Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1022027
www.BLUEANDGOLD.com SEPT. 10, 2018 15 UNDER THE DOME 35 Years Ago: Sept. 10, 1983 Ranked No. 1 in the preseason by Sporting News and No. 5 by the Associated Press despite finishing 5‑6 and 6‑4‑1 in head coach Gerry Faust's first two seasons, Notre Dame backs up the lofty expectation with a scintillating 52‑6 victory in the opener at Purdue in 95‑degree heat. The victory snaps a two‑game losing streak by the Irish in Ross‑Ade Stadium, marks the most points ever tallied in the venue by any opponent and is the second largest margin of victory in the 55‑game series. After averaging only 16.4 points total in its previous 10 trips to Ross‑Ade Stadium, Notre Dame builds a 31‑0 lead by halftime. Quarterback Blair Kiel finishes 9‑of‑14 passing for 166 yards with touchdown tosses to future Pro Bowl players Greg Bell and Mark Bavaro. Bell totals four touchdowns overall, while sophomore Allen Pinkett and freshman Hiawatha Francisco rush for 115 and 81 yards, respectively. 30 Years Ago: Sept. 10, 1988 No. 13 Notre Dame defeats No. 9 Michigan — the preseason No. 1 according to Sporting News — 19‑17 in the season opener under the lights at Notre Dame Stadium. Special teams tally all of the Fighting Irish points, first on an 81‑yard punt return by sophomore Ricky Watters and then on 5‑5, 135‑pound senior and pre‑med major kicker Reggie Ho's 4‑of‑4 field goal kicking in his initial start. The final trey comes from 26 yards out with 1:13 remaining, minutes after Michigan's Mike Gillette had converted from 49 yards to give the Wolverines a 17‑16 edge. On the game's final play, Gillette lines up for a 48‑yard attempt that misses, enabling Notre Dame to avoid a fourth straight defeat after getting outscored 80‑30 in the final three contests of 1987. Huge questions remain at quarterback with Tony Rice, who begins the night 0‑of‑8 passing with an interception. On the 71‑yard game‑ winning drive, though, Rice scrambles for a 21‑yard gain, completes a clutch 18‑yard toss to running back Tony Brooks and keeps the chains moving with a second‑effort, four‑yard run on third‑and‑four. The young Irish defense with a completely new starting line permits only 213 yards of total offense. Sophomore linemen Chris Zorich and George "Boo" Williams combine for 22 tackles, linebacker Mi‑ chael Stonebreaker records 16 stops after sitting out the previous season for academic reasons, and first‑time starting rush end Frank Stams adds two sacks. The victory elevates Notre Dame from No. 13 to No. 8. 25 Years Ago: Sept. 11, 1993 An anticipated rout of Notre Dame by No. 3 Michigan in The Big House turns instead into a Fighting Irish celebration with a 27‑23 victory. The Wolverines were a nine‑point favorite for several reasons. One, the defending Big Ten and Rose Bowl champs had drubbed Washington State 41‑14 in the opener. Two, Notre Dame struggled with Big Ten doormat Northwestern, trailing 12‑7 in the second half before rallying to a 27‑12 win. The effort dropped the Irish from No. 7 to No. 11 in the AP poll. Finally, Notre Dame was considered a fractured and distracted team following the recent publishing of Under The Tarnished Dome: How Notre Dame Sold Its Soul For Football Glory. The Irish respond with a 43‑yard touchdown run by quarterback Kevin McDougal in the opening series. A 56‑yard punt return for a score by Mike Miller and another McDougal scoring run of 11 yards gives the Irish a 24‑10 cushion by halftime. Head coach Lou Holtz is given a victory ride off the field by his players, and the Irish vault from No. 11 to No. 4, tying the highest leap from one week to the next in Holtz's 11 seasons from 1986‑96. — Lou Somogyi Anniversaries In Notre Dame Football History: Sept. 8‑14 In his first start, Reggie Ho — a 5-5, 135-pound senior — made all four of his field goal attempts to help Notre Dame beat No. 9 Michigan on Sept. 10, 1988. PHOTO COURTESY NOTRE DAME MEDIA RELATIONS