1973 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football
AP Poll national champion
FWAA national champion
NFF national champion
Sugar Bowl champion
Sugar Bowl, W 24–23 vs. Alabama
ConferenceIndependent
Ranking
CoachesNo. 4
APNo. 1
Record11–0
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorWing T
Defensive coordinatorJoe Yonto
Base defense4–3
Captains
Home stadiumNotre Dame Stadium
Seasons
← 1972
1974 →
1973 NCAA Division I independents football records
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 1 Notre Dame   –   11 – 0 – 0
No. 5 Penn State   –   12 – 0 – 0
No. 9 Houston   –   11 – 1 – 0
Temple   –   9 – 1 – 0
No. 20 Tulane   –   9 – 3 – 0
Memphis State   –   8 – 3 – 0
Tampa   –   8 – 3 – 0
Boston College   –   7 – 4 – 0
South Carolina   –   7 – 4 – 0
Utah State   –   7 – 4 – 0
Air Force   –   6 – 4 – 0
Southern Miss   –   6 – 4 – 1
Northern Illinois   –   6 – 5 – 0
Rutgers   –   6 – 5 – 0
West Virginia   –   6 – 5 – 0
Pittsburgh   –   6 – 5 – 1
Colgate   –   5 – 5 – 0
Dayton   –   5 – 5 – 1
Xavier   –   5 – 5 – 1
Georgia Tech   –   5 – 6 – 0
Holy Cross   –   5 – 6 – 0
Miami (FL)   –   5 – 6 – 0
Cincinnati   –   4 – 7 – 0
Marshall   –   4 – 7 – 0
Navy   –   4 – 7 – 0
Southern Illinois   –   3 – 7 – 1
Villanova   –   3 – 8 – 0
Syracuse   –   2 – 9 – 0
Virginia Tech   –   2 – 9 – 0
Army   –   0 – 10 – 0
Florida State   –   0 – 11 – 0
Rankings from AP Poll

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

DateTimeOpponentRankSiteTVResultAttendance
September 222:30 p.m.NorthwesternNo. 8
W 44–059,075
September 291:50 p.m.at PurdueNo. 7
ABCW 20–769,391
October 62:30 p.m.Michigan StateNo. 8
  • Notre Dame Stadium
  • Notre Dame, IN (rivalry)
W 14–1059,075
October 138:05 p.m.at RiceNo. 9
W 28–050,321
October 202:00 p.m.at ArmyNo. 11
W 62–342,503
October 271:50 p.m.No. 6 USCNo. 8
  • Notre Dame Stadium
  • Notre Dame, IN (rivalry)
ABCW 23–1459,075
November 31:30 p.m.NavyNo. 5
  • Notre Dame Stadium
  • Notre Dame, IN (rivalry)
W 44–759,075
November 101:30 p.m.at No. 20 PittsburghNo. 5
W 31–1056,593
November 221:20 p.m.Air ForceNo. 5
  • Notre Dame Stadium
  • Notre Dame, IN (rivalry)
ABCW 48–1557,236
December 18:15 p.m.at Miami (FL)No. 5
W 44–042,968
December 318:00 p.m.vs. No. 1 AlabamaNo. 3
ABCW 24–2385,161

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
Pos. # Name Class
DT 79 Jay Achterhoff So
CB 14 Reggie Barnett Jr
S 20 Luther Bradley Fr
DE 89 Ross Browner Fr
LB 50 Greg Collins Jr
DE 41 Tom Creevey
DT 88 Mike Fanning Jr
DE 94 Willie Fry Fr
DT 95 George Hayduk
CB 26 Tom Lopienski So
LB 45 Drew Mahalic So
CB 25 Mike Naughton
DT 70 Steve Niehaus So
DT 60 Kevin Nosbusch Jr
LB 38 Tony Novakov
S 33 Mike Parker
LB 40 Gary Potempa
CB 7 Tim Rudnick Sr
CB 29 Pat Sarb So
LB 55 Sherm Smith
DE 48 Jim Stock So
LB 42 Tim Sullivan Sr
S 27 Mike Townsend Sr
LB 61 Mike Webb
S 34 Bob Zanot So
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 Injured
  • Redshirt Redshirt

Game summaries

Northwestern

1 234Total
Northwestern 0 000 0
• Notre Dame 16 2107 44


Purdue

1 234Total
• Notre Dame 3 773 20
Purdue 0 700 7
Scoring summary
1NDThomas 22-yard field goalNotre Dame 3-0
2PURBurton 53-yard pass from Bobrowski (Conner kick)Purdue 7-3
2NDBest 9-yard run (Thomas kick)Notre Dame 10-7
3NDBullock 1-yard run (Thomas kick)Notre Dame 17-7
4NDThomas 42-yard field goalNotre Dame 20-7

[5]

Michigan State

1 234Total
Michigan St. 0 037 10
• Notre Dame 0 1400 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

