Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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Under the Dome Anniversaries In Notre Dame Athletics History: January 40 Years Ago: Jan. 19, 1974 Notre Dame caps off perhaps the most amazing 20 days in NCAA history when it stages a one-in-amillion rally to end No. 1 UCLA's record 88-game winning streak in men's basketball. Trailing 70-59 with 3:32 remaining, no shot clock and no three-point line, Notre Dame scores the game's final 12 points, the last coming on a corner jump shot from Dwight "The Iceman" Clay with 29 seconds remaining. The Bruins take five last shot or tip-in attempts, but fail to convert. The victory elevates 10-0 Notre Dame to the No. 1 slot in the Associated Press poll for the first time in the program's history. One day earlier, the Notre Dame hockey team also entertained the nation's No. 1 team, Michigan Tech. Led by goalie Mark Kronholm's 44 saves and two goals apiece by Larry Israelson and Alex Pirus — and the jacked-up student body filing over to the hockey rink after the UCLA pep rally — the Fighting Irish romp to a 7-1 victory. The month began with head coach Ara Parseghian's 11-0 football team earning the consensus national title after defeating another No. 1 — Alabama — 24-23 on New Year's Eve in Dwight Clay's jumper helped Notre Dame end the Sugar Bowl. Quarterback Tom Clements is UCLA's 88-game winning streak in January 1974 named the MVP, completing 7 of 12 passes (not and reach No. 1 in the Associated Press poll for the including a crucial two-pointer) for 169 yards, first time in its history. photo courtesy notre dame media relations highlighted by a 35-yard completion from his end zone to backup tight end Robin Weber on third-and-eight from the Irish 3-yard line with two minutes remaining. Clements also rushes for 74 yards on 15 carries. Three different No. 1 teams vanquished by the same school in a span of 20 days. It had never happened before — and might never again. 25 Years Ago: Jan. 2, 1989 Lou Holtz becomes the fifth Notre Dame head coach to win a national title or go unbeaten (if not both) in his third season when his No. 1-ranked Fighting Irish defeat 11-0 West Virginia 34-21 in the Fiesta Bowl. Quarterback Tony Rice's stats are similar to Clements' 15 years earlier in a championship setting. Rice completes 7 of 13 passes for 213 yards with two touchdowns, and adds 75 rushing yards on 13 carries. Notre Dame also becomes the first college football team since 1945 (Army) to win a national title