Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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www.BLUEANDGOLD.com PRESEASON 2017 23 6. ALABAMA JAN. 1, 1975 (ORANGE BOWL) — 13-11 Setting: Parseghian had announced two weeks earlier that this showdown with the 11-0 Crimson Tide would be his final game at Notre Dame. It was supposed to be the second straight na- tional title matchup between the two, but the 9-2 Irish had lost 55-24 at USC in the regular-season finale after lead- ing 24-0 just before halftime. Note: A double-digit underdog in some circles, especially after the USC fiasco, Notre Dame dug deep to hang on for the two-point win, with corner- back Reggie Barnett intercepting an Alabama pass deep in Irish territory with about 1:15 left. Impact: For the third time in five seasons, Notre Dame vanquished an unbeaten and No. 1 team in a bowl game, a feat unmatched by any other coach in history. Parseghian retired from coaching at the age of 51 with a 95-17-4 record that included two consensus national titles, a share of a third and a top-five finish in the Associated Press poll eight times in his 11 seasons. 5. MICHIGAN STATE NOV. 19, 1966 — 10-10 Setting: The "Game of The Century" between 8-0 and No. 1 Notre Dame and 9-0 and No. 2 Michigan State in East Lansing would ostensibly deter- mine the national title. Note: On the road without their starting quarterback Hanratty, star halfback Eddy and All-American cen- ter George Goeddeke because of in- juries, the Irish rallied from an early 10-0 hole to knot the game while not allowing the Spartans past midfield in the second half. Impact: Parseghian was vilified the rest of his life for "playing for the tie" after the Irish received the ball late in the contest, a charge that he emphati- cally would have to defend and deny repeatedly. Many might contend this was his most famous game of all, despite not winning. Still, the Irish remained No. 1 with one game left versus No. 10 and Pac-8 champ USC. 4. TEXAS JAN. 1, 1971 (COTTON BOWL) — 24-11 Setting: For the second year in a row, the Cotton Bowl matched up No. 1 Texas — the defending national champ with a 30-game winning streak — against the No. 6 Irish. It was sup- posed to be the national title matchup until the Irish lost the regular-season finale at USC, 38-28. Note: Parseghian concocted the "Mirror Defense" versus the Long- horns' vaunted triple-option attack that would generate nine fumbles (five lost) by Texas. Meanwhile, Theismann ran for two touchdowns and tossed a third for the Irish in his final game. Impact: After No. 2 Ohio State was upset by Stanford in the Rose Bowl, Notre Dame was looking at vault- ing from No. 6 to No. 1 — until No. 3 and unbeaten Nebraska rallied in the fourth quarter to beat LSU in the Orange Bowl, 17-12. Still, it was the first of seven Notre Dame bowl wins over an unbeaten and/or No. 1 team over a 23-year span from 1970-92. 3. USC OCT. 27, 1973 — 23-14 Setting: The mighty Trojans entered Notre Dame Stadium against the No. 8 Irish with a 23-game unbeaten streak and had not lost in the last six meet- ings to Parseghian's teams. The knock on the Irish coach was he could "not win the big one" — meaning USC, spe- cifically. The year prior, Anthony Davis scored six touchdowns — two on kick- off returns — in a 45-23 win over the Irish en route to the national title. Note: Highlighted by Eric Penick's 85-yard touchdown run and a defen- sive effort led by Greg Collins and Lu- ther Bradley that helped limit Davis to 55 yards on 19 rushing attempts, Notre Dame ended its USC drought with this victory in the rain. Impact: The win propelled Notre Dame to Parseghian's first perfect reg- ular season (10-0) in his 10 years with the Irish and a national title clash with No. 1 Alabama in the Sugar Bowl. 2. USC NOV. 26, 1966 — 51-0 Setting: One week after the 10-10 tie at Michigan State, the physically beaten up and emotionally drained No. 1 Irish traveled to Pac-8 champ USC — which two years earlier shat- tered Notre Dame's national title bid. Note: With backup QB Coley O'Brien's pinpoint passing and the defense led by end Alan Page and linebacker Jim Lynch asserting its dominance, Notre Dame handed Rose Bowl-bound USC what to this day re- mains its worst defeat ever in point margin. Impact: Because the national title was voted on at the end of the regular season in these days, the 9-0-1 Irish clinched their first No. 1 finish in 17 years, putting Parseghian in the im- mortal company of school icons Knute Rockne and Frank Leahy. 1. ALABAMA DEC. 31, 1973 (SUGAR BOWL) — 24-23 Setting: For the first time ever, the two superheavyweight programs — 11-0 and No. 1 Alabama and 10-0 and No. 3 Notre Dame — would meet. The matchup for the national title was la- beled the biggest game in the history of the South by Crimson Tide head coach Paul "Bear" Bryant. Note: In one of the greatest college or pro championship matchups ever, a contest which would include an un- matched seven lead changes, Notre Dame survived the epic duel with maybe the most famous play in school history, a 35-yard completion on third- and-eight from its 3-yard line from Tom Clements to Robin Weber with about two minutes left. Impact: The victory clinched Par- seghian's second consensus national title, further cementing his legacy as one of the all-time greats. ✦ Tom Clements' 35-yard completion to Robin Weber on third-and-eight from the Irish 3-yard line with about two minutes left in the game helped clinch Notre Dame's 24-23 win over Alabama in the 1973 Sugar Bowl that gave Ara Parseghian his second consensus national title. PHOTO COURTESY NOTRE DAME MEDIA RELATIONS