In what will be an ongoing series here at Fighting Irish Wire, we take a look back at some of the most painful losses we’ve experienced during our Notre Dame fandom. We’ve all experienced them and they’re all awful in their own way. Here is the first in the series of brutal Notre Dame losses to come:
Related: Brutal Notre Dame losses – 2010 vs. Tulsa
Notre Dame’s 2004 season was among the oddest in history and the first two weeks were a perfect representation of that as the Irish were upset at BYU in week one before knocking off a top-10 Michigan squad a week later.
The final year of Tyrone Willingham at Notre Dame got underway with the Irish offense sputtering as they fell behind 13-0 before getting on the board with a D. J. Fitzpatrick field goal as the first half ended.
Notre Dame put up a measly 276 total yards that night with just 11 coming on the ground, a week before Darius Walker would make his Fighting Irish debut.
Austin Collie, who would go onto a nice NFL career provided a 42-yard touchdown reception for BYU.
Brady Quinn, then a sophomore, completed 26 of 47 attempts for 265 yards and a score to Rhema McKnight.
Here are a few lasting photos from that forgettable night in Provo: