American college football season
1973 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football |
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AP Poll national champion FWAA national champion NFF national champion Sugar Bowl champion |
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Conference | Independent |
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Ranking |
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Coaches | No. 4 |
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AP | No. 1 |
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Record | 11–0 |
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Head coach | - Ara Parseghian (10th season)
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Offensive coordinator | Wing T |
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Defensive coordinator | Joe Yonto |
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Base defense | 4–3 |
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Captains | - Dave Casper
- Frank Pomarico
- Mike Townsend
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Home stadium | Notre Dame Stadium |
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Seasons |
The 1973 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team represented the University of Notre Dame during the 1973 NCAA Division I football season. The Irish, coached by Ara Parseghian, ended the season undefeated with 11 wins and no losses, winning the national championship. The Fighting Irish won the title by defeating the previously unbeaten and No. 1 ranked Alabama Crimson Tide in the 1973 Sugar Bowl by a score of a 24–23.[1] The 1973 squad became the ninth Irish team to win the national title and the second under Parseghian. Although Notre Dame finished No. 1 in the AP Poll to claim the AP national title, they were not awarded the Coaches title, since Alabama was awarded the Coaches Poll title before the bowl season.
Season
Ara Parseghian's second national title team was led by its relentless rushing attack. Fullback Wayne Bullock (750 yards), halfback Art Best (700 yards), halfback Eric Penick (586 yards) and quarterback Tom Clements (360 yards) comprised one of the fastest Irish backfields, with Peneck and Best clocking in under 10 seconds in the 100-yard dash.[2] The Irish started the season strong, amassing large margins of victory over Northwestern, Rice and Army to set up a highly anticipated contest with No. 6 and unbeaten USC.[2] USC came into the contest riding a 23-game unbeaten streak, and USC's star tailback Anthony Davis ran over the Irish the previous year for 6 touchdowns in a 45–23 Trojan victory.[2] Moreover, Parseghian had not outright beaten USC since 1966.[1] The Irish defense responded to the challenge, limiting Davis to 55 yards on 19 carries. The star tailback of the day was Notre Dame's Penick, who ran for 118 yards, 50 more than the entire Trojan team. The Irish won the contest 23–14 and won their remaining games.[2] After Notre Dame accepted the Sugar Bowl bid, the stage was set to determine the national championship. Alabama was awarded the UPI title before the bowl season,[3] but it was Notre Dame that won it on the field, winning 24–23 in a thriller that had six lead changes. Notre Dame jumped to a 6–0 lead, but Alabama answered with a Randy Billingsley 6-yard touchdown run. Al Hunter then scored on a 93-yard kickoff return, and Clements completed a two-point conversion pass to Pete Demmerle to give the Irish a 14–7 (which would turn out to be the widest margin in the game). Alabama scored a field goal to close the halftime deficit to 14–10, and then went on a 93-yard touchdown march in the third quarter to regain the lead. Notre Dame answered with a 12-yard touchdown run by Eric Penick to go back in front, 21–17. In the fourth quarter, three turnovers occurred in 90 seconds, with Alabama coming out on top and capitalizing on a halfback pass from Mike Stock to quarterback Richard Todd for a 25-yard touchdown to take a slim 23–21 lead, but the Tide missed the crucial extra point. Notre Dame responded, with Tom Clements driving the Irish 79 yards in 11 plays and setting up a potential field goal on a clutch 15-yard pass to tight end Dave Casper. Irish kicker Bob Thomas kicked a field goal to give the Irish a slim 24–23 victory and the AP national title.[4]
