame 38, Navy 0

Notre Dame was 2-4 coming in under first-year head coach Gerry Faust. They would finish 5-6.

1982 - Notre Dame 27, Navy 10

1983 - Notre Dame 28, Navy 12

1984 - Notre Dame 18, Navy 17

John Carney's field goal with 14 seconds remaining enabled Notre Dame to erase a 17-7 deficit and escape with a win. The officials didn't notice that the play clock had expired before the ball was snapped for the kick.

1985 - Notre Dame 41, Navy 17

1986 - Notre Dame 33, Navy 14

Notre Dame was 2-4 under first-year head coach Lou Holtz and coming off a bye week. They led at the half, 28-0 and coasted the rest of the way.

1987 - Notre Dame 56, Navy 13

Notre Dame's offense gains over 400 rushing yards in a blowout win.

1988 - Notre Dame 22, Navy 7

Notre Dame came in at 7-0 and ranked #2 behind UCLA. The game was much closer than the score would indicate, as the Irish were out of sync all afternoon after arriving at their hotel at 11:00 PM the previous night. They were voted #1 after UCLA lost on that same afternoon and would stay there for the rest of the season, winning the national championship.

1989 - Notre Dame 41, Navy 0

Notre Dame came in ranked #1 and riding a 20-game winning streak. They would set a new school record for consecutive wins the following week.

1990 - Notre Dame 52, Navy 31

Navy coach George Chaump pulled out all the stops for this game, dusting off the wishbone after discarding it at the start of the season. It wasn't enough, although it kept things interesting for a while.

1991 - Notre Dame 38, Navy 0

Notre Dame's 700th victory.

1992 - Notre Dame 38, Navy 7

1993 - Notre Dame 58, Navy 27

Navy actually led at halftime before Notre Dame got going and pulled away in the second half.

1994 - Notre Dame 58, Navy 21

1995 - Notre Dame 35, Navy 17

Irish quarterback Ron Powlus suffered a broken arm in the second half with Notre Dame trailing. Thomas Krug stepped in and engineered a comeback win. This was the last game played at Notre Dame Stadium prior to the start of expansion.

1996 - Notre Dame 54, Navy 27

This game was played at Croke Park in Dublin, Ireland, only the second time Notre Dame had played a game overseas.

1997 - Notre Dame 21, Navy 17

Allen Rossum saved the day for the Irish, knocking Navy receiver Pat McGrew out of bounds at the Notre Dame 1-yard line on a 69-yard pass as time ran out.

1998 - Notre Dame 30, Navy 0

1999 - Notre Dame 28, Navy 24

A controversial spot on a fourth down play late in the game allowed Notre Dame to maintain possession and score the winning touchdown.

2000 - Notre Dame 45, Navy 14

This game was played at the Florida Citrus Bowl for the first time.

2001 - Notre Dame 34, Navy 16

2002 - Notre Dame 30, Navy 23

The Irish, coming off a devastating loss to Boston College, scored 15 unanswered points late in the fourth quarter to pull this one out under first-year head coach Tyrone Willingham.

2003 - Notre Dame 27, Navy 24

D. J. Fitzpatrick's 40-yard field goal as time expired lifted the Irish over the Middies in an otherwise dismal season for Notre Dame, who entered the game at 2-6.

2004 - Notre Dame 27, Navy 9

2005 - Notre Dame 42, Navy 21

2006 - Notre Dame 38, Navy 14

2007 - Navy 46, Notre Dame 44 (3OT)

Main article: 2007 Navy vs. Notre Dame football game

In a game that was extremely close, Navy finally beat Notre Dame. With this, Navy ended the longest losing streak against another team in NCAA history. The Naval Academy officially canceled classes on Monday, November 5, to celebrate the victory.

Minor rivalries

In an effort to fill its schedule because it does not play in a conference, Notre Dame has played many teams that have produced rivalries during the course of the games played. These teams, however, are not considered to be Notre Dame's main rivals because of the short time span involved or the long time in between games played.

