Notre Dame Fighting Irish football

Notre Dame Fighting Irish Football: A Legacy of Glory

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team represents the University of Notre Dame in Notre Dame, Indiana. The team plays its home games at Notre Dame Stadium, which has a capacity of 77,622. Notre Dame is one of three NCAA FBS Independent teams and plays five ACC games per year.

Notre Dame is among the most prestigious college football teams, having claimed 11 national championships, including 8 major wire-service titles. Seven players have won the Heisman Trophy, and the team has 948 official victories and 21 vacated wins due to NCAA sanctions. The team has had 22 undefeated seasons, including 12 perfect seasons.

Early History (1887–1917)

Football at Notre Dame did not get off to a strong start, with an inaugural loss to Michigan in 1887. The team’s first win came in the final game of the 1888 season against Harvard Prep School of Chicago.

The Early Years

Notre Dame compiled a record of 31 wins, 15 losses, and four ties between 1887 and 1899, playing opponents ranging from local high school teams to universities. In 1894, James L. Morrison was hired as Notre Dame’s first head football coach. Morrison wrote about his initial impression of the team: ‘I arrived here this morning and found about as green a set of football players that ever donned a uniform.’

The team achieved notable victories in the early 20th century, including a win over Franklin that saw Fay Wood catch the first touchdown pass in Notre Dame history.

Knute Rockne: A Legendary Coach

By the end of the 1912 season, Notre Dame had amassed a record of 108 wins, 31 losses, and 13 ties. Jesse Harper became head coach in 1913 and coached for five years until retiring in 1917. During his tenure, the Irish began playing only intercollegiate games and posted a record of 34 wins, five losses, and one tie.

Knute Rockne became head coach in 1918 and led the Irish to three national championships, five undefeated seasons, and a Rose Bowl victory. His offenses employed the Notre Dame Box, while his defenses ran a 7-2-2 scheme. Notable players included George Gipp, Leonard Bahan, Curly Lambeau, John Mohardt, and the ‘Four Horsemen.’

Rockne’s tenure was marked by legendary moments, such as the famous ‘Win one for the Gipper’ speech in 1928. The team upset Army and won the game 12-6 after Rockne delivered his inspiring account of Gipp’s final words.

Notre Dame’s Golden Era

The 1929 and 1930 teams both went undefeated, winning national championships. The 1929 team played all of its games on the road while the new Notre Dame Stadium was being built. In 1930, ‘Jumping Joe’ Savoldi scored the first Notre Dame touchdown in the new stadium on a 98-yard kickoff return.

Notre Dame’s head coach from 1918 to 1930, Rockne, posted what has remained for decades the all-time highest winning percentage (.881) for a football coach in the NCAA’s flagship FBS division. During his 13-year tenure as head coach of the Fighting Irish, Rockne collected 105 victories, 12 losses, 5 ties and 3 national championships.

Post-Rockne Era

Heartley Anderson (1931–1933) took over after Knute Rockne’s death. Anderson led the team to a record of 16 wins, nine losses, and two ties. Elmer Layden replaced Anderson in 1941 and coached for seven seasons, leading the team to 47 wins, 13 losses, and three ties. Frank Leahy took over in 1941 and coached for 11 seasons, including a national championship in 1943.

Leahy’s teams went four consecutive seasons after World War II without losing a game, winning the 1946, 1947, and 1949 national championships. The 1948 team missed out on a national championship due only to a 14–14 tie at USC in the final game of the season.

Lou Holtz: A Master Motivator

Ara Parseghian’s tenure saw the team return to success, posting an 80% or greater winning percentage at Notre Dame. His teams won seven or more games each year and never lost more than three. The Irish finished unbeaten in 1966, winning the national championship, and again in 1973 under Parseghian.

Parseghian’s record was 95-17-4 over eleven seasons, including two national championships, nine AP Top 10 finishes, and induction into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1980. Dan Devine era (1975–1980)

Devine led Notre Dame to 53 wins, 16 losses, and a tie, including three bowl victories. The 1977 team won the national championship under junior quarterback Joe Montana.

