Notre Dame Football: The 5 Teams the Irish Have Dominated

Illinois (10-0-1)

Like Indiana, it’s a bit surprising that Notre Dame hasn’t played Illinois more. They’re a regional school, and Notre Dame has always recruited heavily in Illinois. After all, Chicago is the biggest city in the region and it’s chock full of talent. Add in Illinois’ historic strength as a program (they’ve won 5 National Championships) and you’d think that The Irish would make room for the Illini.

Illinois can make an argument that they are “Linebacker U,” with names like Ray Nitchke and Dick Butkus in its history. Meanwhile, Notre Dame has a rich tradition of great tight end and offensive line play. Add in recruiting in Illinois being a historic priority, and the low travel costs of a regional opponent, and it’s surprising the two have only met 11 times.

Still, in those 11 meetings, the Irish have dominated. Notre Dame has never lost to Illinois. The worst result for the Irish against Illinois was a tie. That came in 1937, by a score of 0-0. This was when Elmer Layden, of Four Hoursemen Fame, was coaching Notre Dame. That lack of offense was a problem for Notre Dame the entire 1937 season, as they only scored double digit points twice. Still, their record would be 6-2-1. For their part, it was Illinois’ second 0-0 tie in a row, the other coming against DePaul. They would go 3-3-2.

In a few of the meetings between Notre Dame and Illinois, the Illini were able to keep it close. Still, the overwhelming majority of the time, Notre Dame dominated Illinois. In large part, this is due to when the two teams did play.

The majority of meetings between the Irish and the Illini came in the 1940s. That’s the heart of the Frank Leahy era, when the Irish would win 4 National Championships. During the 1943 National Championship season, Notre Dame beat Illinois 47-0. The 1946 National Championship team would also beat Illinois, this time by a score of 26-6. At the time, Ray Eliot coached Illinois. Under Eliot, Illinois would win 3 conference championships and a National Championship. His teams weren’t pushovers.

After that 1946 meeting, Notre Dame and Illinois wouldn’t meet again until 1967. Notre Dame was a year removed from its first National Championship under Ara Parseghian. While 1967 wouldn’t be a National Championship season, it would be a top 5 finish for the Irish. Illinois, meanwhile, came in with a first year head coach. Jim Valek was beginning of a disastrous four seasons as head coach. He’d amass a record of 8-32 for his career. It’s no surprise that Ara’s Irish smacked Illinois 47-7.

The beating of a hapless Illinois team would continue into 1968, when Parseghian’s Irish beat Valek’s Illini by a score of 58-8. That would be Notre Dame’s largest win in the series, as well as the final meeting between the two programs.

While it makes sense for Illinois and Notre Dame to have a longer running rivalry than this, it’s fair to assume it would be a lopsided series. With Navy already on the schedule annually, it’s fair to say that the Irish don’t need another one-sided affair.