Notre Dame Fighting Irish football rivalries

See also: 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 has a major rivalry with the University of Southern California, and also has a 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.^[1] Michigan is college football's all-time leader in winning percentage, followed by Notre Dame,^[2] while Notre Dame and USC are tops in national championships, and Heisman Trophies.^[3] The Fighting Irish have maintained longtime annual series with Michigan State University, Purdue University, and the U.S. Naval Academy.^[2] 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,^[4] and is regarded as the greatest intersectional series in college football.^[5] The winner of the annual rivalry game is awarded the coveted Jeweled Shillelagh, a war club adorned with emerald-emblazoned clovers signifying Fighting 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 2011 season, Notre Dame leads the rivalry series 43-34-5.^[2]

The origin of the series is quite often recounted as a "conversation between wives"^[6] 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.^[6] USC dispatched Wilson and his wife to Lincoln, Nebraska, where Notre Dame was playing Nebraska on Thanksgiving Day.^[6] 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.^[6] Mrs. Rockne spoke to her husband and on December 4, 1926, USC became an annual fixture on Notre Dame’s schedule.^[6]

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.^[7] Sperber documents that USC offered to play Notre Dame back in 1925 at the Rose Bowl.^[7] Notre Dame ultimately played Stanford that year because they were the Pacific Coast conference champs.^[7] 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.^[7] The series creation was also likely aided by USC coach Howard Jones, whom Rockne recommended USC hire due to their long friendship.^[7]

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.^[7] Conferences have periodically approached Notre Dame about joining,^[8] most notably the Big Ten in 1999.^[9] 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 Fighting 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 Fighting Irish schedule each season, but it has varied by as few as two (1983–84) to as many as five (1962, 1968). Michigan, Michigan State and Purdue are the most frequently scheduled Big Ten opponents.

Michigan

Main article: Notre Dame-Michigan rivalry

Notre Dame and Michigan first played in 1887 in Notre Dame's introduction to football.^[2] The Wolverines proceeded to win the first eight contests, before losing in 1909, the final game in the series until the 1942, when the Wolverines defeated the Fighting Irish. On October 9, 1943, top-ranked Notre Dame defeated second-ranked Michigan in the first matchup of top teams since the institution of the AP Poll in 1936. After that, the series again was halted. It resumed in 1978 and has been contested every year since, with the exception of hiatuses in 1983-84, 1995–96, and 2000-01. Including the 2011 game, Michigan leads the overall series 23-15-1; since 1978, the series is tied 13-13-1.^[2] 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 University that began in 1897.^[2] 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.^[10] 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.^[11] Currently the Fighting Irish are 46-32-1 vs. the Spartans.^[2] However, MSU has won 10 of the last 14 meetings, including a streak of six consecutive wins in South Bend from 1997-2007.^[2] The Spartans also beat Notre Dame eight straight times between 1955 and 1963 (they did not meet in 1958) under coach Duffy Daugherty.^[2] The two teams play for the Megaphone Trophy.

Purdue

Main article: Shillelagh Trophy

The Fighting 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.^[2] The Fighting Irish lead the series at 54-26-2 as of 2010.^[2] 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.^[2] 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 by an opponent 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.^[12] It was the eleventh 1 vs 2 game (and the sixth involving Notre Dame).^[11]

Navy (U.S. Naval Academy)

The Notre Dame-Navy series has been played annually since 1927, making it the longest uninterrupted intersectional series in college football.^[13] Notre Dame holds a 71-12-1 series edge.^[2] 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.^[14] 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 Fighting Irish field goal kept the game from going to overtime and gave Notre Dame a 27-24 victory.

Navy subsequently won the game again in 2009 and 2010.

Despite the one-sided result the last few decades, most Notre Dame and Navy fans consider the series a sacred tradition for historical reasons. Both schools have strong football traditions going back to the beginnings of the sport. 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 to keep the University afloat. Notre Dame has since extended an open invitation for Navy to play the Fighting 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 Fighting Irish fans, Naval Academy alumni, and the Navy family at large."^[13] The series is scheduled to continue indefinitely; renewals are a mere formality.^[13]

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. The game will return to Dublin in 2012, where the Aviva Stadium will be the host venue.^[15] The game was also occasionally played at old Cleveland Stadium.

