Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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www.BLUEANDGOLD.com NOV. 13, 2021 15 65 Years Ago: Nov. 17, 1956 Senior quarterback Paul Hornung scores all 21 points in Notre Dame's 21-14 victory against North Carolina to end a school-record five-game losing streak and improve to 2-6. The last of his three short scoring runs (and subsequent extra points) comes with 1:16 remaining to end a 14-play drive. 60 Years Ago: Nov. 18, 1961 For the first time ever, Notre Dame wins a game as time expires. Kicker Joe Perkowski does the honors in the 17-15 victory with a 41-yard field goal as the 4-3 Irish upset No. 10 Syracuse, led by Heisman Trophy winner Ernie Davis and tight end John Mackey. A play earlier, Perkowski's 56-yard attempt badly missed as time expired — but Syracuse end Walt Sweeney inexplicably bowled over Perkowski and holder George Sefcik, leading to a 15-yard personal foul. Syracuse protested because the NCAA Football Rules Interpretation at the time stated: "A kick by Team A during a 'time expiring' down indicates that A does not want to move the ball, and a foul during the kick, including roughing the kicker, will not extend the period as the ball is not in A's possession." However, it also was stated: "Although a free ball, a scrimmage kick … is treated as though in the possession of [the kicking team] if the penalty for roughing the kicker is accepted." Debates raged for nearly a week, but Notre Dame remained the official victor. The NCAA Rules Committee a few months later removed the section that said a kicking team became "a defensive team" once the ball had been kicked. 55 Years Ago: Nov. 19, 1966 No. 1 Notre Dame rallies from a 10-0 deficit to tie No. 2 Michigan State, 10-10, in one of the epic showdowns in college football history. With starting quarterback Terry Hanratty and starting halfback Nick Eddy (No. 3 in that year's Heisman balloting) sidelined with injuries, along with center George Goeddeke, backup quarter- back Coley O'Brien finds reserve halfback Bob Gladieux on a 34-yard touchdown pass to narrow the halftime margin to 10-7. On the first play of the fourth quarter, kicker Joe Azzaro knots the game with a short field goal. With five minutes left, Azzaro's 41-yard field goal attempt misses by inches. Notre Dame takes possession at its 30 with just over a min- ute remaining, but with the diabetic O'Brien no longer possessing the strength to throw the ball with sharpness, Notre Dame runs out the clock after O'Brien sneaks for a first down on fourth- and-one. Head coach Ara Parseghian's Fighting Irish re- main at No. 1 in the ensuing poll. 45 Years Ago: Nov. 13, 1976 In the first regular-season meeting ever be- tween two traditional superpowers, No. 18 Notre Dame defeats No. 10 Alabama 21-18 in Notre Dame Stadium. Entering the game 6-2, the Irish were stunned 23-14 in an upset at Georgia Tech the previous week. Second-year head coach Dan Devine's team responds by defeating a Crimson Tide jug- gernaut that would finish as the national-runner- up to Notre Dame a year later before winning titles in 1978 and 1979. Senior quarterback Rick Slager completes 15 of 23 passes for 235 yards before getting injured in the fourth quarter, while freshman running back Vagas Ferguson makes his first career start and romps for 107 yards, highlighted by a 17-yard touchdown dash to give Notre Dame a 21-7 half- time advantage. Junior Jim Browner's interception of a Jeff Rut- ledge pass in the Irish end zone late in the contest helps preserve the win. Notre Dame improved to 3-0 against Alabama icon/head coach Paul "Bear" Bryant after also having defeated his 11-0 Crim- son Tide teams in the 1973 Sugar Bowl (24-23) and 1975 Orange Bowl (13-11). The former won the consensus national title for the Irish. The two would meet again in Birmingham in 1980. "It's getting worse with age," the 63-year-old Bryant said after the 1976 defeat. "One, two and three points. I doubt very seriously I'll make it to the four-pointer." 25 Years Ago: Nov. 16, 1996 Notre Dame scores a modern-day school-re- cord 40 points in one quarter during a 60-6 rout of Pittsburgh. After a scoreless first quarter, Notre Dame tal- lies 40 points in a span of 11:11 to take a 40-0 halftime lead. The scoring barrage begins with a 55-yard punt return by Allen Rossum. He would return another for 83 yards, while Autry Denson would add a third punt return touchdown from 74 yards. Anniversaries In Notre Dame Football History: Nov. 13-19 UNDER THE DOME Senior quarterback Rick Slager connected on 15 of 23 throws for 235 yards to help Notre Dame win 21-18 in its first-ever regular-season meeting with Alabama in 1976. PHOTO COURTESY NOTRE DAME ATHLETICS