Schedule
Date | Time | Opponent | Rank | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
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September 22 | 2:30 p.m. | Northwestern | No. 8 | | | W 44–0 | 59,075 |
September 29 | 1:50 p.m. | at Purdue | No. 7 | | ABC | W 20–7 | 69,391 |
October 6 | 2:30 p.m. | Michigan State | No. 8 | - Notre Dame Stadium
- Notre Dame, IN (rivalry)
| | W 14–10 | 59,075 |
October 13 | 8:05 p.m. | at Rice | No. 9 | | | W 28–0 | 50,321 |
October 20 | 2:00 p.m. | at Army | No. 11 | | | W 62–3 | 42,503 |
October 27 | 1:50 p.m. | No. 6 USC | No. 8 | - Notre Dame Stadium
- Notre Dame, IN (rivalry)
| ABC | W 23–14 | 59,075 |
November 3 | 1:30 p.m. | Navy | No. 5 | - Notre Dame Stadium
- Notre Dame, IN (rivalry)
| | W 44–7 | 59,075 |
November 10 | 1:30 p.m. | at No. 20 Pittsburgh | No. 5 | | | W 31–10 | 56,593 |
November 22 | 1:20 p.m. | Air Force | No. 5 | - Notre Dame Stadium
- Notre Dame, IN (rivalry)
| ABC | W 48–15 | 57,236 |
December 1 | 8:15 p.m. | at Miami (FL) | No. 5 | | | W 44–0 | 42,968 |
December 31 | 8:00 p.m. | vs. No. 1 Alabama | No. 3 | | ABC | W 24–23 | 85,161 |
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Roster
1973 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team roster |
Players | Coaches |
Offense Pos. | # | Name | Class | QB | 12 | Frank Allocco | Jr | C | 52 | Joe Alvarado | Jr | RB | 23 | Art Best | So | G | 62 | Tom Bolger | Sr | C | 59 | Mark Brenneman | QB | 8 | Cliff Brown | Sr | FB | 30 | Wayne Bullock | Jr | TE | 86 | Dave Casper | Sr | QB | 2 | Tom Clements | Jr | WR | 85 | Peter Demmerle | Jr | RB | 28 | Gary Diminick | Sr | G | 72 | Gerry DiNardo | Jr | TE | 93 | Tom Fine | RB | 21 | Ron Goodman | RB | 25 | Al Hunter | Fr | C | 52 | Vince Klees | FB | 15 | Russ Kornman | OT | 58 | Tom Laney | OT | 84 | Dennis Lozzi | Sr | G | 57 | Elton Moore | G | 66 | Dan Morrin | OT | 64 | Steve Neece | Jr | FB | 36 | Tom Parise | RB | 44 | Eric Penick | G | 56 | Frank Pomarico | OT | 77 | Steve Quehl | RB | 24 | Al Samuel | So | WR | 28 | Tim Simon | OT | 71 | Steve Sylvester | Jr | WR | 80 | Willie Townsend | Sr | TE | 91 | Robin Weber | G | 66 | Al Wujciak | So | | Defense | Special teams Pos. | # | Name | Class | P | 4 | Tony Brantley | P | 9 | Brian Doherty | Sr | K | 98 | Bob Thomas | Sr | | - Head coach
- Coordinators/assistant coaches
- Greg Blache (JV)
- Brian Boulac (OL)
- Bill Hickey (OL)
- George Kelly (LB)
- Wally Moore (OL)
- John Murph (Scouting/Def. Asst)
- Tom Pagna (RB)
- Paul Shoults (DB)
- Mike Stock (WR)
- Joe Yonto (DC)
- Legend
- (C) Team captain
- (S) Suspended
- (I) Ineligible
- Injured
- Redshirt
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Game summaries
Northwestern
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | Northwestern | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | • Notre Dame | 16 | 21 | 0 | 7 | 44 | |
Purdue
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | • Notre Dame | 3 | 7 | 7 | 3 | 20 | Purdue | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 | |
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Scoring summary |
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| 1 | | ND | Thomas 22-yard field goal | Notre Dame 3-0 | | 2 | | PUR | Burton 53-yard pass from Bobrowski (Conner kick) | Purdue 7-3 | | 2 | | ND | Best 9-yard run (Thomas kick) | Notre Dame 10-7 | | 3 | | ND | Bullock 1-yard run (Thomas kick) | Notre Dame 17-7 | | 4 | | ND | Thomas 42-yard field goal | Notre Dame 20-7 | |
[5]
Michigan State
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | Michigan St. | 0 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 10 | • Notre Dame | 0 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 14 | - Date: October 6
- Location: Notre Dame Stadium, South Bend, IN
- Game start: 1:30 pm EST
- Game attendance: 59,075
