Not a great day on the field with a 7-8-1 record. It's often also been a bye, and there has been only one victory on this day since 1945.
Bronze Medal, 2000: Freshman QB Matt LoVecchio finishes the regular season 7-0 as a starter by leading the Irish to a 38-21 win at USC (5-7), which has future Heisman winner Carson Palmer as the signal-caller. The victory clinches a Fiesta Bowl bid for the 9-2 and No. 10 Notre Dame team versus No. 5 Oregon State. About 10 days later, fourth-year head coach Bob Davie is rewarded with a five-year contract extension through 2005, while receivers coach Urban Meyer accepts the head coaching position at Bowling Green.
Silver Medal, 1922: An injury to senior star fullback Paul Castner forces Knute Rockne to start four sophomores in the backfield for the first time in a 19-0 victory in the snow at Carnegie Tech. Moving from halfback to fullback is Elmer Layden, while Jim Crowley is inserted at halfback with Don Miller, and Harry Stuhldreher is at quarterback. It is the first time the future "Four Horsemen" start together, with Stuhldreher, Miller and Layden all scoring.
Gold Medal, 1920: Third-year head coach Rockne's Fighting Irish, which won a share of the national title a year earlier (9-0), finish unbeaten again (9-0) 100 years ago on this day with a 25-0 victory at Michigan State — the school Rockne was going to originally coach until Jesse Harper told him to stay and succeed him in 1918. Special teams produce a 95-yard TD on the opening kickoff by Danny Coughlin and a 25-yard blocked punt return by Eddie Anderson.
Bronze Medal, 2000: Freshman QB Matt LoVecchio finishes the regular season 7-0 as a starter by leading the Irish to a 38-21 win at USC (5-7), which has future Heisman winner Carson Palmer as the signal-caller. The victory clinches a Fiesta Bowl bid for the 9-2 and No. 10 Notre Dame team versus No. 5 Oregon State. About 10 days later, fourth-year head coach Bob Davie is rewarded with a five-year contract extension through 2005, while receivers coach Urban Meyer accepts the head coaching position at Bowling Green.
Silver Medal, 1922: An injury to senior star fullback Paul Castner forces Knute Rockne to start four sophomores in the backfield for the first time in a 19-0 victory in the snow at Carnegie Tech. Moving from halfback to fullback is Elmer Layden, while Jim Crowley is inserted at halfback with Don Miller, and Harry Stuhldreher is at quarterback. It is the first time the future "Four Horsemen" start together, with Stuhldreher, Miller and Layden all scoring.
Gold Medal, 1920: Third-year head coach Rockne's Fighting Irish, which won a share of the national title a year earlier (9-0), finish unbeaten again (9-0) 100 years ago on this day with a 25-0 victory at Michigan State — the school Rockne was going to originally coach until Jesse Harper told him to stay and succeed him in 1918. Special teams produce a 95-yard TD on the opening kickoff by Danny Coughlin and a 25-yard blocked punt return by Eddie Anderson.
