Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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www.BLUEANDGOLD.com NOV. 23, 2019 13 UNDER THE DOME 65 Years Ago: Nov. 27, 1954 In rainy and muddy conditions at home, No. 4-ranked Notre Dame slogs its way to a 23-17 victory ver- sus No. 17 USC when the two start- ing halfbacks plus fullback amass 376 yards on 55 rushing attempts. Headlining the assault is sophomore Jim Morse's 179-yard output on 19 carries, highlighted by his 72-yard touchdown romp with 5:57 remaining in the game to put Notre Dame ahead 21-17, before adding a late safety. Sixty years later, Morse would underwrite Notre Dame's current FieldTurf. He also tallies the first Irish touchdown on a 12-yard pass from halfback Joe Heap, who adds 110 yards on 17 carries, while fullback Don Schaefer chips in 87 yards on 19 attempts. The ground game compensates for a non-existent aerial attack in the condi- tions with future College Football Hall of Fame quarterback Ralph Guglielmi completing only 1 of 7 pass attempts. 50 Years Ago: Nov. 22, 1969 Five days after breaking its 44-year ban on playing in bowl games (see pages 52-53), Notre Dame defeats Air Force 13-6 to end the regular season with an 8-1-1 record. A 39-yard touchdown run by halfback Denny Allan with 12:57 left in the first quarter is the lone touchdown in the defensive slugfest. It also is one of only three times since 1960 that Notre Dame's final regular season game is played at home. The other two would be Air Force again in 1983 (a 23-22 defeat after a final-second 31-yard field goal attempt by Notre Dame is blocked) and Boston College in 1993, when the No. 1-ranked Irish are stunned by a 41-yard field goal by the Eagles' David Gordon as time expires. 40 Years Ago: Nov. 24, 1979 For the first time ever, Notre Dame football plays on foreign soil, finishing the season with a 40-15 victory over Miami in front of 62,574 spectators in Tokyo's National Olympic Stadium, and played in a quagmire. The trip serves as a form of a bowl game because the Irish reject any postseason overtures with a 7-4 record, the first time in 16 years they lose more than three games in a season. Running back Vagas Ferguson rushes for 177 yards in his final game, fellow captain Dave Waymer returns two interceptions for touchdowns, and freshman Dave Duerson returns two punts 46 and 43 yards to set up scores. Ferguson finishes the year with 1,437 rushing yards, which is still considered a regular-season record at Notre Dame, even though both Allen Pinkett in 1983 and Reggie Brooks in 1992 finished with more when including bowl games (which weren't counted until 2002). Sophomore linebacker Bob Crable ends the year with a record 187 tackles, which remains the school single-season standard to this day. 30 Years Ago: Nov. 25, 1989 No. 1-ranked Notre Dame's school-record 23-game winning streak is snapped with a 27-10 defeat at No. 7 Miami, which would go on to capture the national title even though the Fighting Irish later defeat No. 1 Colorado 21-6 in the Orange Bowl. After a slow start, Fighting Irish linebacker Ned Bolcar's interception and hurdle over a would-be tackler knots the game at 10-10 in the second quarter. The most crucial sequence comes in the third quarter when Notre Dame, trailing 17-10, first fails to recover a Miami fumble inside the Hurricanes' 10-yard line, and then gives up a 44-yard pass play on third-and-43 from the 7-yard line. The demoral- izing 80-yard drive takes 22 plays and milks 10:47 off the clock before the touchdown makes it 24-10. — Lou Somogyi Anniversaries In Notre Dame Football History: Nov. 21-27 Sophomore Jim Morse racked up 179 yards on 19 carries, highlighted by a 72-yard go-ahead touchdown run with just less than six minutes to go in the game, to help Notre Dame knock off USC 23-17 in 1954. PHOTO COURTESY NOTRE DAME MEDIA RELATIONS BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED PO Box 2331 Durham, NC 27702 www.BlueGoldOnline.com 1-800-421-7751 DELIVERY LIMITED TO CONTINENTAL U.S. PLEASE ADD SALES TAX FOR ITEMS SHIPPING TO: (NC 7.5%, IN 7%, MI 6%) Made to order & shipped direct from manufacturer, returns not related to damage may incur fee. GRILL MAT $49.95 + FREE S&H Available in 2 Styles: ND or Leprechaun (Item #6622-ND or #6622-LEP) (Item #6621) CUSTOM GRILL COVERS Hand-made in USA using the finest com- mercial grade breathable vinyl featuring double-stitching, buckle clasps and mois- ture vent. Logo printed with UV-resistant ink in official school colors. AVAILABLE IN 2 SIZES & 3 LOGOS: Small: 60" wide x 36" tall x 21" deep $51.95 + $15.00 S&H Large: 72" wide x 36" tall x 21" deep $54.95 + $15.00 S&H Please allow up to 2 weeks for delivery.