Rice

1 234Total
• Notre Dame 7 777 28
Rice 0 000 0


Army

1 234Total
• Notre Dame 0 282014 62
Army 3 000 3
Scoring summary
1ARMYBarclay 22-yard field goalArmy 3–0
2NDPenick 1-yard run (Thomas kick)Notre Dame 7–3
2NDCasper 34-yard pass from Clements (Thomas kick)Notre Dame 14–3
2NDBest 5-yard run (Thomas kick)Notre Dame 21–3
2NDCasper 3-yard pass from Brown (Thomas kick)Notre Dame 28–3
3NDPenick 6-yard run (Thomas kick)Notre Dame 35–3
3NDHunter 22-yard run (kick failed)Notre Dame 41–3
3NDHunter 1-yard run (Thomas kick)Notre Dame 48–3
4NDAllocco 9-yard run (Thomas kick)Notre Dame 55–3
4NDSimon 74-yard punt return (Thomas kick)Notre Dame 62–3

[6]

USC

1 234Total
USC 7 070 14
• Notre Dame 3 10100 23
Scoring summary
17:08NDThomas 32-yard field goalND 3-0
1USCDavis 1-yard run (Limahelu kick)USC 7-3
29:34NDThomas 33-yard field goalUSC 7-6
20:30NDClements 1-yard run (Thomas kick)ND 13-7
3NDPenick 85-yard run (Thomas kick)ND 20-7
3USCSwann 27-yard pass from Haden (Limahelu kick)ND 20-14
3NDThomas 32-yard field goalND 23-14

[7][8]

Navy

Navy Midshipmen at Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Period 1 2 34Total
Navy 0 0 077
Notre Dame 7 7 141644

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]
Game information

Pittsburgh

1 234Total
• Notre Dame 7 3714 31
Pittsburgh 0 307 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


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 234Total
Air Force 0 636 15
• Notre Dame 28 6014 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


Miami (FL)

1 234Total
• Notre Dame 7 17146 44
Miami 0 000 0
  • Date: December 1
  • Location: Miami Orange Bowl
  • Game start: 7:30 p.m. EST
  • Game weather: 70 degrees, humid
  • Referee: Morris Harrison


Sugar Bowl vs. Alabama

1973 Sugar Bowl
1 234Total
• Notre Dame 6 873 24
Alabama 0 1076 23
Scoring summary
111:41NDBullock 1-yard run (kick failed)ND 6-0
2ALABillingsley 6-yard run (Davis kick)ALA 7-6
2NDHunter 93-yard kickoff return (Clements to Demmerle pass)ND 14-7
2ALADavis 39-yard field goalND 14-10
3ALAJackson 5-yard run (Davis kick)ALA 17-14
3NDPenick 12-yard run (Thomas kick)ND 21-17
49:39ALATodd 25-yard pass from Stock (kick failed)ALA 23-21
44:26NDThomas 19-yard field goalND 24-23

[10]

Post-season

Award winners

All-Americans

Name AP UPI NEA FC SN FW T FN WCF
Dave Casper, TE 2 1 1 1 1 1
† Mike Townsend, DB 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
†denotes consensus selection       Source:[1]

College Football Hall of Fame inductees

Name Position Year Inducted
Ara Parseghian Coach 1980

Notre Dame leads all universities in players inducted.[11]

1974 NFL Draft

Player Position Round Pick Franchise
Dave Casper Tight End 2(19) 45 Oakland Raiders
Mike Townsend Defensive Back 4(8) 86 Minnesota Vikings
Brian Doherty Punter 9(18) 226 Buffalo Bills
Tim Rudnick Defensive Back 11(5) 265 Baltimore Colts
Frank Pomarico Guard 14(15) 353 Kansas City Chiefs
Robert R. Thomas Kicker 15(24) 388 Los Angeles Rams
Cliff Brown Running Back 17(11) 427 Philadelphia Eagles
Willie Townsend Wide Receiver 17(24) 440 Los Angeles Rams
Source:[12]

References

  1. ^ 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.
  2. ^ 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.
  3. ^ "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.
  4. ^ "2007 Notre Dame Media Guide: 2007 Supplement (page 129)". und.cstv.com. Archived from the original on October 11, 2007. Retrieved December 31, 2008.
  5. ^ "Notre Dame Bests Purdue." Palm Beach Post. 1973 Sept 30.
  6. ^ Eugene Register-Guard. 1973 Oct 21.
  7. ^ Palm Beach Post. 28 Oct 1973. NO BOX SCORE.
  8. ^ "Irish end years of frustration." Eugene Register-Guard. 1973 Oct 28.
  9. ^ "Irish Whips Navy." Ocala Star-Banner. 1973 Nov 04. Retrieved 2018-Dec-24.
  10. ^ "Notre Dame Preserves 24-23 Victory." Palm Beach Post. 1974 Jan 1.
  11. ^ "Hall of Fame: Select group by school". College Football Hall of Fame. Football Foundation. Retrieved December 31, 2008.
  12. ^ "Notre Dame NFL Draft History". uhnd.com. Archived from the original on January 6, 2009. Retrieved December 31, 2008.
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