It wasn't known at the time they were that terrible, but it became apparent in due course.

There was a lot of false hope that year.

would have deserved it.

The old wooden bleacher I was sitting on broke jumping up and down on the go ahead touchdown, and I still have the fragment somewhere in my basement.

Do the current students get the joke?

Denard Robinson was surrounded by ND players at his own 2 yard line.

89 yards later it was first and goal.

Also we should have been 35-7 or even more at that point.

Otherwise, I agree.

The first three quarters were one of the worst performances this side of 2007, and the Julius Jones started running over Cougars (and Maurice Stovall).

It kicked off at midnight local time. At 3 AM, Armando Allen housed a kickoff to put us up by 35, and the announcer said, in the same way you'd say it to a sleeping toddler, "Merry Christmas, Irish fans."

A testament to our pathology perhaps that it didn't take too long for the thread to head this way and likely out-word-count the 'best games' posts.

:)

that game. I've been trying to forget it. And you're right, it was a classic "Tommy, NO!" pass.

Hey, I was only off by four years in the game Sark coached.

I lived with three roommates at the time and I reminder having to get out of my apartment into my father's SUV just so I could scream at Brian Kelly without having people call the cops on me.

--
Weaseling out of things is important to learn. It's what separates us from the animals… except the weasel.

Kiffin was the head coach. There wasn't a pick six in that game. There was a backwards pass/fumble, but it wasn't returned for a TD. And I'm pretty sure that was Rees who threw it.

Which pretty much sealed our fate. For the life of me, I can't remember why he was even in.

That game was so bad that even Sark felt sorry for us and eased up in the fourth quarter.

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player that was returned for a TD, the only one of the 2nd half.

And the SI cover - "What a Difference a Coach Makes!"

Yeah, we found that out the hard way.

Any thoughts of Charlie turning it around were dashed that day. I have rarely been more depressed after a game. That lousy Syracuse team finished 3-9.

That entire season was as depressing the year before. Even most of the wins were crappy.

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heading into this season was his inability to ensure the team performed adequately away from big games, ending up dropping a game in week 2 in the first year of an expanded playoff is probably the optimal outcome.

Scared the absolute shit out of him and the team, and they had ample time to rebound and refine their resolve.

Don't have to squint that hard at a world where he eke out a 4-10 point win against NIU and then end up farting out a loss against Army or Navy or Ga Tech later in the year, really putting us in a bad spot.

The least interested I ever saw a Notre Dame team. Dominated by a 6 loss Syracuse team.

The '03 game was a 57-7 blowout featuring that perfectly-thrown bomb to Shelton. The '07 game is notable not only for the robbing of David Grimes, but the crazy laterals TD by Zibby that got called back.

Both wins by horrific ND teams, and you had to feel good for them.

I'll also add on the Michigan games in 2002 (Walton bats down 2 pt. conversion), 2004 (Darius Walker coming out party), and 2008 (poured rain all day, and we benefitted from multiple Wolverine blunders. I wore swimming trunks to the game).

why not.

To be clear, both honorable mentions.

After UGA sugar bowl this season, everything pales in comparison for me.

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I will peak at the rest later, but this is biased due to recency and games I was at as well:

1a. UGA 2024/5 - that was satisfying
1b. PSU 2024/5 - second half obviously redeems this one
3. IU 2024 - Felt like the biggest game at the time. Less so in retrospect.
4. Stanford 2012 - I had two tickets to this game. Caught the South Shore wearing shorts. Arrived to a massive temp drop in South Bend. I should've known better. I went to Legends at half time just to warm up and burnt my other ticket for the 2nd half.
5. Clemson 2020
6. LSU 2017/18
7. Michigan 2005
8. FSU 2002 - my wife got sick while we were hosting a game watch for the Maryland game at the start of this season. Had no idea we'd be basically living in the hospital for the rest of the football season. People sneaking in Guinness and "tailgating" during this run of games was one thing that kept us sane during our first year of marriage.
9. Clemson 2022
10. USC 2023

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The 2007 ND-UCLA game was a once in a lifetime experience, I hope

much healthier now.

...category. Both with SC ranked higher, both at ND, both with ND getting turnovers and really taking ahold of the game and pythoning SC into submission with a combo of toughness and big plays.

2023 was better - and would make my top 10 games and not just "fun" games - but 2017 was a blast.

--
The 2007 ND-UCLA game was a once in a lifetime experience, I hope

It was back to back losses in 2000 and 2001. Both on touchdown passes on fourth and long with under two minutes left. Herb Heygood and Charles Rodgers. Then Rodgers did it again in 2002 with the catch in the back of the endzone.

Without Arnez Battle saving the day that three game run might be worse than the Michigan run.

We lost to MSU in 1998 going down 45-3 after housing Michigan the previous game, we lost on a 4th and 10 slant in 2000 after almost beating Nebraska. I forget the rest.

They all kind of blend together. Was it Charles Rodgers with a ridiculous catch in the back of the end zone?

