Let's exorcise these negative waves from our very beings and talk greatest wins. Believe it or not, the Irish have had a couple. Plenty to choose from. Rumor has it that ND did play football before the "Era of Ara". 1957 ND 7-0 win over Oklahoma stopped the Sooners 47 game win streak. 1971 Cotton Bowl ND 24-11 win over #1 Texas ended the Longhorns 30 game win streak. The best of them all.... December 6, 1888 and a Notre Dame 20-0 win over Harvard School of Chicago. That win was the very first.
Most Thrilling Wins
- Thread starter Toby Smart
- Start date
The 1973 Sugar Bowl against Alabama. The pass play by Clements to Weber was a gutsy call...
88 Miami...
That game solidified ND as being right there with UM.
To the youth of the board I can't Express just how big that was. UM was the modern day Alabama. They were the best, knew they were the best..etc.
The next one I'd say was the FSU game in 93. Charlie Ward was doing what every team does today. Hurry up offense, run or pass...nobody could stop them.
The hype for that gane was enormous as FSU was the trendy new darlings because of Ward and that offense and we were just the lunch pale team pulling the sleeves up and winning ganes old school. The media sort of chuckled at our chances because of that.
The result? FSU got their ass whipped big time. The score wasn't indicative of the game whatsoever. FSU got absolutely manhandled that game.
Lee Becton still my favorite running back because he did so much more with absolutely so much less talent. Tremendous line ... but his vision was extraordinary and his cutting legendary. Could have timed him with a calendar but he just made really good defenders play at his speed and look foolish.
That game solidified ND as being right there with UM.
To the youth of the board I can't Express just how big that was. UM was the modern day Alabama. They were the best, knew they were the best..etc.
The next one I'd say was the FSU game in 93. Charlie Ward was doing what every team does today. Hurry up offense, run or pass...nobody could stop them.
The hype for that gane was enormous as FSU was the trendy new darlings because of Ward and that offense and we were just the lunch pale team pulling the sleeves up and winning ganes old school. The media sort of chuckled at our chances because of that.
The result? FSU got their ass whipped big time. The score wasn't indicative of the game whatsoever. FSU got absolutely manhandled that game.
Lee Becton still my favorite running back because he did so much more with absolutely so much less talent. Tremendous line ... but his vision was extraordinary and his cutting legendary. Could have timed him with a calendar but he just made really good defenders play at his speed and look foolish.
2018--Notre Dame 24 to 16 over Ball State. The Irish thwarted a furious Ball State comeback in the fourth quarter to stay in the playoff hunt. Many fans had given up on the Irish after that game-- but not me---I knew it was going to be a whale of a game--as I posted a week before the game. I warned you fairweathered fans.
Because of what it meant for the program at the time, the Music City Bowl win against LSU made me euphoric. And part of that was the belief of many LSU fans at the game that we couldn't even hang with them.
I realize it's only Purdue, but 2000 Nick Setta drills a 47 yard field goal at the buzzer to cap a come from behind 23-21 victory over the Drew Brees led Boilers. Best part was ol Sluggo traveled in an RV full of Boiler fans and won $243 playing cards on the way home.
Yes it was----I was in attendance
But 88 UM win was the modern day Gold Standard IMO .
Followed closely by the win over Texas in the Cotton Bowl which secured the MNC
But 88 UM win was the modern day Gold Standard IMO .
Followed closely by the win over Texas in the Cotton Bowl which secured the MNC
1. '88 vs. Miami
2. '92 vs. Penn State. Reggie Brooks 2pt. conversion.
3. '91(?) Orange Bowl vs. Colorado. Rocket returns kick for TD only to be called back for a phantom clipping call. Still an amazing finish to that game.
4. '92 vs. Michigan. Reggie Brooks "unconscious" TD.
5. '80 vs. Michigan. Bob Crable's block.
6. '06 vs. UCLA. Shark at his best.
2. '92 vs. Penn State. Reggie Brooks 2pt. conversion.
3. '91(?) Orange Bowl vs. Colorado. Rocket returns kick for TD only to be called back for a phantom clipping call. Still an amazing finish to that game.
4. '92 vs. Michigan. Reggie Brooks "unconscious" TD.
5. '80 vs. Michigan. Bob Crable's block.
6. '06 vs. UCLA. Shark at his best.
#2...
The play before was even more amazing. That was Lou Holtz at his best...that TD little flip on 4th down to bettis sneaking out the backfield where the Linebackers WERE...that was the epitome of lou Holtz playback. Simple yet always exploiting even in the simplest of ways.
#3 was horseshit clippimg call. We might have gotten a piece of the title with Ga Tech winning that game.
#4 ended in a tie but was the toughest run I've ever seen.
Good selections.
USC in ‘73 & ‘77. Texas ‘78 cotton bowl & Houston ‘79 cotton bowl. Sugar bowl against Florida was a good one. ‘88 & ‘90 Miami. ‘93 FSU. So many back in the day it’s hard to say but since a lot of my friends are gators, the Cheerios bowl is hard to beat for me. Love that we threw some ND tradition at them w/ the green numbers too.
Good call on ‘06 UCLA and ‘06 MSU. That stadium erupted when Quinn hit smardzija. Great win against a really good defense that gave a great offense all they could handle. ‘05-‘06 ND teams were damn good.
2015 vs Virginia when Kizer came off the bench to lead a come from behind win. Classic picture of VA fan slumped over the first row.
Not in person, but on TV. Watched that game, when I was still quite young.
