The Irish are 8-5-1, with a 52-20 throttling last year of a Navy team that finished 11-2 and in the top 25:
Bronze Medal, 1974: A year after allowing a school record 209 yards to freshman phenom Tony Dorsett, reigning national champion and No. 5 Notre Dame limits Dorsett to 61 yards on 19 carries, plus a lost fumble while trying to dive into the end zone for a touchdown. Still, the Irish need a late drive and TD by Wayne "The Train" Bullock with 2:49 left in the game to pull out a 14-10 win over the No. 17 Panthers to improve to 8-1 and keep title hopes alive.
Silver Medal, 1929: In front of 112,912 ((99,351 paid attendance) at Chicago's Soldier Field, unbeaten Notre Dame holds on for a 13-12 victory over USC when after a Trojans' kickoff return for a touchdown, they miss the extra point to keep the Irish ahead by one. It was the fourth meeting ever between the two schools, and the third time the Irish won by one point, after having lost at USC 27-14 the year prior.
Gold Medal, 1957: Still considered the greatest upset victory in Notre Dame history, the three-touchdown underdog Fighting Irish enter Oklahoma with the two-time reigning national champs having won an NCAA record 47 straight games, among them a 40-0 win at Notre Dame the previous year (the worst loss to this day at home by the Irish). It also is the day of the 50th anniversary of Oklahoma's statehood, and the 4-2 Irish are coming off back-to-back losses, most recently 34-6 to Michigan State.
But on this day, the shocker occurs with a 7-0 triumph. On fourth-and-goal, Dick Lynch scores from four yards on a pitchout with only 3:50 remaining to end an 80-yard drive in 20 plays. Bob Williams intercepts an Oklahoma pass into the end zone to clinch it.
Bronze Medal, 1974: A year after allowing a school record 209 yards to freshman phenom Tony Dorsett, reigning national champion and No. 5 Notre Dame limits Dorsett to 61 yards on 19 carries, plus a lost fumble while trying to dive into the end zone for a touchdown. Still, the Irish need a late drive and TD by Wayne "The Train" Bullock with 2:49 left in the game to pull out a 14-10 win over the No. 17 Panthers to improve to 8-1 and keep title hopes alive.
Silver Medal, 1929: In front of 112,912 ((99,351 paid attendance) at Chicago's Soldier Field, unbeaten Notre Dame holds on for a 13-12 victory over USC when after a Trojans' kickoff return for a touchdown, they miss the extra point to keep the Irish ahead by one. It was the fourth meeting ever between the two schools, and the third time the Irish won by one point, after having lost at USC 27-14 the year prior.
Gold Medal, 1957: Still considered the greatest upset victory in Notre Dame history, the three-touchdown underdog Fighting Irish enter Oklahoma with the two-time reigning national champs having won an NCAA record 47 straight games, among them a 40-0 win at Notre Dame the previous year (the worst loss to this day at home by the Irish). It also is the day of the 50th anniversary of Oklahoma's statehood, and the 4-2 Irish are coming off back-to-back losses, most recently 34-6 to Michigan State.
But on this day, the shocker occurs with a 7-0 triumph. On fourth-and-goal, Dick Lynch scores from four yards on a pitchout with only 3:50 remaining to end an 80-yard drive in 20 plays. Bob Williams intercepts an Oklahoma pass into the end zone to clinch it.
