1988 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team information
American college football season
1988Notre Dame Fighting Irish football
Consensus national champion Fiesta Bowl champion
Fiesta Bowl, W 34–21 vs. West Virginia
Conference
Independent
Ranking
Coaches
No. 1
AP
No. 1
Record
12–0
Head coach
Lou Holtz (3rd season)
Offensive coordinator
Jim Strong (1st season)
Offensive scheme
Option
Defensive coordinator
Barry Alvarez (1st season)
Base defense
5–2
Captains
Ned Bolcar
Andy Heck
Mark Green
Home stadium
Notre Dame Stadium
Seasons
← 1987
1989 →
1988 NCAA Division I-A independents football records
v
t
e
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
T
W
L
T
No. 1 Notre Dame
–
–
12
–
0
–
0
No. 2 Miami (FL)
–
–
11
–
1
–
0
No. 3 Florida State
–
–
11
–
1
–
0
No. 5 West Virginia
–
–
11
–
1
–
0
Southern Miss
–
–
10
–
2
–
0
No. 13 Syracuse
–
–
10
–
2
–
0
Army
–
–
9
–
3
–
0
Louisville
–
–
8
–
3
–
0
South Carolina
–
–
8
–
4
–
0
Northern Illinois
–
–
7
–
4
–
0
Pittsburgh
–
–
6
–
5
–
0
Memphis State
–
–
6
–
5
–
0
Southwestern Louisiana
–
–
6
–
5
–
0
Rutgers
–
–
5
–
6
–
0
Akron
–
–
5
–
6
–
0
Penn State
–
–
5
–
6
–
0
Tulane
–
–
5
–
6
–
0
Temple
–
–
4
–
7
–
0
Tulsa
–
–
4
–
7
–
0
Boston College
–
–
3
–
8
–
0
Cincinnati
–
–
3
–
8
–
0
East Carolina
–
–
3
–
8
–
0
Navy
–
–
3
–
8
–
0
Virginia Tech
–
–
3
–
8
–
0
Rankings from AP Poll
The 1988 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team represented the University of Notre Dame during the 1988 NCAA Division I-A football season. The Irish, coached by Lou Holtz, ended the season with 12 wins and no losses, winning the national championship. The Fighting Irish won the title by defeating the previously unbeaten and No. 3 ranked West Virginia Mountaineers in the Sunkist Fiesta Bowl in Tempe, Arizona, by a score of 34–21. The 1988 squad, one of 11 national title squads for the Irish, is considered to be one of the best undefeated teams in the history of college football.[1] The Irish beat the teams which finished the season ranked #2, #4, #5, and #7 in the AP Poll.[1] They also won 10 of 12 games by double digits.[1] The 1988 squad is best remembered for its 31–30 upset of No. 1 ranked Miami, ending their 36-game regular season winning streak.[2] The game is remembered to this day as one of the most memorable games in all of college football.[3][4][5]
^ abcMcAllister, Mike (January 5, 2005). "Top 10 Perfect Seasons". si.com. Retrieved July 20, 2008.
^Burns, Marty (July 17, 2007). "Catholics vs. Convicts The Irish pulled out a gritty win over a bitter foe". si.com. Archived from the original on June 29, 2008. Retrieved July 23, 2008.
^Walters, John (July 21, 2004). Notre Dame Golden Moments. Rutledge Hill Press. ISBN 1-59186-042-3.
^"College football's best of the last 20 years". usatoday.com. November 19, 2002. Retrieved July 23, 2008.
^Fiutak, Pete; Cirminiello, Richard; Harris, John; Zemek, Matthew (August 28, 2006). "CFN's Tuesday Question - The All-Time Greatest Regular Season Games". CollegeFootballNews.com. Archived from the original on August 21, 2008. Retrieved July 23, 2008.
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