1975 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team

American college football season August 2023 January 2026 1975 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football Independent 17 8–3 Dan Devine 1st Merv Johnson 1st Ed Bauer Jim Stock Notre Dame Stadium The 1975 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team was an American football team that represented the University of Notre Dame as an independent during the 1975 NCAA Division I football season. In their first year under head coach Dan Devine, the Irish compiled an 8–3 record, outscored opponents by a total of 244 to 144, and were ranked No. 17 in the final UPI poll. In their only game against a ranked opponent, they lost to No. 3 USC.1975 Notre Dame Fighting Irish Schedule and Results https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/notre-dame/1975-schedule.html Sports Reference LLC SR/College Football July 23, 2026 The team's victory over Georgia Tech is featured in the 1993 film Rudy. Defensive tackle Steve Niehaus was a unanimous first-team pick on the 1975 All-America college football team.Football Award Winners National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) 2016 October 21, 2017 10 http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/football_records/2016/awards.pdf Tight end Ken McAfee also received first-team All-America honors from the United Press International. The team's statistical leaders included quarterbacks Rick Slager (686 passing yards) and Joe Montana (507 passing yards), running backs Jerome Heavens (756 rushing yards) and Al Hunter (558 rushing yards), McAfee (26 receptions for 333 yards), placekicker Dave Reeve (57 points on 24 of 26 PAT and 11 of 16 field goals), and Niehaus (113 tackles).1975 Notre Dame Fighting Irish Stats https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/notre-dame/1975.html Sports Reference LLC SR/College Football July 23, 20261975 Notre Dame Football Statistics Notre Dame July 23, 2026 https://fightingirish.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/NDFB_1975_Final_Stats.pdf The team played its home games at Notre Dame Stadium in Notre Dame, Indiana. Schedule 1975 AP Eastern September 15 9:00 p.m. w y 9 Boston College Schaefer Stadium Foxboro, MA Holy War ABC 17–3 61,501 17–3 for Devine, Assistants Press (Binghamton, NY) September 16, 1975 13A https://www.newspapers.com/clip/17540884/173_for_devine_assistants/ Newspapers.com September 20 2:30 p.m. w y 9 Purdue Ross–Ade Stadium West Lafayette, IN rivalry 17–0 69,795 https://www.newspapers.com/article/springfield-news-sun-irish-blank-purdue/181134484/ Springfield News-Sun Irish blank Purdue September 21, 1975 September 15, 2025 Newspapers.com September 27 2:30 p.m. w 7 Northwestern Notre Dame Stadium Notre Dame, IN rivalry 31–7 59,075 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-journal-times-notre-dame-tramples-no/181134575/ The Journal Times Notre Dame tramples Northwestern 31–7 September 28, 1975 September 15, 2025 Newspapers.com October 4 2:30 p.m. l 8 Michigan State Notre Dame Stadium Notre Dame, IN rivalry 3–10 59,075 https://www.newspapers.com/article/tampa-bay-times-notre-dame-tumbles/181134635/ St. Petersburg Times Notre Dame tumbles October 5, 1975 September 15, 2025 Newspapers.com October 11 1:30 p.m. w y 15 North Carolina Kenan Memorial Stadium Chapel Hill, NC rivalry 21–14 49,500 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-courier-journal-21-late-points-save/139617029/ The Courier-Journal 21 late points save Notre Dame October 12, 1975 January 26, 2024 Newspapers.com October 18 3:05 p.m. w y 15 Air Force Falcon Stadium Colorado Springs, CO rivalry 31–30 43,204 https://www.newspapers.com/article/dayton-daily-news-irish-down-3010-but/181128877/ Dayton Daily News Irish down, 30–10, but rally again October 19, 1975 September 15, 2025 Newspapers.com October 25 1:50 p.m. l 14 USC 3 Notre Dame Stadium Notre Dame, IN rivalry ABC 17–24 59,075 https://www.newspapers.com/article/albuquerque-journal-bell-helps-usc-rally/181134714/ Albuquerque Journal Bell helps USC rally to edge Notre Dame, 24–17 October 26, 1975 September 15, 2025 Newspapers.com November 1 1:30 p.m. w 15 Navy Notre Dame Stadium Notre Dame, IN rivalry 31–10 59,075 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-huntsville-times-irish-rattle-navy/181133150/ The Huntsville