Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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Frank Leahy won four national titles and had two other unbeaten seasons at Notre Dame, but none of his squads played a more challenging slate than the 1943 edition. photo courtesy notre dame media relations Marines at Parris Island, S.C. Upon receiving the Heisman, Bertelli noted in his speech that he "left one undefeated team [Notre Dame] to join another [United States Marines]." The Road To No. 1 Leahy was castigated in 1942 during a 7-2-2 campaign in which he implemented the revolutionary new T-formation and scrapped the traditional Knute Rockne Box. That season began with a 7-7 tie against Wisconsin and a 13-6 loss at home to Georgia Tech. One year later, the rough edges were smoothed out, and the Irish crushed Georgia Tech in game two, 55-13, the week after winning at out-manned Pitt, 41-0, in the opener. In game four, Wisconsin fell by a 50-0 count. Most remarkable, though, was game three at Ann Arbor. A year earlier, the Wolverines upset the Irish in Notre Dame Stadium, 3220. This time, though, led by Creighton Miller 's 159 yards on just 10 carries, No. 1 Notre Dame easily disposed of No. 2 Michigan, 35-12, with a late TD by the Wolverines serving as window-dressing points. After dispatching of Illinois, 47-0, Notre Dame was 5-0 while outscoring the opposition 228-25, an average score of 46-5. The final five games were a stretch unparalleled before and ever since in college football. In consecutive weeks, Notre Dame traveled to Cleveland to face No. 3 Navy, trekked to Yankee Stadium for a showdown against the new No. 3, Army, journeyed to No. 8 Northwestern, led by quarterback icon Otto Graham, hosted semi-pro and No. 2-ranked Iowa Pre-Flight, and visited powerful Great Lakes, another semi-pro outfit.