Miami 88 is probably the best. There are plenty of others. I’ll just name 2 that I thought were very exciting but also very significant. ND/Bama 1973 Sugar Bowl. Irish win 24 -23 and win the NC. The third and 8 pass from Clemens to Weber from the shadow of the goal line was pure guts and sealed the win for the Irish.
The 1986 ND/SC game in the colesium. Lou Holtz first year. The Irish were trailing by 17 at the start of the fourth Quarter. Then they caught fire. They lost so many close games that year. They kept playing hard and finally showed they could win a big game on the road against their arch rival. It was that win that I knew it wouldn’t be long before the Irish were back in with the upper echelon of college football.
I remember the 86 USC game too. Tim Brown with a long punt return late in the 4th quarter. Then the TV broadcast screwed up and cut to a commercial break at the end of the game and missed the game winning field goal -- when they returned to the game the Irish were already celebrating on the field. It was a great comeback win and I agree was a harbinger of big things to come for Holtz and the program.
I'm guessing more than most never heard of that game.
Most probably don't even know what game we are talking about. I knew with 100% certainty that the three games I listed would get zero reaction and I was not disappointed. LOL. Anything before Lou didn't exist. Pink Floyd didn't exist before "Dark Side of the Moon". Record albums, 45s, drinking water out of a garden hose, the old Route 66. Never happened. Before Rocket there was Johnny Lujack. You'd never know it though. Still, finally a positive topic we all can chew on for awhile.
Yep! How many know of Monte Stickles FG to upset Army?
“The kick was the climactic moment for the 95,000 frenzied spectators in Philadelphia's Municipal Stadium. They had been on tiptoe since the beginning of the fourth period when Notre Dame's comeback was frustrated by this same Monty Stickles. He had missed the vital try for the extra point which would have tied the score at 21-21, and he had missed it at point-blank range.
His miracle from 28 yards out—and miracle it was, for he had never before attempted a field goal—was too much for taut nerves. Pandemonium broke loose. “
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You gotta love those "straight on" kickers from the bygone era. I wonder if any exist, anywhere, now days? In high school, 48 years ago, we had a kicker who somehow tied a shoe string from his front cleat to to the back of his foot. Not sure what that accomplished but it seemed to work decent enough. Maybe some of the old timers around here might know.
Stickles!
“What happened was this," he said. "We took a time-out. It was fourth down and we had about eight to go for the first. I was resting and Bronk Nagurski—I think it was Bronk—came into the game. He comes up to me and he says, 'Coach says kick a field goal.' He gave me the kicking tee, then he says, 'Coach says keep your head down.' I didn't feel nervous or anything, even after missing the third conversion—the one that would have tied the score. I was just overconfident on that one. Well, the ball comes back, and Williams sets it up nice and fast and I boot it. The angle was good and the ball just made the right side of the crossbar by about three or four feet. Thing that bothered me was I didn't think those goal posts were wide enough. No kidding, looked real narrow. Somebody goofed."
Stickles, a bull-like 6-foot 4-inch, 220 pounder, held his head back and pressed a handkerchief to his nose. He talked to the ceiling. "Caught an elbow. Won't stop bleeding."
Presently he lowered his gaze.
"It's a funny thing, me kicking that field goal. First place, I never kicked one before. Second place, it was that boot that beat Army and I almost went to West Point. Yep, Coach Blaik had me up there several times looking the place over. I wanted to go there, too. I grew up about 20 miles away and I always liked the Point. They wouldn't take me, though. I couldn't pass the physical. Bad eyes, they said. Well, I guess I could see pretty good today, huh?"
His father, Montfort Sr., stalked in. They shook hands. "When I saw you were going to try the field goal," he said, "I said to your mother, he's going to be a hero or a bum."
Johnny Lujack could not hold the Rockets shoes. Lujack played when Notre Dame did not have any African American players.
ND football did not have any African Americans play until 1953 when Wayne Edmonds and Dick Washington played for the Irish.
That is why most fans don't remember games before the 60's---before then it was played by a bunch of slow white guys.
Now white players have to earn their stripes--like the great Tom Zbikowski.
Another very satisfying win against a smug coach and fanbase that thought we couldn't even hang with them. Our O-line just takes over the game in the second half.
Then we better scratch all the national titles, ND All Americans, and ND Heisman Trophy winners from the records. Not to mention Rockne's and Leahy's wins as HC while in South Bend. Anything before 1953 never happened. Consider it stricken. While we are at it, eliminate Babe Ruth from any mention of MLB. Create two categories of records in all sports. Before Blacks played and after. Those are your sentiments, not mine.
I think that was one of BTG’s stinkiest brain farts to date. But, still he is BTG!
That was the first game I ever bet on.
A new next door neighbor from Beaumont, Texas had moved in and kept telling me how everything about Texas was bigger and better. That got extended to include Oklahoma when he was accepted as a student.
My uncle had graduated ND, so when my neighbor began telling me that Oklahoma would destroy ND, me, who knew nothing about point spreads, favorites and the like said, “how much do you want to bet ?”
He said, “How much do you have ?”
So I went to my piggy bank and took every dollar I had and bet it on ND, even up, not knowing that ND was a 19 point underdog.
Thus began my turbo-boosted love affair with Notre Dame.
How about that slow white guy who played halfback for the Green Bay Packers.
What is all this horseshit about denigrating “white guys”, the guys who founded, innovated, built and made this country so great.
The same “white guys” who fought and died in WW I and WW II.
Zibby was a solid player especially against the run. mediocre at best in coverage. really good return man. great ? i don't think so.
I am watching ithe game right now and couldnt agree more. It was a sour to sweet game
