1991 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team

American college football season August 2023 January 2026 1991 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football Independent 12 13 10–3 Lou Holtz 6th Tom Beck 1st Wishbone triple option Gary Darnell 2nd 4–3 Jerome Bettis and Rick Mirer Rodney Culver Notre Dame Stadium Sugar Bowl champion Sugar Bowl W Won 39–28 vs. Florida The 1991 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team was an American football team that represented the University of Notre Dame as an independent during the 1991 NCAA Division I-A football season. In their sixth year under head coach Lou Holtz, the Irish compiled a 10–3 record, outscored opponents by a total of 426 to 261, and were ranked No. 13 in the final AP poll and No. 12 in the final UPI poll. After losing to No. 3 Michigan in week two, the Irish won seven straight games before losing in consecutive weeks to No. 13 Tennessee and No. 8 Penn State. They concluded the season with a victory over No 3 Florida in the Sugar Bowl.1991 Notre Dame Fighting Irish Schedule and Results https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/notre-dame/1991-schedule.html Sports Reference LLC SR/College Football July 27, 20261991 Football Review The Notre Dame Scholastic https://archives.nd.edu/Football/Football-1991s.pdf Notre Dame Archives Guard Mirko Jurkovic was a consensus first-team pick on the 1991 All-America college football team.Football Award Winners National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) 2016 December 11, 2017 3, 14 http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/football_records/2016/awards.pdf Tight end Derek Brown and linebacker Demetrius DuBose also received first-team All-America honors from one or more selectors. The team's statistical leaders included quarterback Rick Mirer (2,117 passing yards), fullback Jerome Bettis (972 rushing yards), Tony Smith (42 receptions for 789 yards), and DuBose (127 tackles).1991 Notre Dame Fighting Irish Stats https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/notre-dame/1991.html Sports Reference LLC SR/College Football July 27, 20261991 Football Review, p. 51. The team played its home games at Notre Dame Stadium in Notre Dame, Indiana. On September 7, NBC started televising Notre Dame's home games, as the Irish became the first NCAA Division I-A program to have all of its home games televised exclusively by one television network.Sandomir Richard College Football; Notre Dame Scored a $38 Million Touchdown on Its TV Deal https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D0CE0D91038F936A1575BC0A967958260 The New York Times August 25, 1991 April 6, 2008 Schedule 1991 AP Eastern September 7 1:30 p.m. w 7 Indiana Notre Dame Stadium Notre Dame, IN NBC 49–27 59,075 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-courier-journal-like-irv-notre-dame/201440644/ The Courier-Journal Like Irv, Notre Dame is too big a load for Hoosiers September 8, 1991 July 11, 2026 Newspapers.com September 14 3:30 p.m. l y 7 Michigan 3 Michigan Stadium Ann Arbor, MI rivalry ABC 14–24 106,138 https://www.newspapers.com/article/democrat-and-chronicle-michigan-finally/201440778/ Democrat and Chronicle Michigan finally tops Notre Dame, 24–14 September 15, 1991 July 11, 2026 Newspapers.com September 21 1:30 p.m. w 11 Michigan State Notre Dame Stadium Notre Dame, IN rivalry NBC 49–10 59,075 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-salisbury-post-notre-dame-rips-spart/201440878/ The Salisbury Post Notre Dame rips Spartans 49–10 September 22, 1991 July 11, 2026 Newspapers.com September 28 12:00 p.m. w y 8 Purdue Ross–Ade Stadium West Lafayette, IN rivalry ABC 45–20 67,861 https://www.newspapers.com/article/palladium-item-boilers-fumble-away-chanc/201441020/ Palladium-Item