Hold-Your-Breath Season Ends Perfectly with National Title In

2011 Notre Dame Football Supplement Hold-Your-Breath Season Ends 1988 — 12-0-0 “If you look at it on paper, there is no Perfectly With National Title justification for Notre Dame to be rated in the top 20.” In Fiesta Bowl — Irish head coach Lou Holtz in the preseason It wasn’t long after Lou Holtz’s arrival as day by a 31-30 count, as Notre Dame forced “If we are number one, I don't care who head football coach at Notre Dame that he seven Hurricane turnovers and made use of a is number two.” opined that the Irish couldn’t expect to be a bevy of heroes, lastly Pat Terrell, who great team until they were great on defense. knocked down Miami quarterback Steve — Irish coach Lou Holtz That prophesy came true for Holtz and the Walsh’s two-point conversion pass with 45 Irish in 1988 - ironically, just a year after seconds remaining. Frank Stams “I was so tired, I was wondering if we’d Notre Dame’s Tim Brown had captured the Terrell previously ran an interception back were suspended the day before the game. ever get off the field.” Heisman Trophy. But with his departure 60 yards for a score, Stams forced two Walsh Notre Dame met third-ranked and unbeat- came a revitalization of the defense, led by fumbles, recovered another and tipped the — Defensive End Frank Stams after en West Virginia in the Fiesta Bowl in hopes the USC game senior defensive end Frank Stams, junior pass Terrell intercepted — and quarterback of claiming the championship — and the linebacker Michael Stonebreaker, sophomore Tony Rice threw for a career-high 195 yards. Irish rode early leads of 16-0 and 23-3 to an “I think this team is underrated even if we defensive tackle Chris Zorich and senior line- The Irish took the lead for good midway eventual 34-21 victory banking on another are No. 1. I've read articles that people have backer Wes Pritchett, all of whom merited through the third period after thwarting a staunch defensive effort. sent to me all year saying we were lucky some sort of All-America honors. They were fake punt by Miami and then held on down Rice ran for 75 yards and completed seven against this team or that. Our football team is supported by cornerback Todd Lyght, line- the stretch. Though Walsh threw for 424 throws for 213 more yards. Meanwhile, prettier than I am, but that’s about it. We backer Ned Bolcar and defensive tackle Jeff yards, the stingy Irish front line limited the Stams had two sacks on his way to the don't play pretty all the time, but we sure play together as a team.” Alm, who went on to earn that same All- ‘Canes to 57 rushing yards. defensive MVP award, and the Irish domi- America acclaim a year later. The season finale found the 10-0 and top- nated a heralded Mountaineer offensive line — Irish coach Lou Holtz The end result was a consensus national ranked Irish underdogs against second-rated that had been one of the main reasons West championship for the Irish in 1988, thanks to and also unbeaten USC in the Los Angeles Virginia had never trailed in a game all sea- “The poll is great and it creates a tremen- a perfect 12-0 campaign. The title came in Coliseum. Again, it was defense that domi- son. The more physical Notre Dame team dous amount of interest. But I only pay atten- Holtz’s third season as Irish head coach, nated for Notre Dame in a 27-10 victory. knocked quarterback Major Harris out of the tion to the last one. It's amazing. Here we are much as Frank Leahy, Ara Parseghian and Stams had nine tackles, two and a half sacks, contest early due to a bruised shoulder and number one and I'm scared to death of a team Dan Devine before him had claimed national fumble recovery and made life miserable for limited the potent Mountaineer ground that hasn't won a game.” crowns in their respective third seasons as Trojan standout Rodney Peete. Cornerback game to 108 yards. — Irish coach Lou Holtz Irish head coach. It came thanks to riveting Stan Smagala ran an interception back 64 Holtz’s final pronouncement: “This team regular-season triumphs over Michigan, yards for a 20-7 halftime lead after Rice had will go down as a great football team Miami and USC — and it ultimately featured skirted left end for 65 yards for the first points “I’m exactly the same today as when I because nobody proved otherwise.” woke up yesterday. The players are the same. wins over teams ranked first, second and of the game. We're not bigger. We're not stronger. We're third in the polls when they faced Notre The Irish prevailed despite going 29 min- not faster. We're not going to change our Dame. utes in the second and third periods com- uniforms. If you start worrying about No. 1 When the 13th-ranked Irish debuted bined without a first down — and in spite and try to defend it, the pressure would be against ninth-rated Michigan in Notre Dame of the fact leading rusher Tony Brooks and tremendous.” Stadium, Holtz knew his youthful offense leading receiver Watters, both sophomores, would be tested, particularly with a green — Irish coach Lou Holtz group of receivers featuring Ricky Watters at flanker in a switch from tailback, plus rookies “Winning the national championship was never in my thoughts. I have been asked Derek Brown and Raghib Ismail. His concern the question did I ever dream about winning was borne out when Notre Dame did not the national championship. score a touchdown from scrimmage. “Yeah, you dream about it, but I never But Watters returned a Michigan punt 81 really though that it would happen to me. I yards for a touchdown, and unheralded never thought I would coach a national cham- walk-on kicker Reggie Ho knocked through pionship team. It still hasn't sunk in on me four field goals, twice bringing the Irish from yet.” behind including the game winner with 1:13 remaining. A field goal miss from 48 yards as — Irish coach Lou Holtz time expired by the Wolverines earned Notre “We’re going on a mission this year, a Dame a 19-17 opening victory. couple of weeks of sacrifice for something that Four wins later, the fourth-rated Irish wel- we’re going to be able to enjoy and celebrate comed top-ranked Miami and its 36-game the rest of our lives. That’s a small price to regular-season unbeaten streak to Notre pay.” Dame Stadium. The streak bit the dust that — Senior tailback Mark Green Tony Rice 171.

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