Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1540095
BLUEGOLDONLINE.COM OCT. 11, 2025 15 95 Years Ago: Oct. 11, 1930 Although Notre Dame opened head coach Knute Rockne's final season a week earlier in front of 14,751 at home with a 20-14 win over SMU, the official dedication game of the newly opened Notre Dame Stadium was held on this day in front of 40,593 (capacity then was 50,731) with a 26-2 victory against Navy. Fullback "Jumpin' Joe" Savoldi scored 3 touchdowns in the win. 75 Years Ago: Oct. 7, 1950 Notre Dame's 39-game unbeaten streak (37-0-2), dating back to the 1946 opener, ended when the visit- ing Purdue Boilermakers posted a 28-14 victory. Afterward, Fighting Irish head coach Frank Leahy greeted several thousand cheering Notre Dame stu- dents outside the locker room and implored them to handle defeat with grace. Notre Dame's student magazine, Scholastic, noted this after the game: "Then they started cheering for the players. As each came out the locker room door he was lifted aloft and carried part way back to campus. The band was playing and the students kept up their loyal cheering." 50 Years Ago: Oct. 11, 1975 Trailing 14-0 entering the fourth quarter at North Carolina, Notre Dame recorded its largest comeback victory from a fourth-quarter deficit with a 21-14 conquest of the Tar Heels. The previous record was an 18-13 win at Ohio State in 1935 — voted in 1969 the greatest college football game in the sport's first 100 years — after entering the fourth quarter down 13-0. Quarterback Rick Slager led the first touchdown drive versus North Carolina, which culminated with a short Al Hunter run, cutting the margin to 14-6. On the next series, first-year head coach Dan Devine inserted sophomore Joe Montana — who had lost his first career start a week earlier to Michigan State (10-3). Montana completed a deep 43-yard strike to Dan Kelleher to set up another short Hunter scoring run, and then Montana found tight end Doug Buth for the two-point conversion to tie the score. Finally, with 1:03 left, a quick out from Montana to split end Ted Burgmeier resulted in an 80-yard touchdown and the victory. 45 Years Ago: Oct. 11, 1980 In his first career start at tailback, senior Jim Stone rushed for 224 yards on 38 carries, culmi- nating with a 27-yard touchdown in No. 7 Notre Dame's 32-14 victory against No. 13 Miami, which featured sophomore Jim Kelly at quarterback. From 1977-79, Stone either backed up future first-round pick Vagas Ferguson or played as a reserve flanker (in 1978) behind future pro Pete Holohan. As a senior, Stone lost the starting spot to sophomore Phil Carter, who had rushed for 254 yards the week prior at Michigan State before suffering an injury on his final carry. It remains the lone time in school history that an Irish running back — and two different ones, no less — surpassed 200 rushing yards in back-to-back weeks. Meanwhile, junior kick Harry Oliver con- nected on a school-record-tying 4 field goals in one game for the second week in a row. 30 Years Ago: Oct. 7, 1995 No. 23 Notre Dame scored 15 points in the final 1:24 to rally from a 21-14 deficit and win at No. 15 Washington, 29-21. With about three minutes left, Washington lined up to punt, but an errant snap gave Notre Dame pos- session at the Huskies' 18-yard line. Running back Autry Denson scored from 7 yards out, and quarterback Ron Powlus found an uncovered Derrick Mayes for the two-point conversion. Washington then drove to Notre Dame's 33-yard line before Allen Rossum intercepted a Damon Huard pass and raced 76 yards for the touchdown with 28 seconds left. It marked the 11th time under head coach Lou Holtz the Irish rallied to victory in the fourth quarter. 10 Years Ago: Oct. 10, 2015 Running back C.J. Prosise rushed for 129 yards and scored on runs of 7, 22 and 11 yards to lead No. 15-ranked Notre Dame to a 41-24 victory over Navy in South Bend. Prosise joined Frank Lonergan in 1902 and Reggie Brooks in 1992 as the only Fighting Irish running backs to rush for 3 touchdowns in a single game twice in the same season. Navy — which had won eight straight games — entered the contest tied for the national lead for fewest turnovers at 1, but the Irish forced the Midshipmen into 3 turnovers. UNDER THE DOME Anniversaries In Notre Dame Athletics History: Oct. 5-11 Senior Jim Stone notched 38 rushing attempts for 224 yards and 1 touchdown in his first career start to help No. 7 Notre Dame to a 32-14 win against No. 13 Miami on Oct. 11, 1980. PHOTO COURTESY NOTRE DAME ATHLETICS