The Modern Era

Gerry Faust era (1981–1985) saw mixed results but was marked by his success at Notre Dame. Lou Holtz proceeded to take over as head coach at Notre Dame in 1986 after previously being the head coach of William & Mary, North Carolina State, the NFL’s New York Jets, Arkansas, and Minnesota.

Holtz led the Irish to an 85-24-2 record over the next ten seasons, adding up to a 100-30-2 record overall. In 1987, Holtz led the Irish to an 8-4 record. The following year, the Irish began with high hopes but were upset by Miami in the ‘Catholics vs. Convicts’ game.

Notre Dame’s Rivalries

The Fighting Irish have a rich history of rivalries, including Army, Boston College, Michigan, Michigan State, Navy, Northwestern, Pittsburgh, Purdue, Stanford, and USC. The Miami (FL) series began in 1955, with Notre Dame consistently dominating the series in the 1970s.

The Navy series resumed in 2021 after being cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Through the 2024 season, Notre Dame leads the series 83-13-1. USC is Notre Dame’s primary rival, competing annually for the Jeweled Shillelagh.

Notre Dame Stadium

Notre Dame Stadium is the home football stadium for the University of Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team, with a seating capacity of 77,622. It is one of the most renowned venues in college football and was ranked #2 by The Sporting News.

Unique Traditions

The team’s uniforms consist of navy blue home jerseys with white numerals, gold outlining, and an interlocking ‘ND’ logo on each sleeve. The away jersey is white with navy numerals, gold outlining, and the same interlocking ‘ND’ logo.

Notre Dame Stadium is a place where tradition meets innovation, from the 23.9 karat gold in helmet paint to the Band of the Fighting Irish playing ‘Notre Dame’ and the victory march. The team salutes the student section by raising their helmets after every game, then the band plays the Alma Mater, ‘Notre Dame, Our Mother’.

Since the NFL began drafting players in 1936, 495 Notre Dame football players have been selected by NFL teams. Additionally, Notre Dame has had 65 players selected in the first round of the NFL draft, including five overall number one picks.

A Legacy of Glory

Notre Dame football boasts many unique traditions, including the pre-game music clip featuring Cathy Richardson’s song. The Notre Dame Marching Band plays the finale to the 1812 Overture during home games. Sergeant Tim McCarthy read driving safety announcements with puns (retired in 2015).

Notre Dame has a rich history of producing NFL stars, with 495 players drafted since 1936. The team’s success is not just on the field but also off it, as Notre Dame has had 65 first-round picks and five overall number one selections.

The Fighting Irish have won eight wire service national championships awarded by the AP Poll and/or Coaches Poll, second most in the post-1936 poll era. The school has a total of 11 claimed national championships. Notre Dame did not play in a post-season game for 44 consecutive years after its appearance in the 1925 Rose Bowl.

Notre Dame has made 874 appearances in the Associated Press poll over 71 seasons, with 591 weeks in the Top 10 and 98 weeks at No. 1. The school has finished the year ranked in the final Associated Press poll of the season 56 times.

Notre Dame has produced the most players drafted into the National Football League of any program in the country, with 532 players drafted as of the 2023 NFL Draft. As of 2023, Notre Dame has the fourth-highest winning percentage in NCAA Division I FBS history (.730), and is fourth in wins among Division I-A/FBS programs (948).

Notre Dame’s football program holds NCAA records for Most consecutive wins over one opponent and ending Oklahoma’s NCAA record winning streak. The team has had 13 undefeated seasons and 11 others with at most one loss or tie.

The Fighting Irish have a storied history, from the early struggles to the legendary coaches like Knute Rockne and Ara Parseghian. Today, they continue to dominate on the field and inspire fans around the world. Notre Dame football is more than just a game; it’s a tradition that has stood the test of time.