Blue & Gold Illustrated: 2019 Notre Dame Football Preview
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TOP 10 BOWL MOMENTS The 30-3 defeat to Clemson in last year's Cot- ton Bowl, which also was a College Football Playoff semifinal, dropped Notre Dame to 18-19 all time in its bowl history. Unfortunately, 25 years have passed since Notre Dame last won a "major" bowl game, which has mir- rored the program's change since 1993 (see 'Tale of Two Quarter Centuries" on page 143). Hopefully in coming years, this top-10 list of major bowl victories for Notre Dame won't remain unal- tered as it was 10 and even 20 years ago. 10 JAN. 1, 1994 COTTON BOWL: Notre Dame 24, Texas A&M 21 Kevin Pendergast's 31-yard field goal with 2:22 left lifted the No. 4 Irish to victory against the 10-1 and No. 7 Aggies after trailing 21-14. Notre Dame finished No. 2 to Florida State, which it vanquished in November, 31-24 ...but briefly there was hope. Standout: Tailback Lee Becton carried 26 times for 138 yards to earn the game's Offensive MVP honors. 9 JAN. 1, 1992 SUGAR BOWL: Notre Dame 39, Florida 28 The 9-3 and No. 18 Irish were deemed unworthy to play head coach Steve Spurrier's No. 3 and 10-1 Gators. Notre Dame trailed 16-7 at halftime but wore down Florida with 245 rushing yards in the second half. Standout: Fullback Jerome Bettis scored on three-, 49- and 39-yard runs in the fourth quarter to finish with 150 rushing yards, still an Irish bowl record. 8 JAN. 1, 1975 ORANGE BOWL: Notre Dame 13, Alabama 11 In head coach Ara Parseghian's final game, the Irish toppled 11-0 and No. 1 (UPI poll) Alabama a second consecutive year. Cornerback Reggie Barnett intercepted a Richard Todd pass near the Irish 30- yard line in the closing minute. Standout: The Irish defense, coming off a 55-24 humiliation at USC, held Alabama to three points through the first 57 minutes and hung on at the end. 7 JAN. 1, 1990 ORANGE BOWL: Notre Dame 21, Colorado 6 For the sixth time in 19 years, the Irish defeated an unbeaten and/or No. 1 team in a bowl. A scoreless first half was highlighted by a Notre Dame goal-line stand in which the Buffaloes failed to score despite having first-and-goal at the 1-yard line. Standout: Stepping in for an injured Ricky Watters, flanker Raghib "Rocket" Ismail rushed for 108 yards, and his 35-yard third-quarter scamper gave Notre Dame a 14-0 cushion. 6 JAN. 1, 1979 COTTON BOWL: Notre Dame 35, Houston 34 In frigid conditions, the 8-3 Irish rallied from a 34-12 deficit with 7:37 left to post a miraculous triumph when Joe Montana found Kris Haines for an eight-yard score on the last play, followed by Joe Unis' extra point (twice). Standout: After starting 7 of 27 with four intercep- tions (a prime reason Notre Dame trailed 34-12), Montana finished 6 of 7 for 78 yards, completed a two-point conversion and ran for another. 5 JAN. 1, 1971 COTTON BOWL: Notre Dame 24, Texas 11 All the scoring occurred in the first half, with quar- terback Joe Theismann tossing a 26-yard TD to Thom Gatewood and then tallying on 3- and 15-yard runs to stake the Irish to a 21-3 lead to help end the No. 1 Longhorns' 30-game winning streak. Standout: Defensive back Clarence Ellis broke up four passes, was named Defensive MVP and caught a 37-yard pass to set up Notre Dame's last score right before halftime. 4 JAN. 2, 1989 FIESTA BOWL: Notre Dame 34, West Virginia 21 The fourth and most recent Irish bowl victory to earn a consensus national title seemed anti-climac- tic, but it still came against an 11-0 team. Standout: Quarterback Tony Rice's stats were al- most identical to Tom Clements' in the 1973 Sugar Bowl: 7-of-11 passing for 213 yards, plus 75 yards on 13 rushing attempts (see No. 1). 3 JAN. 1, 1925 ROSE BOWL: Notre Dame 27, Stanford 10 The Four Horsemen and Seven Mules delivered Notre Dame's and head coach Knute Rockne's first 144 ✦ BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED 2019 FOOTBALL PREVIEW Notre Dame's 21-6 victory versus Colorado in the 1990 Orange Bowl — highlighted by a first- half goal-line stand — marked the sixth time in 19 years that the Irish defeated an unbeaten and/or No. 1 team in a postseason contest. PHOTO COURTESY FIGHTING IRISH MEDIA