Active series

Boston College

See also: Ireland Trophy

The Irish and Boston College Eagles first met in 1975 in Dan Devine's debut as head coach. They met in the 1983 Liberty Bowl and during the regular season in 1987, then played each other annually from 1992 to 2004. The Irish and Eagles play for the Ireland Trophy. This rivalry is primarily an attempt to bank on the fact that they are the only two Catholic universities to field football teams in the NCAA Division I FBS. The rivalry has become relatively popular and gained several nicknames including the "Holy War", "The Jesuit Invitational," "The Bingo Bowl" and "The Celtic Bowl". In 1993, the Eagles ruined Notre Dame's undefeated season with a 41-39 victory on a last second field goal as time ran out, overshadowing a furious fourth quarter rally by the Irish. The series is tied at 9-9 , and the Eagles have won the last six meetings. The intensity of the series is fierce, and Boston College's status as a rival is debated by Irish fans. The series is however, scheduled to end after the 2008 season, due in part to BC's move to the ACC and Notre Dame's current commitment to play three Big East teams per year. The future of the series is unknown.

Pittsburgh

The Irish have a longtime rivalry with the Pittsburgh Panthers (no more than three years have passed without two teams meeting each other except between 1912 and 1930 and 1937 to 1943) that began in 1909. At one point, Pitt asked to end the series when the program was struggling, and the Irish agreed not to schedule any games beyond 1978. Then when Georgia Tech joined the Atlantic Coast Conference and had to drop Notre Dame as a consequence, the Panthers returned to the Irish schedule in 1982, where they have remained a fixture. Notre Dame leads the series 44-19-1. The longest game in Notre Dame history occurred between the two schools in 2008, when Pitt defeated ND in a record 4 overtimes by a field goal.

Stanford

The Irish have a minor rivalry with the Stanford Cardinal (for the Legends Trophy, a combination of Irish crystal with California redwood). The two teams first met in the 1925 Rose Bowl, then played each other in 1942 and again in 1963-64. The modern series began in 1988 and has been played annually except in 1995-96. Notre Dame leads the series 17-6. When the game is played in Palo Alto, it is usually the last game on Stanford's schedule (as has been the case since 1999), one week after the Cardinal plays archrival Cal in The Big Game.

Inactive/infrequent/historic series

Air Force

The Irish and Falcons first met in 1964 with the Irish prevailing, 34-7, and proceeded to play each other annually from 1972 to 1991 (they didn't meet in 1976). Notre Dame won the first 11 contests before Gerry Faust's teams lost four straight in the early 80s. One of the most memorable games was the 1975 contest in which Notre Dame, trailing 30-10 in the fourth quarter, rallied behind Joe Montana for a 31-30 comeback win. The Irish and Falcons last met in 2007. The Irish came into this game matching their worst start in Notre Dame history with a 1-8 record. The Falcons won for the first time since 1996 by a score of 41-24, the largest margin of victory for Air Force in six wins over the Irish, the biggest by a military academy since Navy beat the Irish 35-14 in 1963 behind Roger Staubach and it marked the first time they had ever scored 40 points in a game against Notre Dame. It marked the first time Notre Dame had lost to two service academies in the same season since 1944 and it was also a school-record sixth straight home loss for the Irish. Notre Dame leads the series 22-6. There are no future games scheduled due to Notre Dame's commitment to play three Big East teams annually.

Army

The first Notre Dame-Army matchup in 1913 is generally regarded as the game that put the Irish on the college football map. In that game, Notre Dame revolutionized the forward pass in a stunning 35-13 victory. For years it was "The Game" on Notre Dame's schedule, played at Yankee Stadium in New York. During the 1940s, the rivalry with the U.S. Military Academy Black Knights reached its zenith. This was due to the fact that both teams were extremely successful and met several times in key games (including one of the Games of the Century, a scoreless tie in the 1946 Army vs. Notre Dame football game). In 1944, the Black Knights administered the worst defeat in Notre Dame football history, crushing the Irish, 59-0. The following year, it was more of the same, a 48-0 blitzkrieg. After meeting every year since 1919, Army decided to end the annual series after 1947 because they felt it was becoming too one-sided in favor of the Irish. The game was played in South Bend for the first time and the Irish prevailed, 27-7. Since then, there have been infrequent meetings over the past several decades, with Army's last win coming in 1958. Like Navy, due to the small capacity of Army's Michie Stadium, the Black Knights would play their home games at a neutral site, which for a number of years was Yankee Stadium and before that, the Polo Grounds. In 1957, the game was played in Philadelphia's Municipal (later John F. Kennedy Memorial) Stadium while in 1965, the teams met at Shea Stadium in New York. They last met at Yankee Stadium in 1969. The 1973 contest was played at West Point with the Irish prevailing, 62-3. In more recent times, games in which Army was the host have been played at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Notre Dame leads the series 37-8-4. Notre Dame will play Army again in 2010.

