BY LOU SOMOGYI
J
ust because you are the defending
national champion in football and
still are unbeaten the next season
doesn't mean you automatically
will be ranked No. 1.
In 1957, the Oklahoma Sooners were
the two-time defending national cham-
pions and entered the Notre Dame
game that season with an NCAA-re-
cord 47-game winning streak — yet
they were still ranked No. 2 in the As-
sociated Press poll.
Consequently, the stunning 7-0 vic-
tory by the Fighting Irish that day in
Norman, still classified as maybe the
greatest upset by Notre Dame in its
football annals, is not highlighted as
one of the NCAA-record eight Fighting
Irish victories versus an AP No. 1 team.
Entering the weekend of Oct. 11, a
similar situation seemed to be in the
works. Defending national champion
NOTRE DAME
VS. NO. 1
The Fighting Irish have an
unparalleled history in such games
Notre Dame has compiled an NCAA-record eight victories versus Associated Press No. 1 teams, including
a 31-24 triumph over Florida State on Nov. 13, 1993.
PHOTO COURTESY NOTRE DAME MEDIA RELATIONS
