Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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www.BLUEANDGOLD.com SEPT. 24, 2022 53 or New York City (1923-46), with the previous 22 coming at Yankee Stadium. Athletic officials at both schools had decided that the '47 meeting would be the last for awhile. A r my wo u l d a r r ive w i t h o u t i ts Heisman Trophy winners of the past two seasons, Glenn Davis and Doc Blanchard, now West Point graduates. The Cadets were still a formidable foe but not the wartime all-star juggernaut that had thrashed the Irish 59-0 in 1944 and 48-0 in 1945. The Notre Dame campus was in a frenzy to host the big game and extract some revenge from the Cadets. A raucous pep rally Friday night set the tone. And on the opening kickoff Saturday, Terry Brennan fielded the ball awkwardly at the 3-yard-line, then patiently set up his blockers and raced 97 yards for a touch- down. Notre Dame never looked back, hammering Army 27-7. The Irish survived their closest scare of the season, 26-19, on a muddy field at Northwestern. Leading only 20-12, Brennan set up Lujack's game-winning pass to Hart with another long kick- off return. In the home finale, the Irish thrashed Tulane, 59-6. After Thanksgiving week off, all that was left was the long train trek to Los Angeles, to meet No. 3 Southern Cal be- fore 104,953 at the Coliseum. The Tro- jans were 7-0-1, coming off consecutive shutouts of Washington, Stanford and UCLA. The Irish led early, 3-0, when Lujack, lined up at left halfback, took a direct snap from center and raced around left end for a 45-yard touchdown. In the third quarter, Lujack's 41- yard interception return set up another score. The senior from Connellsville, Pa., showed why he would be named 1947 Heisman Trophy winner a few days later. The Irish smacked USC 38-7 to finish a perfect 9-0-0 and win the national championship. They had out- scored the opposition 291-52. Today, at age 97, Lujack is the oldest living Heisman Trophy winner. And we were delighted to honor him with the 2018 Knute Rockne Living Legend Award. He's truly one of the all-time greats and a leader of Notre Dame's "gold standard" team. ✦ Jim Lefebvre is an award-winning Notre Dame author and leads the Knute Rockne Memorial Society. He can be reached at: jlefebvre@blueandgold.com Quarterback Johnny Lujack won the Heisman Trophy in 1947, and he is one of seven Irish play- ers from that year's squad to be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. PHOTO COURTESY NOTRE DAME ATHLETICS For more informa on, please visit: www.RockneSociety.org The Knute Rockne Memorial Society is dedicated to preserving and promo ng the life story of Coach Knute Rockne and all he stood for. Through its annual Rockne Awards, the Rockne Society recognizes and inspires great achievement in athle cs…and in life.