Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1162458
www.BLUEANDGOLD.com SEPT. 16, 2019 39 • Armed with a five-year contract extension in December 2000 after a 9-2 regular season, Davie's Irish suf- fered their worst defeat in the 41-9 Fiesta Bowl slaughter versus Oregon State, started 0-3 for the first time in program history in 2001, and three months later Davie was fired. RARE MOMENT The meeting with New Mexico will mark only the second time in school history the Notre Dame football team will play against one of its former head coaches — if Davie is permitted to make the trip. Davie was deemed a rising star in the head coaching ranks as a 42-year- old when he made his debut Sept. 6, 1997 in the christening of the revamped and expanded Notre Dame Stadium with a 17-13 victory versus Georgia Tech — coached by George O'Leary, who would be his temporary successor for four days in December 2001. This time Davie will be on the other side of the field and in the twilight of his coaching career, turning 65 on Sept. 30. After not coaching for 10 years from 2002-11, Davie took on the challenge of reviving perhaps the worst Football Bowl Subdivision pro- gram in the country in 2012 after New Mexico had posted three consecutive 1-11 campaigns from 2009-11. By Davie's fourth season in 2015 the Lobos finished 7-6 for their first winning season in eight years, and he peaked in 2016 with a 9-4 ledger and the school's first bowl victory since 1961. Interestingly, Davie's best season in 2016 occurred when Notre Dame fin- ished 4-8 and questions about Fighting Irish head coach Brian Kelly's future were prevalent. In the next two sea- sons, Kelly and Co. would turn their fortunes around with a 22-4 mark and a 2018 College Football Playoff berth — while Davie and the Lobos fell back to consecutive 3-9 seasons that now leave their future murky. The only other time Notre Dame faced one of its former head coaches was Sept. 24, 2005, a 36-17 victory at Washington against the Huskies' first-year boss Tyrone Willingham, who held the same position with the Fighting Irish in the three years prior from 2002-04. Willingham would be fired after the 2008 season with an 11-37 record (6-29 in the Pac-12). DEBUT APPEARANCE New Mexico will be the first of three consecutive Irish opponents visiting Notre Dame Stadium for the first time over a four-week span. Following the Lobos' debut at the edifice Sept. 14 and Notre Dame's showdown at Georgia Sept. 21, Vir- ginia (Sept. 28) and Bowling Green (Oct. 5) likewise will be making their initial trips to play at Notre Dame. Over the last 10 years, the Irish have not fared well in such first-time meetings. It started in 2009 with a 33-30 double-overtime loss to Con- necticut in head coach Charlie Weis' final game at home. It continued with stunning defeats to Tulsa in 2010 (28-27), South Florida in the 2011 opener (23-20), Louisville in 2014 (31-28), Virginia Tech in 2016 (34-31) and Georgia in 2017 (20-19). Last year, first-time visitor and heavy underdog Ball State also pro- vided much more resistance than ex- pected before losing 24-16. ✦ GAME PREVIEW: NEW MEXICO Redshirt junior safety Kam Miller is part of an inexperienced New Mexico secondary that will have a hard time containing the Fighting Irish passing attack. PHOTO COURTESY UNM COMMUNICATIONS Predictions Todd Burlage: Notre Dame 48, New Mexico 0 The Fighting Irish's superior talent makes this a runaway, and a forgettable return when former Notre Dame head coach Bob Davie leads his Lobos into South Bend. Vince DeDario: Notre Dame 52, New Mexico 10 Last year, the Lobos ranked 113th in scoring defense while giving up more than 36 points per game (and 45 per contest against Power Five opponents). Notre Dame will roll as the layup line of points continues. Bryan Driskell: Notre Dame 55, New Mexico 13 The Lobos are 0-8 in the regular season against Power Five teams in the Bob Davie era, and oppo- nents have scored an average of 47 points in those games. The Irish keep that blowout streak going. Andrew Mentock: Notre Dame 48, New Mexico 6 Uncertainty at quarterback will prevent the New Mexico offense from finding continuity and keep the Lobos from scoring a touchdown. Also, New Mexico's inexperienced secondary will allow Irish quarterback Ian Book to have a big day. Lou Somogyi: Notre Dame 49, New Mexico 13 Bob Davie owns a respectable 24-7 record (.774) as head coach in Notre Dame Stadium, but this time, if allowed to make the trip by his medical staff, he won't be on the more favorable sideline.