Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/98978
In a defensive slugfest won 7-0 by Notre Dame at Birmingham, Ala., defensive backs John Krimm (19) and Tom Gibbons (27) celebrated forcing a turnover, with safety Dave Duerson in the foreground. Photo courtesy notre dame archives defeat. ���One, two and three points. I doubt very seriously I���ll make it to the four-pointer.��� Not only did he make it to the Nov.�� 15, 1980 showdown at Legion Field in Birmingham, Ala., but just like in 1964-65, Bryant was coaching the defending two-time national champion. The winner of the Notre Dame-Alabama contest would be invited to the Sugar Bowl to play No. 1 Georgia (Alabama did not play Georgia in the SEC that season). In an epic defensive slugfest, Notre Dame emerged with a 7-0 victory ��� the lone scoring drive needing only four yards, with sophomore tailback Phil Carter scor- ing on a two-yard dive. A couple of days prior to the game, Notre Dame star linebacker Bob Crable had received three T-shirts from the South that read, ���Hail Mary, full of grace, Notre Dame���s in second place.��� Shortly thereafter, Irish faithful gave a rebuttal: ���Our Father, who art in Heaven, gave Bama zero, and ND seven.��� Had Alabama���s Peter Kim not missed a 38yard field goal in the second half, the game might have ended 7-3, keeping the pattern of one, two, three and four points. ���I just wasted the afternoon,��� said Bryant, who finished his magnificent career 0-4 against Notre Dame and would pass away in January 1983. It was the fifth time in 15 years the Fighting Irish denied Bryant���s program a consensus national title, an overall one, or even the right to play for one. Thirty-two years later, Notre Dame will try to ruin a national title run by Alabama for the sixth time. ���