Throwback Thursday: Remembering Notre Dame Football’s “other” loss in 2005
By Ben Belden
Notre Dame football has suffered some agonizing defeats over the years. Today, we’ll rehash the second-most agonizing loss of 2005.
Last month, I took a trip down memory lane, remembering perhaps Notre Dame football’s most agonizing loss of in the 21st century. That loss, of course, was the loss that has become affectionately known as the “Bush Push” game. Had Notre Dame won that game, they may have found themselves in the BCS National Championship game that year.
Who knows how things could have been different?
Today, however, it’s time to remember the “other” game Notre Dame lost in the regular season that year: A 44-41 overtime loss against Michigan State.
At this point, you may be wondering why I do this to myself, and since you’re reading this, you might be wondering why I do this to you. The answer: I don’t know. I like to torture myself, I guess.
The date was September 17th, 2005, and the Irish were hosting the Michigan State Spartans in South Bend. It was an afternoon kickoff and both the Irish and the Spartans came in to the game 2-0 on the season. Notre Dame was ranked 10th in the country.
The first half was a high-scoring affair with Brady Quinn and Jeff Samardzija hooking up twice in the first two quarters, helping Notre Dame to a 17-14 lead with about 8 minutes before halftime. The Spartans, however, took advantage of a Charlie Weis Swiss Cheese defense and scored the last 10 points before halftime and lead 24-17 before break.
And then the second half happened. Quinn threw a pick-six after the break and then the Spartans added another score later in the 3rd to go up 38-17 late in the third. Quinn would bounce back, however, throwing three straight touchdown passes to Darius Walker, Maurice Stovall, and again to Samardzija to tie the game at 38, sending the Irish and Spartans to overtime.
Overtime, however, was short-lived. The Irish offense took the field first, sputtered, and had to settle for a DJ Fitzpatrick field goal to go up 41-38.
From there, Michigan State’s offense took the field and Spartan quarterback Drew Stanton ran an option play to the right pitched the ball to running back Jason Teague, who took the ball 19 yards to paydirt down the sideline right in front of Notre Dame’s band, ending the game 44-41.
The Spartans celebrated like they had won the National Championship and Irish fans were left with the all-too-familiar feeling of coming up just short in close, big games.
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The Irish, of course, were just at the beginning of their agony that season, as the Bush Push game would transpire a few weeks later. The Spartans would win only two more games the rest of the season, finishing the season 5-6 that year.