- Game weather: Upper 60s
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Rice
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | • Notre Dame | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 28 | Rice | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - Date: October 13
- Location: Rice Stadium, Houston, TX
- Game start: 7:30 p.m. CDT
- Game weather: Hot, humid, drizzle
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Army
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | • Notre Dame | 0 | 28 | 20 | 14 | 62 | Army | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | |
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Scoring summary |
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| 1 | | ARMY | Barclay 22-yard field goal | Army 3–0 | | 2 | | ND | Penick 1-yard run (Thomas kick) | Notre Dame 7–3 | | 2 | | ND | Casper 34-yard pass from Clements (Thomas kick) | Notre Dame 14–3 | | 2 | | ND | Best 5-yard run (Thomas kick) | Notre Dame 21–3 | | 2 | | ND | Casper 3-yard pass from Brown (Thomas kick) | Notre Dame 28–3 | | 3 | | ND | Penick 6-yard run (Thomas kick) | Notre Dame 35–3 | | 3 | | ND | Hunter 22-yard run (kick failed) | Notre Dame 41–3 | | 3 | | ND | Hunter 1-yard run (Thomas kick) | Notre Dame 48–3 | | 4 | | ND | Allocco 9-yard run (Thomas kick) | Notre Dame 55–3 | | 4 | | ND | Simon 74-yard punt return (Thomas kick) | Notre Dame 62–3 | |
[6]
USC
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | USC | 7 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 14 | • Notre Dame | 3 | 10 | 10 | 0 | 23 | |
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Scoring summary |
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| 1 | 7:08 | ND | Thomas 32-yard field goal | ND 3-0 | | 1 | | USC | Davis 1-yard run (Limahelu kick) | USC 7-3 | | 2 | 9:34 | ND | Thomas 33-yard field goal | USC 7-6 | | 2 | 0:30 | ND | Clements 1-yard run (Thomas kick) | ND 13-7 | | 3 | | ND | Penick 85-yard run (Thomas kick) | ND 20-7 | | 3 | | USC | Swann 27-yard pass from Haden (Limahelu kick) | ND 20-14 | | 3 | | ND | Thomas 32-yard field goal | ND 23-14 | |
[7][8]
Navy
Navy Midshipmen at Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
Navy | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 |
Notre Dame | 7 | 7 | 14 | 16 | 44 |
at Notre Dame Stadium, South Bend, IN
- Date: November 3
- Game time: 1:30 pm EST
- Game weather: Partly cloudy, 50 degrees
- Game attendance: 59,075
- [9]
Scoring summary |
Quarter | Time | Drive | Team | Scoring information | Score | Plays | Yards | TOP | NAVY | ND | 1 | | | | | Notre Dame | Penick 20-yard touchdown run, Thomas kick good | 0 | 7 | 2 | | | | | Notre Dame | Hunter 3-yard touchdown run, Thomas kick good | 0 | 14 | 3 | | | | | Notre Dame | Clements 1-yard touchdown run, Thomas kick good | 0 | 21 | 3 | | | | | Notre Dame | Samuel 7-yard touchdown run, Thomas kick good | 0 | 28 | 4 | | | | | Notre Dame | Safety, Glenny tackled in end zone | 0 | 30 | 4 | | | | | Navy | Van Loan 25-yard touchdown reception from Glenny, Dykes kick good | 7 | 30 | 4 | | | | | Notre Dame | W. Townsend 9-yard touchdown reception from Brown, Thomas kick good | 7 | 37 | 4 | | | | | Notre Dame | Parise 3-yard touchdown run, Thomas kick good | 7 | 44 | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | 7 | 44 | |
Pittsburgh
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | • Notre Dame | 7 | 3 | 7 | 14 | 31 | Pittsburgh | 0 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 10 | - Date: November 10
- Location: Pitt Stadium, Pittsburgh, PA
- Game start: 1:30 p.m. EST
- Game attendance: 56,593
- Game weather: Mid-30s, snow flurries
- Referee: Bob Van Lengen
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Air Force
This is the only Thanksgiving Day game ever played at Notre Dame Stadium, and with students away on a week-long break, it also was the only official non-sellout for a Fighting Irish home football game between October 24, 1964, and November 16, 2019.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | Air Force | 0 | 6 | 3 | 6 | 15 | • Notre Dame | 28 | 6 | 0 | 14 | 48 | - Date: November 22