Boilers fumble away chances September 29, 1991 July 11, 2026 Newspapers.com October 5 11:00 p.m. w y 8 Stanford Stanford Stadium Stanford, CA rivalry ESPN 42–26 70,798 https://www.newspapers.com/article/santa-cruz-sentinel-stanford-trampled/201441130/ Santa Cruz Sentinel Stanford trampled October 6, 1991 July 11, 2026 Newspapers.com October 12 1:30 p.m. w 7 Pittsburgh 12 Notre Dame Stadium Notre Dame, IN rivalry NBC 42–7 59,075 https://www.newspapers.com/article/fort-worth-star-telegram-notre-dame-hand/201441247/ Fort Worth Star-Telegram Notre Dame hands Pittsburgh first loss, 42–7 October 13, 1991 July 11, 2026 Newspapers.com October 19 8:30 p.m. w y 5 Air Force Falcon Stadium Colorado Springs, CO rivalry ESPN 28–15 52,024 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-indianapolis-star-air-force-proves-p/201441345/ The Indianapolis Star Air Force proves pesky but Notre Dame prevails October 20, 1991 July 11, 2026 Newspapers.com October 26 1:30 p.m. w 5 USC Notre Dame Stadium Notre Dame, IN rivalry NBC 24–20 59,075 https://www.newspapers.com/article/chicago-tribune-notre-dames-bettis-batt/201441487/ Chicago Tribune Notre Dame's Bettis batters USC October 27, 1991 July 11, 2026 Newspapers.com November 2 4:00 p.m. w 5 Navy Notre Dame Stadium Notre Dame, IN rivalry NBC 38–0 59,075 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-kalamazoo-gazette-notre-dame-again-s/201411698/ The Kalamazoo Gazette Notre Dame again sinks Navy on football field, 38–0 November 3, 1991 July 11, 2026 Newspapers.com November 9 1:30 p.m. l 5 Tennessee 13 Notre Dame Stadium Notre Dame, IN NBC 34–35 59,075 https://www.newspapers.com/article/bristol-herald-courier-vols-dance-an-iri/135099504/ Bristol Herald Courier Vols dance an Irisg jig 35–34 November 10, 1991 November 12, 2023 Newspapers.com November 16 3:30 p.m. l y 12 Penn State 8 Beaver Stadium University Park, PA rivalry ABC 13–35 96,672 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-star-ledger-pennstate-blasts-notre-d/201441631/ The Star-Ledger Penn State blasts Notre Dame, 35–13 November 17, 1991 July 11, 2026 Newspapers.com November 30 11:00 p.m. w y 18 Hawaii Aloha Stadium Halawa, HI ESPN 48–42 50,000 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-press-democrat-notre-dame-holds-off/201441912/ The Press Democrat Notre Dame holds off Hawaii, 48–42 December 1, 1991 July 11, 2026 Newspapers.com January 1, 1992, 1992 8:00 p.m. w y 18 Florida 3 Louisiana Superdome New Orleans, LA Sugar Bowl ABC 39–28 76,447 https://www.newspapers.com/article/wisconsin-state-journal-irish-thwart-flo/135100487/ Wisconsin State Journal Irish thwart Florida January 2, 1992 November 12, 2023 Newspapers.com 1991 Notre Dame Fighting Irish Schedule and Results https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/notre-dame/1991-schedule.html College Football at Sports-Reference.com Sports Reference July 11, 2026 Game summaries Indiana Hoosiers 3 14 3 7 Fighting Irish 7 21 14 7 September 7 Notre Dame Stadium, South Bend, IN 59,075 Dick Enberg, Bill Walsh, and John Dockery NBC yes 1 IND Bonnell 48 yard field goal IND 3–0 1 ND DuBose 49 yard interception return (Hentrich kick) ND 7–3 2 IND Green 5 yard run (Bonnell kick) IND 10–7 2 ND Culver 19 yard run (Hentrich kick) ND 14–10 2 IND Green 1 yard run (Bonnell kick) IND 17–14 2 ND Mirer 46 yard run (Hentrich kick) ND 21–17 2 ND T. Brooks 13 yard run (Hentrich kick) ND 28–17 3 IND Bonnell 29 yard field goal ND 28–20 3 ND Mirer 6 yard run (Hentrich kick) ND 35–20 3 ND I. Smith 58 yard pass from Mirer (Hentrich kick) ND 42–20 4 IND Walker 5 yard pass from Green (Bonnell kick) ND 42–27 4 ND Mirer 1 yard run (Hentrich kick) ND 49–27 yes 1991 Indiana Hoosiers football team Jerome Bettis 11 Rush, 111 Yds Gainesville Sun. 1991 Sep 9. Retrieved 2018-Nov-03. At Michigan Fighting Irish 0 