This weekend, No. 8 Notre Dame hosts No. 16 Texas A&M in one of the most anticipated Irish football home openers in recent memory. And while Marcus Freeman’s teams have generally produced forgettable results in their first impressions at home, this year’s squad can set the tone for the season at Notre Dame Stadium in a massive spot.
Heading into Saturday’s prime-time contest, let’s take a look back at some of Notre Dame’s most iconic football home openers.
No Leahy, no problem
Eight months after the resignation of four-time national champion head coach Frank Leahy, Notre Dame took the field to begin the 1954 season under Terry Brennan, who had graduated from the University only five years prior. The second-ranked Irish had not lost since November 1952, levying plenty of pressure on the program’s new leader. Furthermore, they opened the 1954 campaign against No. 4 Texas, who defeated the Irish the last time they had lost a season opener in 1934.
The Longhorns marched down the field right away, reaching the Irish 7-yard line within the first two minutes of the game. There, however, they committed their first of seven turnovers on the day, fumbling in the backfield to shut down the drive. Two more recovered fumbles, four interceptions, and 21 points later, Notre Dame walked away with a shutout in its first post-Leahy game.
Ara Parseghian’s Irish won additional marquee home openers in the late 1960s, first kicking off a national championship year with a 26-14 defeat of No. 7 Purdue in 1966. In that game, rookie quarterback Terry Hanratty bested Pro Football Hall of Famer Bob Griese by leaning on Jim Seymour, who set a Notre Dame record with 276 receiving yards. Two years later, Hanratty and Seymour led the way again in a 45-21 rout of No. 5 Oklahoma.
Milestones and Michigan
Notre Dame’s 1982 home opener centered around honoring tradition — and welcoming a new one. The Irish were set to host No. 10 Michigan in Notre Dame Stadium’s first night game, providing a grand stage to right the wrongs of the 1981 season. Early in ‘81, Notre Dame lost to Michigan as the No. 1 team in the country, beginning a tumultuous 5-6 season. Entering the 1982 Michigan game, their season opener, the Irish felt embarrassed and sought a restoration of their program’s legendary status.
Head coach Gerry Faust knew just what to do. A few hours before the game, he arranged a team viewing of “Wake Up the Echoes,” a recently-released documentary on the achievements of Notre Dame football. The film moved Faust, and it apparently struck a chord with the team as well. Against Michigan, the Irish played inspired football, recording eight sacks in a 23-17 victory.
At the end of the decade, with Lou Holtz at the helm, the Wolverines returned for two more season-opening showdowns. In 1988, Notre Dame began its most recent championship season with its first of 12 wins, topping No. 9 Michigan by a 19-17 score on four made field goals from walk-on kicker Reggie Ho. Two years later, top-ranked Notre Dame again got the better of Michigan in a No. 1 against No. 4 matchup, overcoming a late 24-14 deficit to win 28-24.
To start the next season, Notre Dame took part in another historic game, playing its first of many games on NBC. Against in-state foe Indiana, the Irish rolled to a 49-27 victory with Dick Enberg and Bill Walsh on the broadcast call. Tight end Irv Smith provided the highlight play on a 58-yard touchdown in the third quarter, dragging a Hoosier defender with him for more than 20 yards to reach the end zone.
Crazy contests in the mid-2000s
If you’re a student reading this, Notre Dame probably played a wild home opener in the year you were born. In 2002, the Irish knocked off Purdue while scoring zero points on offense. All three of their touchdowns originated from the defense, including a game-winning interception return from Vontez Duff in the fourth quarter of a 24-17 win.
The 2003 and 2005 home openers each featured a remarkable Irish comeback, and, in between, an upset of No. 8 Michigan in 2004. The 2003 game brought Washington State to town, and the Cougars came ready to play, opening up a 19-0 lead in the second quarter. Notre Dame didn’t waver, though, rattling off 26 consecutive points (including 20 within the first 12 minutes of the fourth quarter) to take the lead. Washington State answered on Sammy Moore’s one-handed catch to force overtime in the final minute, but the Cougars missed their field goal in the extra period, allowing Nicholas Setta to win the game for the Irish with a 40-yard kick.
Although 2005 is known far better for a later Irish loss, Notre Dame’s first setback of that season was also one for the books. After starting 2-0 with road wins at No. 23 Pittsburgh and No. 3 Michigan, the Irish came home to unranked Michigan State and struggled badly, falling behind 38-17 with two minutes remaining in the third quarter. That’s when quarterback Brady Quinn yanked out his Superman cape, slinging his third, fourth and fifth touchdown passes of the night to complete a 21-point comeback and force overtime. Michigan State prevailed, though, walking off the Irish on a Jason Teague rushing touchdown.
Quinn and the gang avoided any dramatics in 2006, blowing the doors off of No. 19 Penn State in a 41-17 smackdown, one of Notre Dame’s most impressive home-opener performances in the 21st century.
Quarterbacks coming up big
Teams want to lean on their leaders early in the season, and Notre Dame has done just that in many of its recent home openers, riding phenomenal quarterback play. In 2009’s 35-0 shutout, Jimmy Clausen made a mockery of worthy opponent Colin Kaepernick and Nevada, racking up 315 passing yards and four touchdowns, three of them going to 189-yard wide receiver Michael Floyd. Malik Zaire delivered a similar passing performance in a 38-3 toppling of Texas, completing 19 of his 22 passes for 313 yards and a trio of scores.
In other moments, the Irish required late heroics from their signal-callers. When Notre Dame struggled with Purdue and the undefeated regular season of 2012 hung in the balance only two games in, the Irish benched Everett Golson for junior backup Tommy Rees. Inheriting a 17-17 tie game with two minutes remaining, Rees drove the Irish to the Purdue 10, setting up Kyle Brindza’s game-winning field goal.
Jack Coan put together a decisive drive of his own in 2021, saving the Irish from a disastrous loss against Toledo in his home debut. After the Rockets took the lead with less than 90 seconds remaining, Coan led the Irish deep into opposing territory but dislocated the middle finger of his throwing hand in the process. In between plays, he sprinted to the sideline and had it popped back into place, then raced back to the line of scrimmage. On the very next snap, he found tight end Michael Mayer for the game-winning touchdown, securing a 32-29 escape.