Times Irish rattle Navy, 31–10 November 2, 1975 September 15, 2025 Newspapers.com November 8 1:30 p.m. w 12 Georgia Tech Notre Dame Stadium Notre Dame, IN rivalry 24–3 59,075 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-courier-journal-notre-dames-browner/151988054/ The Courier-Journal Notre Dame's Browner-led defense slams door on Georgia Tech by 24–3 November 9, 1975 July 25, 2024 Newspapers.com November 15 1:30 p.m. l y 9 Pittsburgh Pitt Stadium Pittsburgh, PA rivalry 20–34 56,480 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-paducah-sun-pitt-upsets-irish/181133616/ The Paducah Sun-Democrat Pitt upsets Irish November 16, 1975 September 15, 2025 Newspapers.com November 22 7:30 p.m. w y Miami (FL) Miami Orange Bowl Miami, FL rivalry 32–9 24,676 https://www.newspapers.com/article/fort-lauderdale-news-only-24676-see-iri/181128179/ Fort Lauderdale News & Sun-Sentinel Only 24,676 see Irish down Hurricanes, 32–9 November 23, 1975 September 15, 2025 Newspapers.com Game summaries Boston College Notre Dame 0 3 7 7 Boston College 0 3 0 0 September 15 Schaefer Stadium, Foxboro, MA 61,501 Keith Jackson, Bud Wilkinson ABC yes 2 6:52 ND Dave Reeve 30-yard field goal ND 3-0 2 0:11 BC Fred Steinfort 45-yard field goal Tied 3-3 3 1:48 ND Jim Browner 10-yard run (kick good) ND 10-3 4 ND Touchdown ND 17-3 yes "Notre Dame Stops Boston College in Opener." Palm Beach Post. 1975 Sept 16. Purdue Notre Dame 3 0 0 14 Purdue 0 0 0 0 September 20 Ross–Ade Stadium • West Lafayette, Indiana yes 1 ND Reeve 29-yard field goal Notre Dame 3-0 4 ND Bradley 99-yard interception return (Reeve kick) Notre Dame 10-0 4 ND Hunter 1-yard run (Reeve kick) Notre Dame 17-0 yes "Interception Return Lifts Irish." Palm Beach Post. 1975 Sept 21. North Carolina Notre Dame 0 0 0 21 North Carolina 0 0 14 0 October 11 Kenan Stadium, Chapel Hill, NC 49,500 yes 3 UNC Voight 12-yard run (Biddle kick) UNC 7-0 3 UNC Collins 38-yard pass from Paschall (Biddle kick) UNC 14-0 4 ND Hunter 2-yard run (pass failed) UNC 14-6 4 ND Hunter 2-yard run (Montana to Bush pass) Tied 14-14 4 1:03 ND Burgmeier 80-yard pass from Montana (McLaughlin kick) ND 21-14 yes "Irish Turn Back Tar Heels, 21-14." Eugene Register-Guard. 1975 Oct 12. Georgia Tech This was the famous game in which Rudy Ruettiger, a 5'6", 165-lb, walk-on, was inserted late in the game and recorded a quarterback sack. His story was the inspiration for the movie Rudy. Georgia Tech 0 0 0 3 Notre Dame 7 7 3 7 November 8 South Bend, IN yes 1 ND Heavens 16-yard run (Reeve kick) ND 7-0 2 ND FG Reeve 29 ND 10-0 3 ND Heavens 73-yard run (Reeve kick) ND 17-0 4 GT FG Mealier 40 17-3 4 ND Knotter 3-yard run (Reeve kick) ND 24-3 yes https://www.nytimes.com/1975/11/09/archives/notre-dame-subdues-ga-tech.html Notre Dame Subdues Ga. Tech The New York Times 9 November 1975 Personnel Coaching staff Head coach: Dan Devine Assistants: Greg Blache (JV), Brian Boulac (OL), Ed Chlebek (ST), Merv Johnson (OC), George Kelly (LB), Hank Kuhlmann (OB/ST), Johnny Roland (Receivers), Paul Shoults (DB), Ross Stephenson (Scouting/Volunteer Ast), Joe Yonto (DL) 2011 Notre Dame football media supplement. Roster 1975 Notre Dame Fighting Irish f 12 Sr Frank Allocco QB 68 Sr Ed Bauer T 83 Jr Doug Buth TE 87 So John Driscoll TE 40 So Terry Eurick RB 82 Fr Kris Haines WR y 30 Fr Jerome Heavens RB y 25 So Al Hunter RB 62 Fr Dave Huffman T y 65 So Ernie Hughes G y 80 Jr Dan Kelleher WR 21 So Dan Knott RB 81 So Ken MacAfee TE y 71 So Steve McDaniels T 60 Fr Howard Meyer G 3 Fr Joe Montana QB y 57 Jr Elton Moore G 14 So Steve Orsini RB 36 Sr Tom Parise FB 77 Sr Steve Quehl C 50 So Bob Tull T 66 Sr Al Wujciak G 79 Sr Jay Achterhoff DT 20 So Luther Bradley SS y 33 Fr Jim Browner SS y 89 So Ross Browner DE y 28 So Ross Christensen SS 24 So Nick DeCicco LB 72 So Ken Dike DT 41 Jr John Dubenetzky FS 42 Jr Tom Eastman LB 94 So Willie Fry DE y 55 Fr Bob Golic LB y 10 So Randy Harrison FS 58 Fr Steve Heimkreiter LB y 51 So Pete Johnson LB 26 Sr Tom Lopienski CB 70 Sr Steve Niehaus DT y 38 Sr Tony Novakov LB 54 Jr Marv Russell LB 45 Sr Rudy Ruettiger DE y 29 Sr Pat Sarb CB 48 Sr Jim Stock LB 74 So Jeff Weston DT 4 Sr Tony Brantley P 99 Sr Pat McLaughlin K 7 Fr Joe Restic P/QB *Dan Devine References Notre Dame Category:Notre Dame Fighting Irish football seasons Notre Dame Fighting Irish football Category:Long stubs with short prose