Georgia Tech

This series began in 1922. The Yellow Jackets were a longtime rival of the Irish and the two teams met periodically on an annual basis over the years. When Georgia Tech, who had been an independent since 1963 when they dropped out of the Southeastern Conference, joined the Atlantic Coast Conference beginning in 1982, they were forced to end the series after 1981 because of scheduling difficulties. Consequently the two teams have met very infrequently since then. Georgia Tech was the opponent in the inaugural game in the newly expanded Notre Dame Stadium in 1997, then a year later they met again in the Gator Bowl. The Irish and Yellow Jackets met in the 2006 and 2007 season openers and split both games. Notre Dame holds a 27-6-1 edge in the series.

Miami (Florida)

The rivalry with the University of Miami Hurricanes began in 1955 and through the 70s was dominated by Notre Dame. Traditionally, it was the season-ending game for the Irish in odd-numbered years, as they sought to end each season at a warm-weather site. Miami holds the distinction of being the only team to shut out Notre Dame during the Ara Parseghian (0-0 in 1965), Gerry Faust (20-0 in 1983) and Lou Holtz (24-0 in 1987) eras. During the 1980s, this once-docile rivalry became ferocious. Both teams were national contenders in the latter part of the decade, and both teams cost each other at least one national championship. Hostilities were fueled when the Hurricanes routed the Irish in the 1985 season finale, 58-7, with Miami widely accused of running up the score in the second half. The rivalry gained national attention and both teams played their most famous game in 1988, dubbed the "Catholics vs. Convicts" contest won by the Irish, 31-30. The two squads have not met since 1990, with Notre Dame holding a 15-7-1 edge.

Nebraska

The Irish and the Nebraska Cornhuskers first met in 1915 and played each other annually through 1925. They were replaced on the schedule by USC. They met twice during the Frank Leahy era in 1947 and 1948 and squared off in the 1973 Orange Bowl, a game in which the Huskers handed the Irish their worst defeat under Ara Parseghian, 40-6. More recently, there was a home-and-home series in 2000-01. The 2000 game was a memorable one, as #1 Nebraska escaped an Irish defeat in overtime on the option play of Heisman winner Eric Crouch. Nebraska leads the series 8-7-1.

Northwestern

This rivalry began in 1889, one of the oldest in Irish football annals. It has been suggested that the nickname, "Fighting Irish," originated during that first meeting when Northwestern fans chanted, "Kill those Irish! Kill those fighting Irish!" at halftime. Northwestern University and Notre Dame had a yearly contest from 1929 to 1948, with the winner taking home a shillelagh, much like the winner of the USC-Notre Dame contest now receives. The Northwestern-Notre Dame shillelagh was largely forgotten by the early 1960s. Northwestern ended the series after 1948, as did several other schools who were getting tired of being beaten year in and year out by Notre Dame, and the two schools would not meet again until 1959. By then, Ara Parseghian was coaching the Wildcats, who notched four consecutive victories over Notre Dame between 1959 and 1962. After Ara came to Notre Dame, he posted a 9-0 docket against his old team. In fact, the Irish did not lose to Northwestern again until their most recent meeting in 1995. Notre Dame holds a 37-8-2 edge against the Wildcats.

Penn State

Notre Dame and Penn State first met in 1913. After subsequent games in 1925, 1926 and 1928, the two schools would not meet again until the 1976 Gator Bowl, by which time an annual home-and-home series beginning in 1981 had been agreed upon. The Irish held a 4-0-1 edge going in to 1981, but the The Nittany Lions proceeded to win six of next seven games. The coaches were one source of the rivalry. Lou Holtz and Joe Paterno were both long serving and successful coaches. Their friendly rivalry helped expand the ND - Penn State rivalry to new dimensions. The series ended after the 1992 season. It had been scheduled to continue through 1994 and Notre Dame approached Penn State about extending it even further, but Penn State's admittance to the Big Ten in 1990 made it more difficult to fit the games on the schedule. However the Irish and Nittany Lions recent successes and other factors led to the renewal of the rivalry in 2006-07, in which the teams split both games. The series is even at 9-9-1.