Notre Dame is 2-1 — with the two wins aiding or clinching national titles, and the one defeat preventing one. The loss was in the 1938 season finale at USC (13-0), where the top-ranked Irish fell under Elmer Layden who also seriously vied for the 1935 title.
In his seven seasons at Notre Dame (1934-40), Layden's .770 winning percentage was actually better than what Lou Holtz (.765) and Dan Devine (.764) had. But because there is no national title like with Holtz and Devine, the former Four Horseman doesn't have a coaching statue on campus.
Silver Medal, 1977: Just like four years earlier in another national title run, Notre Dame caps its regular season with a 48-10 romp at night in Miami for its ninth straight win and a 10-1 campaign. Joe Montana completes 15 of 26 passes for 192 yards and three touchdowns, two to All-America tight end Ken MacAfee. Ranked No. 5, the 10-1 Irish next play No. 1 and 11-0 Texas in the Cotton Bowl, but the thought is Devine's career would need to win big to vault all the way to No. 1.
Here's a review of that season:
Gold Medal, 1949: Speaking of Cotton Bowl... this wasn't the bowl game but this contest in Dallas' Cotton Bowl Stadium was what head coach Frank Leahy described as the most exciting game he's ever been in as a player or coach. The 27-20 win over SMU clinches a third national title in four years, his first and only 10-0 campaign at Notre Dame — and four years without a defeat (36-0-2).
With SMU star Doak Walker injured, Kyle Rote steps in and puts on a scintillating performance that ties the game at 20 after ND jumped to a 14-0 lead (only a blocked extra point by ND's Gerry Groom keeps it tied). The Irish then march on a fourth-quarter game-winning TD drive with Billy Barrett tallying to make it 27-20, and then have a dramatic goal-line stand in which a fourth-down pass is intercepted by both Groom and Bob Lally.
In his seven seasons at Notre Dame (1934-40), Layden's .770 winning percentage was actually better than what Lou Holtz (.765) and Dan Devine (.764) had. But because there is no national title like with Holtz and Devine, the former Four Horseman doesn't have a coaching statue on campus.
Silver Medal, 1977: Just like four years earlier in another national title run, Notre Dame caps its regular season with a 48-10 romp at night in Miami for its ninth straight win and a 10-1 campaign. Joe Montana completes 15 of 26 passes for 192 yards and three touchdowns, two to All-America tight end Ken MacAfee. Ranked No. 5, the 10-1 Irish next play No. 1 and 11-0 Texas in the Cotton Bowl, but the thought is Devine's career would need to win big to vault all the way to No. 1.
Here's a review of that season:
Gold Medal, 1949: Speaking of Cotton Bowl... this wasn't the bowl game but this contest in Dallas' Cotton Bowl Stadium was what head coach Frank Leahy described as the most exciting game he's ever been in as a player or coach. The 27-20 win over SMU clinches a third national title in four years, his first and only 10-0 campaign at Notre Dame — and four years without a defeat (36-0-2).
With SMU star Doak Walker injured, Kyle Rote steps in and puts on a scintillating performance that ties the game at 20 after ND jumped to a 14-0 lead (only a blocked extra point by ND's Gerry Groom keeps it tied). The Irish then march on a fourth-quarter game-winning TD drive with Billy Barrett tallying to make it 27-20, and then have a dramatic goal-line stand in which a fourth-down pass is intercepted by both Groom and Bob Lally.
Last edited:
