Notre Dame Football: Top home games of the last 50 years

Notre Dame Football: Top home games of the last 50 years

1988: Notre Dame 31 Miami 30

Miami was the program of the 1980s, while Notre Dame was looking to regain their foothold among college football’s elite programs. Miami, who was known for their swagger, expecting to beat Notre Dame because that’s exactly what they had been doing, including running up a 58-7 score on poor Gerry Faust.

Coming in, the Hurricanes were ranked No. 1 in the country, and had a 23-1 record under Jimmy Johnson in the previous two seasons. This was a different Notre Dame team, though, one who would not be run over by the Hurricanes.

The Irish came into the game ranked 4th in the AP Poll, and they weren’t going to let Miami intimidate them, getting into a fight before the game with the Hurricanes. Holtz used the fight as a chance to teach and motivate, saying, “If we want to fight in the parking lot after the game, that’s fine. You represent our school properly in the game. But do me one favor: After we kick their butts, you leave Jimmy Johnson’s ass for me.”

It was a tight, controversial game. Miami fumbled as they inched towards the end zone and Notre Dame recovered. Miami, and particularly Jimmy Johnson felt there was no chance they’d fumbled and that Notre Dame was getting some home cooking. Notre Dame might point out that the touchdown they scored to bring the game within an extra point seemed to be a drop from certain angles, but it would probably fall on deaf ears.

The game ended when, after Miami pulled within an extra point, they decided to go for two rather than settle for a tie. Pat Terrell became the hero for Notre Dame, batting away Steve Walsh’s two point pass.

Notre Dame would go on to win the National Championship. It was Holtz’s only National Championship at Notre Dame and they haven’t won one since. The game became legendary, in part due to a moniker given by a t-shirt, calling the game ‘Catholics vs. Convicts.’