The Irish are 12-4 on this date, and today's feature includes the two most recent such games, plus a Notre Dame legend who left this world last week.
Bronze Medal, 1956: In his final home game amidst the throes of a 2-8 season, Paul Hornung scores all 21 points on three touchdown runs and three kicked extra points — the last seven with 1:16 left — in a 21-14 victory versus North Carolina. HIs four completions total 103 yards, and he adds 91 on the ground. The student body carries him off the field on their collective shoulders.
Silver Medal, 2018: At Yankee Stadium for the Shamrock Series, unbeaten Notre Dame moves to 11-0 when it plays its best all-around game of the year in a 36-3 route of No. 12 Syracuse, which came within the final minute of defeating No. 1 and eventual national champ Clemson earlier in the year (the Orange would finish No. 15).
Gold Medal, 2012: On a picture perfect fall afternoon, the No. 3-ranked Fighting Irish leave Notre Dame Stadium for the first time ever with an 11-0 record on Senior Day, headlined by Manti Te'o, after a 38-0 rout of Wake Forest. This on the heels of a school record-tying five straight seasons with at least five losses. That evening No. 1 Oregon loses in overtime to Stanford, and No. 2 Kansas State is routed by Baylor — and Notre Dame gets all 60 votes in the AP to move up to No. 1 for the first time in 19 years. The longest previous drought from the top spot since the start of the poll in 1936 was 10 years from the start of 1954 into November of 1964.
Bronze Medal, 1956: In his final home game amidst the throes of a 2-8 season, Paul Hornung scores all 21 points on three touchdown runs and three kicked extra points — the last seven with 1:16 left — in a 21-14 victory versus North Carolina. HIs four completions total 103 yards, and he adds 91 on the ground. The student body carries him off the field on their collective shoulders.
Silver Medal, 2018: At Yankee Stadium for the Shamrock Series, unbeaten Notre Dame moves to 11-0 when it plays its best all-around game of the year in a 36-3 route of No. 12 Syracuse, which came within the final minute of defeating No. 1 and eventual national champ Clemson earlier in the year (the Orange would finish No. 15).
Gold Medal, 2012: On a picture perfect fall afternoon, the No. 3-ranked Fighting Irish leave Notre Dame Stadium for the first time ever with an 11-0 record on Senior Day, headlined by Manti Te'o, after a 38-0 rout of Wake Forest. This on the heels of a school record-tying five straight seasons with at least five losses. That evening No. 1 Oregon loses in overtime to Stanford, and No. 2 Kansas State is routed by Baylor — and Notre Dame gets all 60 votes in the AP to move up to No. 1 for the first time in 19 years. The longest previous drought from the top spot since the start of the poll in 1936 was 10 years from the start of 1954 into November of 1964.
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