Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/163197
Under the Dome Anniversaries In Notre Dame Football History: Sept. 3-9 35 Years Ago: Sept. 9, 1978 The defending national champion Fighting Irish are stunned in the opener at home by Missouri, 3-0, in 94-degree weather. It is the first shutout of Notre Dame since the 0-0 tie at Miami 13 years earlier, a string of 132 games. Heisman Trophy candidate Joe Montana completes only 4 of 17 passes in the first half with one interception and fumbles twice. In the second half, No. 5 Notre Dame drives down to the Tigers' 11-, 1-, 4-, 28- and 25-yard lines — and comes up empty on all five possessions. A lost fumble, three missed fourth-down opportunities (two on fourth-and-one) and a mishandled snap on a 32-yard field goal attempt keep the offense off the board, while a fourth-quarter field goal by Missouri spells the difference. Notre Dame head coach Dan Devine — who held the same post at Missouri from 1958-70 — chastises himself after the game for "not realizing that field goals win football games." 20 Years Ago: Sept. 4, 1993 Notre Dame scores its quickest touchdown ever to begin a season when senior inside linebacker Pete Bercich intercepts a Northwestern pass attempt by quarterback Len Williams that bounces off tight end Luther Morris' hands and into Bercich's for a 21yard score eight seconds into the contest. It would not be as easy the rest of the game. The Wildcats take a 12-7 lead in the second half before Notre Dame senior quarterback Kevin McDougal — who completes 6 of 8 passes for 135 yards — leads four scoring drives in the 27-12 victory. The victory is deemed so underwhelming, Notre Dame falls from No. 7 to No. 11 in the Associated Press poll a couple of days later. 15 Years Ago: Sept. 5, 1998 For only the fourth time in its history, Notre Dame opens a season by defeating an AP top-five opponent, but this marks the first time the Fighting Irish are ranked lower (No. 21). Coming off a 7-6 record under first-year head coach Bob Davie and an embarrassing summer court trial in which former Notre Dame offensive line coach Joe Moore sues Autry Denson rushed for 162 yards and two touchdowns during No. 21 Notre Dame's 36-20 victory against No. 5 and co-defending national champ Michigan 15 years ago this week. photo courtesy notre dame media relations