American college football season
The 1969 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team represented the University of Notre Dame as an independent during the 1969 NCAA University Division football season . Led by sixth-year head coach Ara Parseghian , the Fighting Irish compiled a record of 8–2–1.
After 44 seasons without postseason play (1925 –1968 ), the school ended its self-imposed bowl hiatus.[ 1] With an 8–1–1 regular season record, the Irish were led on the field by junior quarterback Joe Theismann .[ 2] They met top-ranked Texas in the Cotton Bowl in Dallas on New Year's Day,[ 3] but lost 21–17 when the Longhorns scored a late touchdown.[ 4]
Date Time Opponent Rank Site TV Result Attendance Source September 20 1:30 pm Northwestern No. 11 W 35–1059,075 September 27 1:30 pm at No. 16 Purdue No. 9 L 14–2868,179 [ 5] October 4 1:30 pm No. 14 Michigan State Notre Dame Stadium Notre Dame, IN (rivalry ) W 42–2859,075 October 11 2:00 pm vs. Army No. 15 W 45–063,786 October 18 1:30 pm No. 3 USC No. 11 Notre Dame Stadium Notre Dame, IN (rivalry ) T 14–1459,075 [ 6] October 25 8:30 pm at Tulane No. 12 W 37–040,250 November 1 1:30 pm Navy No. 10 Notre Dame Stadium Notre Dame, IN (rivalry ) W 47–059,075 November 8 1:30 pm at Pittsburgh No. 8 W 49–744,084 November 15 9:30 pm at Georgia Tech No. 9 ABC W 38–2041,104 [ 7] [ 8] [ 9] November 22 1:30 pm Air Force No. 8 Notre Dame Stadium Notre Dame, IN (rivalry ) W 13–659,075 [ 10] January 1, 1970 2:00 pm vs. No. 1 Texas No. 9 CBS L 17–2171,938 [ 4] [ 11]
[ 12]
1 2 3 4 Total Northwestern 10 0 0 0 10 • Notre Dame 14 0 0 21 35
Scoring summary {{{Time}}} {{{Team}}} {{{Event}}} {{{Score}}} {{{Time}}} {{{Team}}} {{{Event}}} {{{Score}}}
1 2 3 4 Total Notre Dame 0 7 0 7 14 • Purdue 7 7 7 7 28
Scoring summary {{{Time}}} {{{Team}}} {{{Event}}} {{{Score}}} {{{Time}}} {{{Team}}} {{{Event}}} {{{Score}}}
1 2 3 4 Total Michigan St. 0 14 7 7 28 • Notre Dame 7 14 14 7 42
Date: October 4Location: Notre Dame Stadium, South Bend, INGame start: 1:30 pm EDT Game attendance: 59,075 Scoring summary {{{Time}}} {{{Team}}} {{{Event}}} {{{Score}}} {{{Time}}} {{{Team}}} {{{Event}}} {{{Score}}}
1 2 3 4 Total • Notre Dame 10 14 14 7 45 Army 0 0 0 0 0
Scoring summary {{{Time}}} {{{Team}}} {{{Event}}} {{{Score}}} {{{Time}}} {{{Team}}} {{{Event}}} {{{Score}}}
1 2 3 4 Total USC 0 0 7 7 14 Notre Dame 0 0 7 7 14
Date: October 18Location: Notre Dame Stadium, South Bend, INGame start: 1:30 pm EDT Game attendance: 59,075 Scoring summary {{{Time}}} {{{Team}}} {{{Event}}} {{{Score}}} {{{Time}}} {{{Team}}} {{{Event}}} {{{Score}}}
1 2 3 4 Total • Notre Dame 7 17 7 6 37 Tulane 0 0 0 0 0
Scoring summary {{{Time}}} {{{Team}}} {{{Event}}} {{{Score}}} {{{Time}}} {{{Team}}} {{{Event}}} {{{Score}}}
1 2 3 4 Total Navy 0 0 0 0 0 • Notre Dame 7 26 14 0 47
Date: November 1Location: Notre Dame Stadium, South Bend, INGame start: 1:30 pm EST Game attendance: 59,075 Scoring summary {{{Time}}} {{{Team}}} {{{Event}}} {{{Score}}} {{{Time}}} {{{Team}}} {{{Event}}} {{{Score}}}
1 2 3 4 Total • Notre Dame 14 21 14 0 49 Pittsburgh 7 0 0 0 7
Scoring summary {{{Time}}} {{{Team}}} {{{Event}}} {{{Score}}} {{{Time}}} {{{Team}}} {{{Event}}} {{{Score}}}
1 2 3 4 Total • Notre Dame 21 10 7 0 38 Georgia Tech 0 6 0 14 20
Scoring summary {{{Time}}} {{{Team}}} {{{Event}}} {{{Score}}} {{{Time}}} {{{Team}}} {{{Event}}} {{{Score}}}
1 2 3 4 Total Air Force 0 3 0 3 6 • Notre Dame 7 6 0 0 13
Scoring summary 1 ND Allan 39-yard run (Hempel kick) ND 7-0 2 ND Hempel 22-yard field goal ND 10-0 2 ND Hempel 25-yard field goal ND 13-0 2 AF Leuthauser 28-yard field goal ND 13-3 4 AF Leuthauser 37-yard field goal ND 13-6
[ 13]
Vs. Texas (Cotton Bowl)[ edit ] #9 Notre Dame vs. #1 Texas 1 2 3 4 Total Fighting Irish 3 7 0 7 17 • Longhorns 0 7 0 14 21
1969 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team roster Players Coaches Offense Defense Special teams Pos. # Name Class K Scott Hempel
Head coach Coordinators/assistant coaches Legend (C) Team captain (S) Suspended (I) Ineligible Injured Redshirt
^ "Notre Dame accepts Cotton's bid" . Spokesman-Review . (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. November 18, 1969. p. 12. ^ "Irish test Texas rank" . Spokesman-Review . (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. January 1, 1970. p. 13. ^ Fite, Ed (January 1, 1970). "Irish test Longhorns in Dallas" . Reading Eagle . (Pennsylvania). UPI. p. 44. ^ a b "Texans edge Irish on big 4th downs" . Spokesman-Review . (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. January 2, 1970. p. 30. ^ "Phipps paces Purdue past Notre Dame" . Reading Eagle . (Pennsylvania). Associated Press. October 19, 1969. p. 57. ^ Liska, Jerry (October 19, 1969). "Notre Dame, Southern Cal in 14-14 draw" . Reading Eagle . (Pennsylvania). Associated Press. p. 61. ^ Bryson, Mike (November 15, 1969). "Georgia Tech shouldn't Irish plans" . Reading Eagle . (Pennsylvania). Associated Press. p. 6. ^ "Irish build early lead, swamp Tech" . Spokesman-Review . (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. November 16, 1969. p. 1, sports. ^ "Georgia Tech blitzed 38–20 by Notre Dame" . Fort Worth Star-Telegram . November 16, 1969. Retrieved July 24, 2024 – via Newspapers.com . ^ Bryson, Mike (November 23, 1969). "Irish shake 'shakes' and beat Air Force" . Reading Eagle . (Pennsylvania). Associated Press. p. 69. ^ "Texas rallies to beat Irish, 21 to 17" . Chicago Tribune . January 2, 1970. Retrieved May 2, 2023 – via Newspapers.com . ^ "1969 Notre Dame Fighting Irish Schedule and Results" . ^ "Irish Shaky, Nip Falcons." Palm Beach Post. 1969 Nov 23.
Venues Bowls and rivalries Culture and lore People Seasons National championship seasons in bold