In years when Navy hosts (even-numbered), it is one of few non-Southeastern Conference games aired on CBS. In years when Notre Dame hosts (odd-numbered), it is carried on NBC as are other Notre Dame home games.

The Streak

See also: 2007 Navy vs. Notre Dame football game

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 Mids 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 Fighting Irish would give up all year en route to a national championship.

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 Fighting 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 

The game was tied, 7-7 before the Fighting Irish pulled away. Leading the nation in total offense for most of the season behind Heisman Trophy runner-up Joe Theismann, Notre Dame gained 600 yards of total offense.

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 Fighting 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 Fighting 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 Fighting 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 Fighting 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 Fighting 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. This game was much closer than the score would indicate, as the Fighting 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. This was their first shutout of an opponent under coach Lou Holtz.

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 

Fighting 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 Fighting 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 Fighting 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 Fighting 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)

Other 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.

Air Force

The Fighting Irish and Falcons first met in 1964 with the Fighting 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 Fighting Irish and Falcons last met in 2007. The Fighting 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 Fighting Irish, the biggest by a military academy since Navy beat the Fighting 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 Fighting Irish. Notre Dame leads the series 23-6.^[16] Notre Dame and Air Force will meet again for the 2013 football season.

Army

Main article: Notre Dame – Army rivalry

The first Notre Dame-Army matchup in 1913 is generally regarded as the game that put the Fighting Irish on the college football map.^[7] In that game, Notre Dame revolutionized the forward pass in a stunning 35-13 victory.^[7] For years it was "The Game" on Notre Dame's schedule, played at Yankee Stadium in New York.^[7] During the 1940s, the rivalry with the U.S. Military Academy Black Knights reached its zenith. This was because 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 Fighting 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 Fighting Irish. The game was played in South Bend for the first time and the Fighting 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 Fighting 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 38-8-4.,^[2] most recently playing Army at the new Yankee Stadium, winning in a 27-3 decision.

Boston College

Main article: Holy War (Boston College vs. Notre Dame)

The Fighting 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 Fighting Irish and Eagles play for the Frank Leahy Memorial Bowl and the Ireland Trophy. This rivalry is primarily an attempt to bank on the fact that they are the only 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 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 Fighting Irish. Notre Dame leads the series 11-9,^[2] winning the last two contests in 2009 and 2010 after the Eagles won the last six meetings. The series was scheduled to end after the 2010 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, however it was renewed in 2010 for another decade.

Georgia Tech

This series began in 1922. The Yellow Jackets were a longtime rival of the Fighting 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 Fighting 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.^[2]

