Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/83990
1 Time in Notre Dame football history — upon further review — that the Irish have defeated an Associated Press top-10 team at night on the road during the regular season. That occurred at No. 10 Michigan State on Sept. 15. It was publicized that the 20-3 Irish victory was the first time since Oct. 8, 1983, the Irish had won such a game. On that night 29 years ago, Notre Dame defeated South Carolina 30-6. Since 1988, the Notre Dame football media guide has listed the Gamecocks as ranked No. 7 in the AP poll. However, it was recently discovered that South Carolina was 3‑2 going into the contest and consequently unranked. Notre Dame previously had been 0-9 in its history in such regular-season contests. 1-1 Notre Dame’s record under Brian Kelly the week after a bye during the regular season. Notre Dame defeated No. 15 Utah (28-3) in 2010, but lost to unranked USC (31-17) last season. Miami will be this year’s opponent (Oct. 6) after the bye. The records of Kelly’s predecessors dating back to 1964 were: Charlie Weis, 3-3; Tyrone Willingham, 5-1; Bob Davie, 8-1; Lou Holtz, 11-2; Gerry Faust, 2-1; Dan Devine, 5-2; and Ara Parseghian, 5-1-1. 3 Consecutive night games Notre Dame has scheduled this season against Michigan State (Sept. 15), Michigan (Sept. 22) and Miami (Oct. 6). That is the first time ever the Irish have played three straight night games in the course of a regular season. The Irish did play three in a row over two seasons in 1973-74 and 1989-90. In 1973 they ended the season with night games at Miami (44-0 victory) and in the Sugar Bowl versus Alabama (24-23), and began 1974 with a night win at Georgia Tech (31-7). In 1989, Notre Dame concluded with a night loss at Miami (27-10) and a win in the Orange Bowl against Colorado (21‑6), and opened 1990 with a night conquest of Michigan at home (28-24). 13 Games all time between Notre Dame and Miami at night, including the Oct. 6 clash at Chicago’s Soldier Field. That represents the most times the Irish have played a single opponent at night, with USC second at 12 after this season. The Irish are 6-5-1 against the Hurricanes under the lights. 13.5 Sacks recorded by Justin Tuck in 2003, a single-season Notre Dame record that was first kept separately from tackles for loss in 1982. After three games, sophomore Stephon Tuitt was on pace to eclipse that mark with five, which placed him secondly nationally. The team leader last year in that category was Aaron Lynch with 5.5. 15 Consecutive years Notre Dame and Miami met on the football field from 1971-85, and then four more from 1987-90 before the series was discontinued. Notre Dame was 10-0 against the Hurricanes from 1971-80 while outscoring them 331-85, or by an average margin of 23 points. Then from 1981-87, Miami was 5-1 against the Irish, outscoring them 184-51 and winning their five games by an average of 27 points. 30 Ranking of Notre Dame’s men’s basketball by Lindy’s in its preseason edition. That comes as a surprise considering the Irish return all five starters from last year’s rebuilding team that finished third in the Big East. Meanwhile, the Irish women, despite losing three starters from the national runner-up unit the past two seasons, was ranked No. 9, thanks in large part to the return of senior point guard Skylar Diggins.