Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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ment in a 21-17 win at home. LSU A Week Earlier: After already beating sparked a 28-20 victory. tory, Notre Dame played a game with- out a turnover or a penalty in the 24-6 win. It was 24-0 after three quarters, and demoralized "Death Valley" was half empty by the end of the third quarter. No 1 Florida, the Tigers recorded a 27-0 shutout of Alabama — in Tusca- loosa, no less. Outcome: For the only time in its his- Notre Dame was still unbeaten at 7-0, it kept winning with "smoke and mir- rors," barely getting by at Air Force (21-14) a week after surviving Pitt (14- 6). 2002: NOTRE DAME AT FLORIDA STATE Notre Dame A Week Earlier: Although No. 6 had a bye, were 84-5 in their last 89 home games and were installed as a double-digit favorite. Outcome: Notre Dame scored on its Florida State A Week Earlier: The Seminoles first play from scrimmage, a 65-yard pass from Carlyle Holiday to Arnaz Battle, and had a 34-10 fourth-quarter lead en route to its 34-24 upset. opened the season with a devastating 20-17 loss at BYU with no rushing at- tack minus injured Ryan Grant. Michigan A Week Earlier: The Wolverines 2004: NOTRE DAME VS. MICHIGAN Notre Dame A Week Earlier: The Irish time, but after freshman running back Darius Walker was inserted for the first time, his 115 yards rushing buried Miami (Ohio) 43-10 and were heavy favorites against an Irish team it destroyed 38-0 the previous year. Outcome: The Irish trailed 9-0 at half- ally had a bye, but lost at home to Bos- ton College the prior Saturday, 24-23, to fall to 4-3. Tennessee A Week Earlier: The No. 9 Volun- 2004: NOTRE DAME AT TENNESSEE Notre Dame A Week Earlier: The Irish actu- teers were one of the nation's hottest teams, winning four straight — on the road against Georgia, Ole Miss and South Carolina, and at home versus Alabama. Outcome: Mike Goolsby's interception return for a score in the second half propelled the Irish to a 17-13 upset in Rocky Top. to rally from a 14-7 halftime deficit to eke out a 17-14 home win against BYU — one week after a dramatic goal-line stand to upend Stanford in overtime (20-13). Oklahoma A Week Earlier: The No. 8 Soon- 2012: NOTRE DAME AT OKLAHOMA Notre Dame A Week Earlier: The Irish had ers had been obliterating everything in their path the previous three weeks, including a 63-21 win against rival Texas and a 52-7 destruction of Kansas. They are installed as a dou- ble-digit favorite and were 79-4 at home under head coach Bob Stoops. Outcome: The Sooners' 44.7 scoring average per game was cooled ,while Notre Dame's physical, methodical and efficient approach produced 17 unanswered fourth-quarter points in a 30-13 conquest. Moral of the story: When Notre Dame appears most certain it will lose … oftentimes that's when it wakes up some echoes. ✦