The run of Michigan losses in 09. 10. 11 really sucked.

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I set a poor example for how my parents should behave when watching football games involving the alma mater of their daughter-in-law, I'll tell you that.

Embarrassing performance by Notre Dame and by me.

Seeing how NIU was used as rocket fuel by MF all season long, I'm not sure we get to where we got without that galvanizing event at the beginning of the season.

Pretty sure I became so conditioned to it that I still heard that in my head on a couple of the Will Howard conversions the other night. Or else it was just the fucking DJ.

I wasn't anywhere near as pissed after that game as I was after some others. I really felt NIU played a perfect game, our QB was hurt. Etc

we got off the bowl schneid and Clausen and Tate were unreal.

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https://bluegraysky.com/forum/index.php?id=64701

comparable only to the 2017 USMNT-Trinidad and Tobago match and the 2016 and 2024 presidential elections.

Because of the motivator it was used as?

--
"F--- everyone who isn't us."
#Team128

Michigan - 3 and out.
ND - 7 plays 57 yards TD
Michigan - 3 and out.
ND - 10 plays 83 yards TD
Michigan - pick.

And were up 24-7 with like 4 minutes left in the third.

Pooped our pants.

And still scored what should have been the game-winning TD.

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in saying that game broke me. Losing to the program I hate most in the world, in that ball-crushing fashion, after the previous two meetings with the evil empire had been only slightly less ball-crushing. I embarrassed myself and my family with my reaction to the loss to such an extent that, for many years after, I didn't trust myself to watch most games live. Such a dark period in my fandom.

As MSU was going into the end zone. But we were up 21-7 at that point. And once we drove down to score on the ensuing drive, the game was pretty much over.

Left both experiences wondering, "Maybe this isn't good for me to engage with anymore."

BYU would also be in that category, I think. Navy 2012 was delightful to watch at breakfast time.

And this year's 5 week (including a BYE) stretch from Navy through Army was pretty delightful. Maybe a few moments of annoyance against UVA. But we basically went through opponents like a hot knife through butter for a solid month.

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Shaun Crawford saved our butts and kicked off a comeback?

I have totally lost my $hit.

Northwestern 14 is at the top of that list by a mile.

I was more crushed by games like Michigan 11 or FSU 14.

After losing that one to Northwestern, I was just f*cking MAD.

loss of a two-game stretch. Navy 10 was worse. We were entirely impotent on defense.

Tulsa was mitigated for me by (1) the impact of the Declan Sullivan incident on the team; (2) (yet another) Crist injury; and (3) having already lost to Navy.

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line, under center.

(Only previous night game was in 1992 in the original stadium.)

I was there. Lane Kiffin took mercy on us. We left early. It sucked.

The "we're gonna bring all these stud recruits in for visits but not land one of them" game.

which conditioned me to associate Ozzy Osbourne's voice with wide-open Trojan receivers converting third downs.

These are as they appeared at the time not with the benefit of hindsight.

1. Georgia 2024/5 -- throwing around the SEC champs like rag dolls
2. PSU 2024/5 -- we're going to the NC game!
3. Clemson 2020 -- we hadn't beaten a #1 team since Holtz?
4. USC 2010 -- the relief of ending the USC streak and realizing that Kelly really was a better coach than we'd had in decades was enormous
5. FSU 2002 -- it was a false dawn but it was beautiful
6. Clemson 2022 -- we might have the right guy at the helm after the OK State and Marshall debacles
7. OU 2012 -- Rick Reilly says ND isn't "relevant" anymore and we go on the road and bitch slap Stoops to stay undefeated
8. PSU 2006 -- OK, the close win over GT was a fluke and this really is the team that was ranked #2 at the beginning of the season
9. Michigan 2014 -- why don't you play the Chicken Dance now?
10. LSU 2017/8 (Citrus Bowl) -- finally a decent bowl win and over an SEC top-tier team

My honorable mentions would include all of yours that were in your top 10 but not in mine and I don't have any quibbles with your honorable mentions. Here are some additions:

MSU 2006 -- a rally for the ages puts us back on the edge of contention
USC 2012 -- we're not going to let you end our title hopes like 1964
USC 2024 -- same
Duke 2023 -- Gut Check City after the epic loss to OSU
USC 2000 -- maybe Davie can coach and we're going to a major bowl
MSU 2002 -- Dillingham to Battle!

Must have deleted it from my memory bank. I remember watching that USF game in a hotel room and about threw the tv out the window.

That season was just so infuriating. We looked like absolute world-beaters most of the time, but constantly turned it over in the most nut-punching ways.

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During that game. We wore those cheap-ass adidas jerseys, and by the end of the game, KLM's was literally in tatters. Clearly he and his compatriots had been held all game long, with nary a flag thrown on Michigan's OL.

Of the many lasting memories I have of that game, that one is the one I always come back to.

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we were up like 38-10 until the last few minutes. I miss the MSU series. Was always kind of a nice barometer for what kind of team we had, which reminds me: MSU '12 and Mich '12 should be on this list

I was at Disney World with my kids, completely expecting us to step on our dicks in Spartan Stadium. Watching that in the hotel room after a long day at the parks was a great experience.

