Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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THE FIFTH QUARTER LOU SOMOGYI seemed to get the most fortuitous bounce at the right time and won 10 straight games that were decided by one score. "Most of the time you're making somehow, it just might sneak into the national championship game. • In today's bowl structure, the 1988 your luck, and you're playing through some rough spots," Kelly reflected the day after Notre Dame's pulsating 29- 26 triple-overtime victory against the Panthers. "I don't think I've ever had a lucky football team. I think I've had a team that's gotten some breaks along the way — but generally those teams have earned them along the way." Notre Dame caught a monumental break when it wasn't called for having two men with the same jersey num- ber on the field at the same time dur- ing Pitt's missed 33-yard field goal attempt in the second overtime. Yet, had Notre Dame lost three or four games this season, inevitably it could have pointed out how the op- position "got some breaks." It's similar to schedules: They're al- national champs would have had to play No. 2 Miami in a rematch, hardly a favorable situation. And no way would they have allowed the No. 5 Notre Dame team in 1977 to play No. 1 Texas for the national title. Plenty of good fortune was needed along the way … • In 1973 on Thanksgiving weekend, the No. 5 Irish desperately needed No. 1 Ohio State to lose to unbeaten Michi- gan so they could play No. 2 Alabama for the national title. Better yet, Notre Dame needed the Buckeyes to tie so that Michigan wouldn't move to No. 1. Voila! Michigan and Ohio State tied (10-10), opening the door to play for the title in the Sugar Bowl against Ala- bama. • In 1966, bowl games didn't matter, ways more difficult when you lose. Had the Irish lost to Michigan, Michi- gan State, Oklahoma and Stanford, all would be ranked and in the top 25 (or top 10) and suddenly, "Notre Dame's schedule is too difficult — just look at all the ranked teams they've played." But when you defeat them and they fall out of the top 25, then it is, "Well, they don't play anybody — those teams aren't in the top 10 or even ranked." the 2012 Notre Dame team becomes referred to more often as "A Team of Destiny." If that is true, then someway, Convoluted logic at its finest. With each passing week and victory, so 9-0-1 Notre Dame didn't have to go to a bowl to earn the title over 11-0 Alabama, a 34-7 Sugar Bowl winner. • No. 2 Notre Dame was elevated to No. 1 on the last day of the 1946 season when previous No. 1 Army defeated Navy by only a 21-18 margin. Even though Notre Dame-Army had played to a scoreless tie, the vote favored the Irish, thus going against the grain of the champion remaining such, even in a draw. A little luck never hurts even for the most highly skilled. ✦ Senior Editor Lou Somogyi has been at Blue & Gold Illustrated since July 1985. He can be reached at lsomogyi@blueandgold.com