What happened at Notre Dame the last year an incumbent President withdrew

Even if you’re someone who likes to focus more on Notre Dame than what’s going on in the world of politics, it’s hard to ignore the fact that we are, once again, in unprecedented times.

Joe Biden has withdrawn from the presidential election, the first incumbent president to do so since Lyndon Johnson did it in 1968. That of course begs the question, is there anything that can be taken as a kind of omen when it comes to the upcoming sports season?

The answer here is, nothing all that great. It turns out that 1968 was not exactly a banner year in any of Notre Dame’s major sports. Except of course for Hockey. That was the first year that Notre Dame Fighting Irish hockey went from begin a club sport to a varsity sport.

Notre Dame the last time a president withdrew

Hockey still wasn’t great

While there was certainly excitement over what the Irish could do on the ice now that they were a real collegiate program, the fall and winter weren’t all that impressive. That first varsity team went just ​​16-18-3.

Notre Dame football struggles to beat the big boys

Things started off well enough for Ara Parseghian’s boys in the 1968 season. Starting the season ranked 3rd in the nation, they knocked off 5th ranked Oklahoma before falling to top-ranked Purdue the following weekend.

A loss to hated rival Michigan State pretty much ended any chance at a national title and the Irish finished the season with a 21-21 tie to then 2nd ranked USC. In all, the squad finished 7-2-1, though that record was impressive enough considering how many Top 15 teams they squared off against.

Notre Dame basketball heads to the NIT

The basketball team competed in the NIT at Madison Square Garden and ultimately won the third-place game over Saint Peter’s, 81-78, to cap a 21-9 season.  It’s a safe bet we’d all take a 20-win season this fall and winter.