The 1993 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team represented the University of Notre Dame in the 1993 college football season.[1] The team was coached by Lou Holtz and played its home games at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, Indiana.
On November 13, Notre Dame played Florida State in a matchup of unbeatens. The winner of this game, at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, Indiana, was certain to play #3 Nebraska (which would then move up to #2) in the Orange Bowl for the national championship.[2]
The next week, they faced Boston College in one of the best games of the year, the Notre Dame offense piled up 427 yards of offense, scored 5 touchdowns, including 22 points in the last 11 minutes, but the game would forever be remembered on Boston College's last drive as their kicker David Gordon hit a 41-yard field goal as time expired to win it 41–39, ending Notre Dame's bid for a national title.
Schedule
| Date |
Time |
Opponent# |
Rank# |
Site |
TV |
Result |
Attendance |
|---|
| September 4 |
2:30 p.m. |
Northwestern* |
No. 6 |
Notre Dame Stadium • South Bend, IN (rivalry) |
NBC |
W 27–12 |
59,075 |
| September 11 |
12:00 p.m. |
at No. 2 Michigan* |
No. 10 |
Michigan Stadium • Ann Arbor, MI (rivalry) |
ABC |
W 27–23 |
106,851 |
| September 18 |
2:30 p.m. |
Michigan State* |
No. 5 |
Notre Dame Stadium • South Bend, IN (Megaphone Trophy) |
NBC |
W 36–14 |
59,075 |
| September 25 |
3:30 p.m. |
at Purdue* |
No. 4 |
Ross–Ade Stadium • West Lafayette, IN (Shillelagh Trophy) |
ABC |
W 17–0 |
67,861 |
| October 2 |
3:30 p.m. |
at Stanford* |
No. 4 |
Stanford Stadium • Stanford, CA (Legends Trophy) |
ABC |
W 48–20 |
80,300 |
| October 9 |
2:30 p.m. |
Pittsburgh* |
No. 4 |
Notre Dame Stadium • South Bend, IN (rivalry) |
NBC |
W 44–0 |
59,075 |
| October 16 |
7:30 p.m. |
at BYU* |
No. 3 |
Cougar Stadium • Provo, UT |
ESPN |
W 45–20 |
66,247 |
| October 23 |
2:30 p.m. |
USC* |
No. 2 |
Notre Dame Stadium • South Bend, IN (Jeweled Shillelagh) |
NBC |
W 31–13 |
59,075 |
| October 30 |
12:00 p.m. |
vs. Navy* |
No. 2 |
Veterans Stadium • Philadelphia, PA (rivalry) |
ABC |
W 58–27 |
61,813 |
| November 13 |
2:30 p.m. |
No. 1 Florida State* |
No. 2 |
Notre Dame Stadium • South Bend, IN |
NBC |
W 31–24 |
59,075 |
| November 20 |
1:30 p.m. |
No. 16 Boston College* |
No. 1 |
Notre Dame Stadium • South Bend, IN (Holy War) |
NBC |
L 41–39 |
59,075 |
| January 1, 1994 |
4:30 p.m. |
vs. No. 6 Texas A&M* |
No. 4 |
Cotton Bowl • Dallas, TX (Cotton Bowl Classic) |
NBC |
W 24–21 |
69,855 |
| #Rankings from Coaches' Poll released prior to game. All times are in Eastern Time. |
Game summaries
Michigan State
| |
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|
| Michigan St |
7 |
0 | 0 | 7 |
14 |
| • Notre Dame |
0 |
16 | 13 | 7 |
36 |
|
|
| Scoring summary |
|---|
| | 1 | | MSU | Thomas 1 yard run (Stoyanovich kick) | MSU 7-0 |
| | 2 | | ND | Farmer 1 yard (kick failed) | MSU 7-6 |
| | 2 | | ND | Pendergast 26 yard field goal | ND 9-7 |
| | 2 | | ND | Zellers 4 yard pass from McDougal (Pendergast kick) | ND 16-7 |
| | 3 | | ND | Pendergast 23 yard field goal | ND 19-7 |
| | 3 | | ND | Pendergast 31 yard field goal | ND 22-7 |
| | 3 | | ND | Edwards 1 yard run (Pendergast kick) | ND 29-7 |
| | 4 | | ND | Becton 12 yard pass from McDougal (Pendergast kick) | ND 36-7 |
| | 4 | | MSU | Coleman 5 yard pass from Miller (Stoyanovich kick) | ND 36-14 |
|
USC
| |
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|
| USC |
0 |
7 | 0 | 6 |
13 |
| • Notre Dame |
14 |
14 | 3 | 0 |
31 |
|
|
| Scoring summary |
|---|
| | 1 | | ND | Becton 70 yard run (Pendergast kick) | ND 7-0 |
| | 1 | | ND | Edwards 2 yard run (Pendergast kick) | ND 14-0 |
| | 2 | | ND | Burris 4 yard run (Pendergast kick) | ND 21-0 |
| | 2 | | USC | Strother 13 yard pass from Johnson (Salmon kick) | ND 21-7 |
| | 2 | | ND | Zellars 29 yard pass from Failla (Pendergast kick) | ND 28-7 |
| | 3 | | ND | Pendergast 43 yard field goal | ND 31-7 |
| | 4 | | USC | McWilliams 8 yard pass from Johnson (pass failed) | ND 31-13 |
|
[3]
Navy
| |
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|
| • Notre Dame |
3 |
14 | 21 | 20 |
58 |
| Navy |
10 |
14 | 3 | 0 |
27 |
|
|
| Scoring summary |
|---|
| | 1 | | NAVY | Bucchianeri 38 yard field goal | NAVY 3-0 |
| | 1 | | ND | Pendergast 32 yard field goal | Tied 3-3 |
| | 1 | | NAVY | Dixon 31 yard pass from Kubiak (Bucchianeri kick) | NAVY 10-3 |
| | 2 | | ND | Edwards 3 yard run (Pendergast kick) | Tied 10-10 |
| | 2 | | NAVY | Stramanak 1 yard run (Bucchianeri kick) | NAVY 17-10 |
| | 2 | | ND | Edwards 10 yard run (Pendergast kick) | Tied 17-17 |
| | 2 | | NAVY | Screen 53 yard pass from Kubiak (Bucchianeri kick) | NAVY 24-17 |
| | 3 | | ND | Dawson 44 hard pass from McDougal (Pendergast kick) | Tied 24-24 |
| | 3 | | ND | Kinder 70 yard run (Pendergast kick) | ND 31-24 |
| | 3 | | ND | Farmer 9 yard run (Pendergast kick) | ND 38-24 |
| | 3 | | NAVY | Bucchianeri 34 yard field goal | ND 38-27 |
| | 4 | | ND | Burns 3 yard run (Pendergast kick) | ND 45-27 |
| | 4 | | ND | Edwards 1 yard run (kick failed) | ND 51-27 |
| | 4 | | ND | Taylor 31 yard interception return (Pendergast kick) | ND 58-27 |
|
[4]
Roster
| 1993 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team roster |
| Players |
Coaches |
| Offense
|
Defense
|
Special teams
|
- Head coach
- Coordinators/assistant coaches
- Legend
- (C) Team captain
- (S) Suspended
- (I) Ineligible
 Injured Redshirt
|
References
|
|---|
| Venues | |
|---|
| Bowls & rivalries | |
|---|
| Culture & lore | |
|---|
| People | |
|---|
| Seasons | |
|---|
National championship seasons in bold |