LSU

Though Notre Dame has traditionally played northern and western universities, it has played against southern schools with increasing regularity in recent decades, including several from the Deep South. Notre Dame's initial avoidance of bowl games and its disdain for segregation generally limited opportunities to compete against schools from the Deep South until the 1970s. When Notre Dame ended its self-imposed bowl-ban to play in the 1970 Cotton Bowl - a bowl that had indicated it would invite a 9-1-0 Louisiana State University team until Notre Dame made itself available - LSU imposed a one-year bowl ban on itself in protest, and the seething LSU fan base drew a bead on the Fighting Irish program. In a subsequent two-game series set for the 1970 and 1971 seasons - billed as a series between the nation's largest private Catholic college and the public university with the most Catholic students - the teams split. The #2-ranked Irish took a hard-fought 3-0 victory in South Bend the first year with a late score, and a revenge-minded LSU squad won handily the next year in Tiger Stadium, 28-8. With the Catholic traditions of both schools, it was thought that a regular series would develop, and Notre Dame approved four more games several years down the road. The first, being Gerry Faust's first game as head coach, drew extensive media coverage, and ended with the Fighting Irish pulling a 27-9 upset over the Fighting Tigers in South Bend, moving the Irish into the #1 spot in the polls afterward. Faust also led another upset over LSU in Death Valley in 1984 (30-22). In 1985 LSU made a late interception and held on to a 10-7 lead for its first win in South Bend. Faust later said on a radio interview that when he saw Tim Brown crying in the locker room after the loss - Brown had blamed himself for the interception - he told Brown that the loss was Faust's own fault, and then he made the conscious decision to step down as head coach. LSU won the next year at home, 21-19, against new head coach Lou Holtz. The game featured a 96-yard kickoff return by Brown and a goal-line stand by LSU. The Fighting Tigers also held off a 2-point conversion with 3:32 remaining. The series then ceased for another few years. In the mean time, LSU hired Notre Dame alum Gerry DiNardo as head coach. He first coached against his alma mater in 1997, with Notre Dame winning in a rainy 24-6 upset in Baton Rouge. The two schools met again the following month in the Independence Bowl with LSU winning this time, 27-9. Notre Dame got revenge the next year in South Bend, 39-36. Following another brief hiatus in the series, the two schools met again in the 2007 Sugar Bowl, the first Sugar Bowl to be held in New Orleans since Hurricane Katrina had chased it to Atlanta the year before. Despite the pre-game attention garnered for quarterback Brady Quinn - who had won numerous awards that season and was considered a possible #1 draft pick - LSU's JaMarcus Russell had a career game and jumped Quinn as the first choice in the next NFL draft. The Fighting Tigers won 41-14. Notre Dame announced in conjunction with that Sugar Bowl appearance that they would like to play a future regular season game in the Superdome but have indicated that LSU may not necessarily be their opponent there. The area is a potential recruiting source for Notre Dame, given its unusually large Catholic population in a region of the country more known for its volume of Baptist adherents. LSU has now played Notre Dame in each of the last four decades and more times than any other Southeastern Conference school. LSU also has more wins against Notre Dame than any other SEC school. The series record is currently split evenly at 5-5. Notre Dame and LSU are two of only several schools in the country that use the word "Fighting" as part of their mascot names, although most people know LSU as merely the "Tigers" without the word "Fighting".

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 Fighting 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 Fighting 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 games from 1988–1990, dubbed the "Catholics vs. Convicts" contests. The first was won by the Fighting Irish, 31-30, with Miami ending Notre Dame's record 23-game winning streak the following year, 27-10. The rivalry ended after the Fighting Irish crushed #2 Miami's hopes for a repeat national championship with a 29-20 victory in South Bend. The Fighting Irish and the Hurricanes met again, in the 2010 Sun Bowl in El Paso, Texas, where Notre Dame routed a self-destructing Miami 33-17.

Notre Dame holds a 16-7-1 edge.^[2] They will meet in Soldier Field in 2012, to play each other in the regular season for the first time since 1990 and will renew a yearly home-and-home series starting in 2016.

Nebraska

The Fighting Irish and the Nebraska Cornhuskers first met in 1915 and played each other annually through 1925. During the years of Notre Dame's famed Four Horsemen backfield from 1922 to 1924, the Fighting Irish compiled a record of 27-2-1, with both of their only losses coming to Nebraska in Lincoln (1922 & 1923). The Fighting Irish won in 1924 in South Bend and Nebraska won in 1925 in Lincoln, evening up the series at 5-5-1 (the 0-0 tie occurring in 1918). The Huskers were replaced on Notre Dame's schedule with USC. They met twice during the Frank Leahy era in 1947 and 1948 (with the Fighting Irish winning 31-0 and 44-13, respectively) and squared off in the 1973 Orange Bowl, a game in which the Huskers handed the Fighting Irish their worst defeat under Ara Parseghian, 40-6. More recently, there was a home-and-home series in 2000-01 (with the Huskers winning 27-24 and 27-10, respectively). The 2000 game was a memorable one, as #1 Nebraska escaped a Fighting Irish defeat in overtime on a touchdown run by Heisman winner Eric Crouch. Nebraska leads the series 8-7-1.^[2]

Northwestern

This rivalry began in 1889, one of the oldest in Fighting 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,^[17] 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 Fighting Irish did not lose to Northwestern again until their most recent meeting in September 1995, which was the beginning of a Rose Bowl season for the Wildcats. The series will be renewed in 2014 when the Wildcats will travel to South Band for the first time in 20 years, the Irish will repay the visit in 2018 when they will travel to Evanston.^[18] Notre Dame holds a 37-8-2 edge against the Wildcats, but Northwestern has scoreboard from their most recent meeting on the road in South Bend.^[2]

