Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/140903
under the dome ATTENTION NOTRE DAME FANS The Fighting Irish hope to pick up where they left off in 2012, when they won all six games at Notre Dame Stadium for the first time since 1998. photo courtesy notre dame media relations Home Insurance In 2013, Notre Dame will attempt to go unbeaten at home in back-to-back years for the first time since 1988-89. Last year, the Fighting Irish achieved the feat for the first time since 1998, ending a school-record 13-year drought. It also was the lone time it was achieved in the 22 seasons from 1990-2011. "You've got to start with a win, you've got to win your home games and you've got to win your rivalry games," Notre Dame head coach Kelly summarized of the base objectives any college head coach has entering a season. In the 63 football seasons since 1950, Notre Dame has been unbeaten and untied at home 13 times, or an average of about once per five years. The 13 straight seasons of not going unblemished at home from 1999-2011 easily surpassed the previous record, which had been eight from 1956-63. To break the drought, the Fighting Irish had to scratch and claw to 11th-hour victories against Purdue (20-17) and Brigham Young (17-14), and even go past "midnight" to finally vanquish Stanford (20-13) and Pitt (29-26) in one and three overtimes, respectively. Among Notre Dame's three Hall of Fame coaches hired since 1950, Ara Parseghian finished unbeaten at home four times in his 11 seasons from 1964-74, Dan Devine twice in six years (1975-80), and Lou Holtz three times (consecutively from 1987-89) in his 11 years. Neither Parseghian nor Devine was able to do it in back-to-back years. Notre Dame did not lose at home in 1969 and 1970, but in 1969 it did have a 14-14 tie with USC. The final overall Irish record in those 13 seasons since 1950 when it finished perfect at home was 129-15-3 (.885), with national titles in 1966, 1973, 1977 and 1988, sharing a fifth title in 1964, near misses in 1953 (No. 2 at 9-0-1), 1970 (No. 2 at 10-1) and 1989 (No. 2 at 12-1), and the 12-0 regular-season record and No. 1 ranking last season prior to the BCS National Championship Game debacle versus Alabama. Not finishing unbeaten at home doesn't mean the Irish are destined for a bad season. Alabama has won two straight national championships despite losing at home in November (to LSU in 2011 and Texas A&M in 2012). But an unblemished mark at home usually guarantees a memorable ride, just like in 2012. Vintage Notre Dame Memorabilia Au g ie's Lo c ke r R o o m Check Out Our Wide Selection of ND Stadium Items, Jersey's, Helmets, Autographs and One of a Kind Rockne Items. Exclusive Joe Montana Signed Items. Voted Best Notre Dame Collectables in the Country! 2036 South Bend Avenue, South Bend IN 46637 Next To Main Street Pub 574-277-NDND (6363) www.augieslockerroom.com HOME GAME PACKAGES * TWO NIGHTS HOTEL * GAME TICKET Aug. 31 Temple Sept. 21 Michigan State Sept. 28 Oklahoma Oct. 19 USC Nov. 2 NAVY Nov. 23 BYU BOWL GAME PACKAGES * Jan. 1 Rose Bowl * Jan. 1 Fiesta Bowl * Jan. 2 Sugar Bowl * Jan. 3 Orange Bowl * Jan. 6 BCS Championship diamondtravel.com 1-800-348-7748 Follow Us oN FaCeBook: FaCeBook.CoM/aUgiesloCkerrooM blue & Gold illustrated 2013 Football Preview ✦ 11 4-6,8,10-17.Under The Dome.indd 11 6/25/13 4:50 PM