Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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www.BLUEANDGOLD.com DEC. 5, 2020 13 UNDER THE DOME 90 Years Ago: Dec. 6, 1930 Notre Dame concludes its second straight perfect season and consensus national title with a 27-0 rout of USC — which had outscored its opponents 376-32, was favored by nine points over the Fighting Irish, and would capture at least a share of the next two national titles in 1931 and 1932. Quarterback Frank Carideo opens the scoring with a 19-yard touchdown from halfback Marchy Schwartz, fullback Bucky O'Connor romps for an 80-yard touchdown and the Fighting Irish limit the Trojans to 140 yards of total offense. Even Stanford head coach Pop Warner — whose lone defeat this year was 41-12 to USC — proclaims this Notre Dame edition is "the greatest team I have ever seen." At only 42, head coach Knute Rockne's career record improves to 105-12-5 for a .881 winning percent- age — still No. 1 in major college football today — with his 19-game winning streak. Unbeknownst at the time, it would also be his final game. 50 Years Ago: Dec. 5, 1970 Notre Dame's "Theismann For Heisman" campaign falls short when starting quarterback Joe Theis- mann finishes as runner-up to Jim Plunkett, who leads Stanford to the Pac-8 championship. Plunkett totals 2,229 points and 510 first-place votes, while Theismann finishes with 1,410 points and 242 first-place tallies. During the 9-1 regular season, the Fighting Irish signal-caller passed for a school- record 2,429 yards — an astounding 526 a week earlier in a 38-28 loss at USC — and 16 touchdowns, while adding 384 rushing yards. Third in the balloting is Ole Miss quarterback Archie Manning (849 points), who missed the final month of the season with an injury. 30 Years Ago: Dec. 1, 1990 Three days after receiving the Walter Camp Player of the Year trophy as the nation's top player, Notre Dame junior receiver and return man Raghib "Rocket " Ismail finishes as runner-up to Brigham Young quarterback Ty Detmer in the Heisman Trophy balloting. The announcement comes a few hours before Det- mer throws four interceptions in a 59-28 loss at Hawaii. With 316 first-place votes compared to Ismail's 237, Det- mer finishes with 1,482 points to Ismail's 1,177. Since the start of the Walter Camp Award in 1969, Ismail joins tight end Ken MacAfee (1977) and receiver/return man Tim Brown (1987) as Notre Dame's third recipient of that honor. 20 Years Ago: Dec. 5, 2000 Concluding the regular season with a seven-game winning streak and a trip to the Fiesta Bowl to face Oregon State, fourth-year head coach Bob Davie signs a five-year contract extension at Notre Dame, through 2005, presented by first-year director of athletics Kevin White. The lone defeats early in the year were to then No. 1 Nebraska in overtime (27-24) and an 11th-hour setback at Michigan State when the Spartans converted fourth-and-10 for a 68-yard touchdown with 1:48 left in the game. Freshman Matt LoVecchio took over after that game and guided the 7-0 run to cap the regular season. One day earlier, a member of Davie's staff, 36-year-old receivers coach Urban Meyer, is named head coach at Bowling Green State University despite lacking any experience even as a coordinator. "He's a difference-maker," Davie said of Meyer. "I've got no reservations about Urban Meyer being a head coach. He has a tremendous future." — Lou Somogyi Anniversaries In Notre Dame Football History: Dec. 1-7 Notre Dame junior receiver and return man Raghib "Rocket" Ismail earned the Walter Camp Player of the Year trophy as the nation's top player in 1990. PHOTO COURTESY NOTRE DAME ATHLETICS 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.