Tulsa sucked but was Year 1 and our 5th loss. It didn't mean a lot.

That UM game I had started to believe we were turning the corner. And it's UM on the road. And we looked incredible at times.

That mixed with the Michigan game broke quite a few of us I think.

BYU '05
MSU '06
Michigan '08
MSU '09
Washington '09
Utah '10
MSU '11
Air Force '11
Miami '12
ASU '13
LSU '14
Texas '15
NC State '17, MSU '17
Syracuse '18
FSU '20
FSU '21
UNC '22
SYR '22
BC '22
So. Carolina '22
NC St. '23
TAMU '24
GT '24
IU '24

1. Tulsa '10 - Worst ND football has felt in my lifetime I think
2. Michigan '11 - There is only pain
3. Bama '12 - Ah, yes, that bubble looking thing was indeed a bubble
4. Marshall '22 - Is There a Bottom?
5. Oregon State '2000 - Kevin White Getting Interviewed About the Davie Extension at Halftime
6. ACC Champ Game 2020 - They Never Stop Showing This Movie
7. USC '02 - Welp
8. USC '06 - I see where this is going
9. GT '07 - Oh, oh no
10. Navy '09 - Good God this is really happening now, isn't it?

DISHONORABLE MENTIONS
Northwestern 2014 - humiliating

USC 2014 - worst effort I've seen from an ND team

Miami '17 - blech

Michigan '19 - Probably the biggest non-bowl drawdown of trust earned in a coaching regime

NIU '24

Others?

Lots of shit-talking turned into grumbling turned into silence. It was glorious.

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maybe top 10 fun games to watch or top 10 comebacks, but the 2006 comeback vs. MSU was pretty damn fun.

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My Top 10:
1. 2025 Orange Bowl vs. Penn State
2. 2025 Sugar Bowl vs. Georgia
3. 2020 vs. Clemson
4. 2012 vs. Stanford
5. 2024 CFP Playoff vs. Indiana
6. 2006 vs. Michigan State
7. 2024 vs. Texas A&M
8. 2012 vs. Oklahoma
9. 2022 vs. Clemson
10. 2012 vs. Pitt

Honorable Mentions:
11. 2002 vs. Florida State
12. 2023 vs. USC
13. 2014 vs. Michigan
14. 2005 vs. Michigan
15. 2017 vs. USC

I vaguely recall a lot of cervezas, a hot waitress, and drunken calls to UM friends Stateside.

They were ranked, what, #2? (quick lookup: #3)

Yes the wheels came off after but it still set the bar for what this team was capable of.

--
"F--- everyone who isn't us."
#Team128

the top of the "what might have been" category.

The energy was really amazing.

--
At night, the ice weasels come.

I feel like 2012 Stanford and 2024 PSU have to edge toward the top of the list.

a loss in that one would have been unthinkable. Instead we were seen to have played them off the field, pretty big deal

for both the novelty of winning the first on-campus playoff game in CFB history and the festive atmosphere, which was noticeable even to those of us watching from home (and no doubt heightened by the Christmas week setting). Also, while I get that the "major bowl drought" didn't technically end until the Sugar Bowl, the game meant more, and was more consequential, than the various Fiesta and Sugar Bowl losses that preceded it.

I also have a soft spot for the 2008 Hawaii Bowl win, despite the shitty season that preceded it, if only because it broke the bowl game losing streak.

17-10. It was early on and Michigan lost 5 games that year. Plus we'd beaten them two of the previous three years so I don't think it felt like as big a deal at the time.

2012 OU is probably first honorable mention for me. It's held back in retrospect by the fact it was a false breakthrough given how '12 ended and '13 and '14 went for us

Just as the current wins are proof-of-concept for ND as an elite team, that Oklahoma game was proof-of-concept that ND football was past DavieWeisingHam and could at least get to elite.

I'd probably say the same about the Michigan beatdown early in the Weis tenure. That at least demonstrated ND was no longer a laughingstock.

Also, where's FSU 2014? Pick play, my ass.

the most important win of the Kelly era.

it was their only loss of the season.

probably as honorable mention.

Mine:

1. Georgia Sugar Bowl - The Breakthrough
2. Penn State Orange Bowl - The Encore
3. Clemson 2022 - The Proof of Concept
4. Clemson 2020 - Down Goes No. 1
5. USC 2023 - Revenge & Showing an Elite Gear
6. Stanford 2012 - All-Time Slobberknocker Classic
7. FSU 2002 - Maybe Dreams Do Come True?
8. Michigan 2014 - Ass Slapping (of) Hoke
9. Pitt 2005 - Today? Why It's Christmas Day!
10. 2006 Penn State - For a Brief Moment It Seemed Like It Was Happening

HONORABLE MENTIONS
2005 Michigan, 2010 USC, 2012 Oklahoma, 2017 USC, 2018 Michigan