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 Fighting Irish held a 4-0-1 edge going in to 1981, but 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, coinciding with formerly independent Penn State's affiliation with the Big Ten. 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 Fighting 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.^[2]

Pittsburgh

The Fighting Irish's longtime rivalry with the Pittsburgh Panthers, Notre Dame's fifth most played football opponent, began in 1909 and there have been no more than two consecutive seasons without two teams meeting each other except between 1913–1929, 1938–1942, and 1979-1981. Since 1982, the Panthers have remained a relative fixture on the schedule. Notre Dame leads the series 44-20-1.^[2] 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

Main article: Notre Dame – Stanford rivalry

The Fighting Irish have a minor rivalry with the Stanford Cardinal (for the Legends Trophy, a combination of Fighting 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 17–8.^[2] 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.

References

1. ^ "Past Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (Division I FBS) National Champions (formerly called Division I-A)". ncaa.org. Archived from the original on 2008-03-25. http://web.archive.org/web/20080325105535/http://www.ncaa.org/champadmin/ia_football_past_champs.html. Retrieved 2008-04-25. 
2. ^ ^{a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v} "2007 Notre Dame Media Guide: History and Records (pages 131-175)". und.cstv.com. http://und.cstv.com/auto_pdf/p_hotos/s_chools/nd/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/07fbguidehistory. Retrieved 2008-04-24. 
3. ^ "Heisman Winners". Heisman.com`. http://www.heisman.com/winners/hsmn-winners.html. Retrieved 2008-05-04. ^{[dead link]}
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5. ^ Walters, John (2005-10-13). "Does it get any better than this?". si.com. http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2005/writers/john_walters/10/12/inside.cfb/index.html. Retrieved 2008-04-24. 
6. ^ ^{a b c d e} "2006 USC Media Guide: History Cont.". usctrojans.cstv.com. http://graphics.fansonly.com/schools/usc/graphics/media-guides/06-footbl/06fbguide208.pdf. Retrieved 2008-04-25. 
7. ^ ^{a b c d e f g h i} Sperber, Murray (2002-09). Shake Down The Thunder: The Creation of Notre Dame Football. Indiana University Press. ISBN 0-253-21568-4. 
8. ^ Whiteside, Kelly (2003-07-01). "Notre Dame courted but relishes football independence". usatoday.com. http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/2003-07-01-irish-big-east_x.htm. Retrieved 2008-05-05. 
9. ^ "Irish say 'no thanks' to joining Big Ten". mndaily.com. 1999-02-08. Archived from the original on 2007-12-20. http://web.archive.org/web/20071220054555/http://www.mndaily.com/daily/1999/02/08/sports/irish/. Retrieved 2008-05-05. 
10. ^ Walters, John (2004-07-21). Notre Dame Golden Moments. Rutledge Hill Press. ISBN 1-591860-42-3. 
11. ^ ^{a b} "No. 1 vs. No. 2". cbs.sportsline.com. http://sportsline.com/collegefootball/story/9639920. Retrieved 2008-05-05. 
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13. ^ ^{a b c} "Notre Dame And Navy Extend Series 10 More Years". und.cstv.com. 2005-11-10. http://und.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/111005aac.html. Retrieved 2008-05-05. 
14. ^ "Notre Dame's NCAA-record 43-game win streak over Navy ends". espn.com. http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/recap?gameId=273070087. Retrieved 2008-05-05. 
15. ^ "Aviva Stadium To Host The 2012 Navy-Notre Dame Game". navysports.com. 2010-09-01. http://www.navysports.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/092110aaa.html. Retrieved 2010-09-23. 
16. ^ "Air Force at Notre Dame - Fighting Irish Post Game Notes" (Press release). University of Notre Dame Athletic Department. October 8, 2011. http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/nd/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/2011-12/postgame_notes/postgame_notes_20111008aaa.pdf. 
17. ^ http://hailtopurple.com/features/trophyhistory.html
18. ^ http://espn.go.com/blog/ncfnation/post/_/id/40771/northwestern-nd-reunion-makes-sense