- Location: Notre Dame Stadium, South Bend, IN
- Game start: 1:20 pm EST
- Game attendance: 57,236
- Game weather: Sunny, low 60s
- Television network: ABC
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Miami (FL)
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | • Notre Dame | 7 | 17 | 14 | 6 | 44 | Miami | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - Date: December 1
- Location: Miami Orange Bowl
- Game start: 7:30 p.m. EST
- Game weather: 70 degrees, humid
- Referee: Morris Harrison
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Sugar Bowl vs. Alabama
1973 Sugar Bowl | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | • Notre Dame | 6 | 8 | 7 | 3 | 24 | Alabama | 0 | 10 | 7 | 6 | 23 | |
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Scoring summary |
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| 1 | 11:41 | ND | Bullock 1-yard run (kick failed) | ND 6-0 | | 2 | | ALA | Billingsley 6-yard run (Davis kick) | ALA 7-6 | | 2 | | ND | Hunter 93-yard kickoff return (Clements to Demmerle pass) | ND 14-7 | | 2 | | ALA | Davis 39-yard field goal | ND 14-10 | | 3 | | ALA | Jackson 5-yard run (Davis kick) | ALA 17-14 | | 3 | | ND | Penick 12-yard run (Thomas kick) | ND 21-17 | | 4 | 9:39 | ALA | Todd 25-yard pass from Stock (kick failed) | ALA 23-21 | | 4 | 4:26 | ND | Thomas 19-yard field goal | ND 24-23 | |
[10]
Post-season
Award winners
All-Americans
College Football Hall of Fame inductees
Notre Dame leads all universities in players inducted.[11]
1974 NFL Draft
References
- ^ a b c "2007 Notre Dame Media Guide: History and Records (pages 131-175)". und.cstv.com. Archived from the original on June 10, 2008. Retrieved December 29, 2008.
- ^ a b c d "2007 Notre Dame Media Guide: 2007 Supplement (page 163)". und.cstv.com. Archived from the original on October 11, 2007. Retrieved December 31, 2008.
- ^ "Past Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (Division I FBS) National Champions (formerly called Division I-A)". ncaa.org. Archived from the original on May 9, 2008. Retrieved December 31, 2008.
- ^ "2007 Notre Dame Media Guide: 2007 Supplement (page 129)". und.cstv.com. Archived from the original on October 11, 2007. Retrieved December 31, 2008.
- ^ "Notre Dame Bests Purdue." Palm Beach Post. 1973 Sept 30.
- ^ Eugene Register-Guard. 1973 Oct 21.
- ^ Palm Beach Post. 28 Oct 1973. NO BOX SCORE.
- ^ "Irish end years of frustration." Eugene Register-Guard. 1973 Oct 28.
- ^ "Irish Whips Navy." Ocala Star-Banner. 1973 Nov 04. Retrieved 2018-Dec-24.
- ^ "Notre Dame Preserves 24-23 Victory." Palm Beach Post. 1974 Jan 1.
- ^ "Hall of Fame: Select group by school". College Football Hall of Fame. Football Foundation. Retrieved December 31, 2008.
- ^ "Notre Dame NFL Draft History". uhnd.com. Archived from the original on January 6, 2009. Retrieved December 31, 2008.
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Venues | |
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Bowls and rivalries | |
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Culture and lore | |
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People | |
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Seasons | |
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National championship seasons in bold |
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1936–1949 | |
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1950s | |
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1960s | - 1960: Minnesota (AP, Coaches, NFF) / Ole Miss (FWAA)
- 1961: Alabama (AP, Coaches, NFF) / Ohio State (FWAA)
- 1962: USC
- 1963: Texas
- 1964: Alabama (AP, Coaches) / Arkansas (FWAA) / Notre Dame (NFF)
- 1965: Alabama (AP, FWAA) / Michigan State (Coaches, FWAA, NFF)
- 1966: Notre Dame (AP, Coaches, FWAA, NFF) / Michigan State (NFF)
- 1967: USC
- 1968: Ohio State
- 1969: Texas
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1970s | |
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1980–1991 | |
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