7 7 0 Wolverines 3 14 0 7 September 14 Michigan Stadium, Ann Arbor, MI Brent Musburger, Dick Vermeil, and Cheryl Miller ABC yes 1 MICH Carlson 23 yard field goal MICH 3–0 2 MICH Howard 29 yard run (Carlson kick) MICH 10–0 2 MICH Powers 16 yard run (Carlson kick) MICH 17–0 2 ND Bettis 3 yard pass from Mirer (Hentrich kick) MICH 17–7 3 ND T. Smith 35 yard pass from Mirer (Hentrich kick) MICH 17–14 4 MICH Howard 25 yard pass from Grbac (Carlson kick) MICH 24–14 yes 1991 Michigan Wolverines football team Michigan–Notre Dame football rivalry Michigan State 1991 Michigan State Spartans football team Michigan State–Notre Dame football rivalry At Purdue 1991 Purdue Boilermakers football team Notre Dame–Purdue football rivalry At Stanford 1991 Stanford Cardinal football team Notre Dame–Stanford football rivalry Pittsburgh 1991 Pittsburgh Panthers football team Notre Dame–Pittsburgh football rivalry At Air Force 1991 Air Force Falcons football team USC 1991 USC Trojans football team Notre Dame–USC football rivalry Navy 1991 Navy Midshipmen football team Navy–Notre Dame football rivalry Tennessee At Penn State 1991 Penn State Nittany Lions football team At Hawaii 1991 Hawaii Rainbow Warriors football team Vs. Florida (Sugar Bowl) Fighting Irish 0 7 10 22 Gators 10 6 0 12 September 14 Louisiana Superdome, New Orleans, LA 76,447 Indoors Al Michaels, Frank Gifford, Dan Dierdorf ABC 1992 Sugar Bowl 1991 Florida Gators football team Notre Dame Beats Florida, 39-28, Proves It Belongs https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1992-01-02-sp-7570-story.html Los Angeles Times January 2, 1992 November 10, 2019 Roster 1991 Notre Dame Fighting Irish f 6 So Jerome Bettis FB y 40 Jr Tony Brooks Tony Brooks (American football) RB y 86 Sr Derek Brown Derek Brown (tight end) TE y 5 Sr Rodney Culver RB y 87 So Lake Dawson WR y 10 Jr Adrian Jarrell WR 65 Jr Lindsay Knapp T y 80 So Oscar McBride TE y 76 Sr Gene McGuire C y 3 Jr Rick Mirer QB y 15 Sr Mike O'Neill FB 61 So Tim Ruddy G y 84 Jr Irv Smith Sr. TE y 75 So Aaron Taylor Aaron Taylor (American football, born 1972) G y 47 So Pete Bercich LB y 9 So Jeff Burris S y 13 So Tom Carter Tom Carter (American football) CB y 32 So Willie Clark Willie Clark (American football) FS y 29 So John Covington CB y 31 Jr Demetrius DuBose LB y 44 So Jim Flanigan LB y 55 So Oliver Gibson Oliver Gibson (American football) DT y 25 Jr Mike Lalli FS 89 Jr Karmeeleyah McGill LB y 46 Jr Brian Ratigan LB y 21 Sr Rod Smith Rod Smith (defensive back) CB y 97 So Bryant Young DT y 28 Jr Craig Hentrich P y *Lou Holtz Tom Beck (offensive coordinator) Gary Darnell (defensive coordinator) Skip Holtz (wide receivers) Todd Monken (graduate assistant) Awards and honors Senior offensive guard Mirko Jurkovic received first-team All-America honors from the Walter Camp Football Foundation (WCFF), College & Pro Football Newsweekly, and Football News. He also won the team award as the Lineman of the Year. Senior tight end Derek Brown received first-team All-America honors from the WCFF and was selected to play in the Hula Bowl and the East-West Shrine game.1991 Football Review, pp. 52-53. Junior inside linebacker received first-team All-America honors from Football News. He was also a semifinalist for the Butkus Award. Junior quarterback Rick Mirer was selected as the team's co-most valuable player. He was also a semifinalist for the Football News Offensive Player of the Year award. Sophomore fullback Jerome Bettis received second-team All-America honors from Football News and College & Pro Football Newsweekly. He was also the most valuable player of the Sugar Bowl and was selected as the team's co-most valuable player. References Notre Dame Category:Sugar Bowl champion seasons Category:Notre Dame Fighting Irish football seasons Notre Dame Fighting Irish football