Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1187512
52 NOV. 30, 2019 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED BY LOU SOMOGYI W ith the 2020s about to em‑ bark upon us, a new col‑ lege football "Team of The Decade" might be gestating for 2020‑29. Alabama was the one from 2010‑19 — although Clemson made a tremen‑ dous late push. Entering this Thanksgiving week‑ end, the Crimson Tide produced a remarkable 123‑14 record (.898 win‑ ning percentage) with four national titles. Clemson won two — both ver‑ sus Alabama in 2016 and 2018 — and is seeking a third to close out this 10‑ year stretch. Still, because it started the new decade with a 6‑7 record in 2010 and four more losses in 2011, the Tigers sputtered out of the gate. What Alabama achieved from 2010‑ 19 could be matched by only one other college football program: Notre Dame from 1940‑49. Oklahoma came close in 1950‑59, finishing 93‑10‑2 (.895), but it won "only" three national titles and was 1‑3 versus the Fighting Irish. Nebraska from 1990‑99 matched the three national championships in four years (1994‑97) that Notre Dame in the 1940s and Alabama in the 2010s achieved, but it didn't get the fourth title while producing a 108‑16‑1 mark (.868). Miami also won three national ti‑ tles in the 1980s and played for three others, but the 99‑20 record from 1980‑89 for a .832 winning percent‑ age lagged a little behind. It also won four championships in nine seasons from 1983‑91. Guided mainly by head coach Frank Leahy, with two years of over‑ seas World War II service in 1944‑ 45, the numbers produced by Notre Dame from 1940‑49 included: • A record of 82‑9‑6 for a .876 win‑ ning percentage. • The four consensus national titles in 1943, 1946, 1947 and 1949 were the most in one decade by any team — until Alabama matched it in 2010‑19. The Crimson Tide actually had five in 11 seasons when including 2009. • Notre Dame also produced un‑ beaten campaigns in 1941 (8‑0‑1) and 1948 (9‑0‑1) for a total of six unbeaten seasons in 10 years. • No other four‑year college class at Notre Dame or any other major college football program would ex‑ perience never seeing defeat during their undergraduate years (1946‑49). And 70 years ago this month, the best of "The Fabulous '40s" was saved for last with a 10‑0 finish in 1949. THE LAST HURRAH The 1949 season marked the final season of eligibility for student‑ath‑ letes who had returned from World War II as collegiate freshmen. This included College Football Hall of Fame inductees such as running back Emil "Red" Sitko and end/tackle Jim Martin, who were 23 and 22 years old when they first suited up as Notre Dame freshmen in 1946. Sitko played on the semi‑pro Great Lakes outfit that defeated national title winner Notre Dame 19‑14 in the clos‑ ing seconds in 1943. He enrolled at Notre Dame after the war with four years of eligibility. Instead of sign‑ ing with the NFL as a first‑round pick, Sitko became the lone back in school history to this day to lead Notre Dame in rushing four straight seasons (1946‑49). Martin, awarded the Bronze Star for his heroics in World War II, also was THE ETERNAL GOLD STANDARD Seventy years ago, Notre Dame capped its most amazing football decade ever A wealth of talent — which included College Football Hall of Famers Jim Martin (No. 38), Leon Hart (No. 82), Emil "Red" Sitko (No. 14) and Bob Williams (No. 9, sitting on ground), as well as Larry Coutre (No. 24) — helped Notre Dame amass a 82-9-6 record and four consensus national titles from 1940-49. PHOTO COURTESY NOTRE DAME MEDIA RELATIONS 1949 NOTRE DAME NATIONAL CHAMPIONS Coach: Frank Leahy Captains: Leon Hart, Jim Martin Record: 10-0 Date Opponent Result Sept. 24 Indiana W, 49-6 Oct. 1 at Washington W, 27-7 Oct. 8 at Purdue W, 35-12 Oct. 15 Tulane W, 46-7 Oct. 29 vs. Navy* W, 40-0 Nov. 5 at Michigan State W, 34-21 Nov. 12 vs. North Carolina^ W, 42-6 Nov. 19 Iowa W, 28-7 Nov. 26 USC W, 32-0 Dec. 3 at SMU W, 27-20 * at Memorial Stadium in Baltimore; ^ at Yankee Stadium in Bronx, N.Y.