Throwback Thursday: Notre Dame football’s history against Texas
By Walt Kosin
With Notre Dame playing Texas this weekend, it’s a good time to reminisce about some great moments between the two teams over the years.
The Fighting Irish have played Texas just 11 times in the 100-year history of the series, but three of those matchups came in the Cotton Bowl in the 1970s, forming the basis for an epic rivalry with national implications.
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During this time, Notre Dame and Texas were both powerhouses in college football. In an era when the run game dominated football, Texas had perfected the wishbone offense, from which the quarterback would take the snap with three running backs behind him; he would lateral to any of the three backs or keep it himself.
In all three Cotton Bowls, Notre Dame entered the game with one loss, while Texas was always undefeated and ranked number one in the country. In the 1969 season, quarterback Joe Theismann led the Irish. After a self-imposed ban on bowls for 45 years, the Irish decided to take part in the postseason. The Associated Press had announced before the season that it would name a national champion not after the regular season ended as they had previously done, but after the bowl games were played.
On Jan. 1, 1970, Texas took the field in Dallas in pursuit of its second national championship in five years. But Notre Dame was the team who grabbed the early advantage, leading 10-0 on a field goal from Scott Hempel and a touchdown pass from Theismann to future All-American Tom Gatewood.
After the kickoff following Gatewood’s score, Texas drove 74 yards and made the score 10-7 just before halftime halftime. In the fourth quarter, Texas scored again with 10 minutes left to make it 14-10. Theismann then lead the Fighting Irish 80 yards for a touchdown with 6:52 left to retake the lead. Unfortunately, Texas responded with a 76-yard drive and scored a touchdown with 1:06 on the clock, taking a 21-17 lead the Longhorns would not relinquish. Texas had their second national championship.
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Prior to the 1971 Cotton Bowl, undefeated No. 1 Texas owned a 30-game winning streak, one of the longest in college football history. The Fighting Irish were lead again by Theismann, who had just finished an All-American season.
After Texas scored a field goal to make a 3-0, Theismann completed a 21-yard touchdown pass to Gatewood. Texas fumbled the ensuing kickoff on the 13-yard line, and Theismann ran the ball for a touchdown, making the score 14-3.
In the second quarter, Theismann again ran in for another score, giving the Irish an 18-point advantage. Texas scored a touchdown and 2-point conversion and Notre Dame kicked a field goal before halftime, making the score 24-11.
The second half turned into a defensive struggle, as Notre Dame’s defense caused six turnovers. Neither team scored again, and Texas lost its 30-game winning streak and the AP national championship.
In 1977, Texas was led by Heisman Trophy winning running back Earl Campbell, while Notre Dame featured new starter Joe Montana. The Longhorns were again undefeated and ranked number one, while Notre Dame was ranked fifth in the country when they met at the Cotton Bowl on Jan. 2, 1978.
In the first quarter, Notre Dame recovered a Texas fumble, and Dave Reese made a 47-yard field goal to give the Irish a 3-0 lead. Texas matched that with a field goal of its own to make it 3-3 after 15 minutes.
But the game quickly turned into a blowout in the second quarter, as the Notre Dame defense caused three turnovers and turned them all into touchdowns. Montana threw for two scores, while running back Terry Eurick caught one and rushed for another. Texas scored a touchdown right before halftime, but the Fighting Irish still led, 24-10.
In the second half, Notre Dame had yet another takeaway, an interception that turned into a touchdown. The Irish finally concluded the scoring by stopping a fake punt attempt and then scoring one last touchdown to beat Texas, 38-10. For the second consecutive Cotton Bowl against Texas, the Irish defense had caused six turnovers.
But the fun was just beginning for Notre Dame. As the nation’s fifth-ranked team, Notre Dame needed help to win the AP national championship even with its victory over Texas.
Lou Holtz is fondly remembered at Notre Dame for winning the 1988 national championship, but he also played a key role in pushing the Irish to one for the 1977 season. At the time, Holtz was the head coach of Arkansas, who upset No. 2 Oklahoma in the Orange Bowl. Hours later, Washington upset No. 4 Michigan in the Rose Bowl.
No. 2 Alabama played Ohio State in the Sugar Bowl and won, 35-6, but the Associated Press and coaches were both more impressed with Notre Dame’s unexpected rout. Both polls ranked the Fighting Irish first to end the season. It was a miraculous turn of events that started with Lou Holtz’s Arkansas Razorbacks defeating Oklahoma.
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It will be fun to watch Notre Dame face Texas this weekend, especially as we look back on those past Cotton Bowls. As great as those days were in Notre Dame’s past, a win over Texas on Sunday could start another glorious decade of Notre Dame football.