Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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Notre Dame linebacker Drew Mahalic (45) recovered a fumble in the 1973 Sugar Bowl that on the next play helped Notre Dame take a 21-17 lead. Photo courtesy notre dame archives The Greatest Classic When Blue & Gold Illustrated���s 2012 football preview rated the 10 all-time classic games prior to Notre Dame football���s 125th year, the 24-23 victory against Alabama in the 1973 Sugar Bowl was No.��1. Why? Let us count the ways: 1. The Build-Up ��� It was the first meeting between the two superpowers and had every possible angle to cover, especially because it was for the national title: North versus South, Ara versus Bear, Catholics versus Baptists ��� During a 2011 Notre Dame summer get-together with ESPN, former Fighting Irish head coach Ara Parseghian (1964-74) shared a story on just how intense it became when 1952-87 Notre Dame president Rev. Theodore Hesburgh ��� generally reserved about athletics ��� approached him the eve of the contest after Alabama head coach Bear Bryant made a brief speech at the dinner the previous evening. ���He was a little tipsy and he gets up there and he says, ���We���re sure glad to be able to play Father Heburgher, Father Hamburger ��� and I can see Father Hesburgh is getting that look on his face,��� Parseghian said. ���So now the banquet is finally over and all of a sudden I see Father Hesburgh walking toward me. I thought he was going to just wish us well. ���He���s got that grim face on him. He says, ���Ara, I���ve never asked you for anything in 10 years ��� but it would please me immensely if you would win tomorrow.������