Rank ‘Em: Recent Notre Dame Alternate Uniforms

I liked the theme of this uniform even if the final look was far from amazing.  I found it hard to read the lettering and even though the helmet was a solid effort, you couldn’t tell it was anything unique other than a different color gold unless the camera was zoomed in.

No. 15 Notre Dame takes on Boston College this Saturday and will be honoring the 1988 national championship squad by wearing throwbacks as a nod to the last title-winning team.  We at FIW would be more excited about a different throwback being made starting Saturday, but we won’t be holding our collective breathes.

If you missed it when they were announced back in August or just simply haven’t seen them for whatever reason yet.

They’re Notre Dame’s nod to 150 years of college football and are done pretty well.  I wish they’d do the actual old-school jersey and not just impersonate the mesh but understand why that wouldn’t so much fly these days.  They’re close enough to the first football jersey I ever owned (shoutout to Ron Powlus and Champion brand) so bring some nostalgia for even me who was far too young in 1988 to remember anything about that championship.

Do you remember all of the alternate uniforms the Irish have worn in the semi-recent history?  If not we’ve put them all together for a refresher and give a letter grade on each of them.

2005, 2006, 2010 Green Jersey

Notre Dame Should Take Extra Step when Throwing it Back

Don’t ask me why I remember this so vividly because I don’t honestly remember. Nor do I remember what year it was that they went away but I assume when the stadium was opened post-renovations in 1997.

When No. 15 Notre Dame hosts Boston College on Saturday afternoon they’ll do so as a significant favorite in a series the Irish haven’t lost in since 2008.

They’ll also be wearing throwback uniforms made to honor the 1988 national championship team when they do so.

Unfortunately I don’t think anyone will be showing off their bare midriff quite like Chris Zorich used to, but I wouldn’t object if someone chose to.

Instead the playing field at Notre Dame Stadium on Saturday should give a nod to not just the 1988 team but the entire Lou Holtz era.

No, they shouldn’t cut the capacity down to under 60,000, even if it’d mean a new sellout streak beginning, but a small, formerly unique characteristic should return Saturday afternoon.

I’m talking about the font of the yard-line markers that used to be one-of-a-kind to Notre Dame Stadium.

There are probably plenty of people reading this who are so young that they have absolutely no clue what I’m talking about. Heck, some that are old enough to remember probably don’t, either. If you’re in that boat, watch the video below and take notice of the yard line markers when you can.

Don’t ask me why I remember this so vividly because I don’t honestly remember. Nor do I remember what year it was that they went away but I assume when the stadium was opened post-renovations in 1997.

It’s an odd request from me I’m sure and I probably sound very old-school in making if. I however I promise I’m not always: I swear I love the video board and am all for the field turf as well as the “ND” on the 50 yard-line.

I just want Saturday for the actual yard-markings to get painted back to how they used to look.

And then left that way forever.

Notre Dame Opens a 19.5 Point Favorite vs. Boston College

Standing between them and a 7-0 home record and a 9-2 overall mark is Boston College who has been known to be a general nuisance over the years.

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No. 15 Notre Dame has the chance Saturday to secure their second-straight undefeated home season. Standing between them and a 7-0 home record and a 9-2 overall mark is Boston College who has been known to be a general nuisance over the years.

Notre Dame has taken six-straight in the Holy War and 15 of 24 all time versus Boston College and will be a significant favorite to do so yet again Saturday, opening as a 19.5 pick.

Odds via BetMGM. Access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated 11/18 at 2:09 p.m. ET.

Boston College is seeking bowl eligibility as they enter at 5-5. The Eagles will be coming off a bye but lost their last time out, November 9 against Florida State, 38-31.

No. 15 Notre Dame meanwhile will enter at 8-2 and winners of their last three and are still in play for their third-straight ten-win season, which they haven’t accomplished since 1991-93.

Want to get in on the action? Place your bet now at BetMGM.” 

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Watch: Chase Claypool’s Huge Day in Numbers vs. Navy

The four touchdowns on the day brought Claypool’s career total at Notre Dame to 15, which means his four today accounted for 26.6% of his career scores.  His season total also jumped from five to nine (44.4% total).

 

Chase Claypool had a career afternoon at Notre Dame Stadium, going for 117 yards receiving on seven receptions, four of which resulted in touchdowns.

It capped off a big week for Claypool who on Thursday accepted an invitation to participate in January’s Senior Bowl in preparation for the NFL Draft.

He spent Saturday having his best game to date in a Notre Dame uniform.  A few notes about what No. 83 accomplished this afternoon:

Claypool’s four touchdown receptions tie Maurice Stovall for the most-ever in a single game by a Notre Dame receiver.  Stovall accomplished his feat in a 49-23 win over BYU on October 22, 2005.

The four touchdowns on the day brought Claypool’s career total at Notre Dame to 15, which means his four today accounted for 26.6% of his career scores.  His season total also jumped from five to nine (44.4% total).

Claypool’s 47 yard touchdown reception from Ian Book that made the game 14-0 in Notre Dame’s favor was the longest reception his career.

Claypool’s dominating performance also earned him the game-ball from his head coach.

Chase Claypool and the rest of the senior class will play their final game at Notre Dame Stadium next Saturday when they welcome Boston College to town.  The 8-2 Fighting Irish and 5-5 Boston College Eagles will kickoff at 2:30 p.m. ET next Saturday and like all home games, can be seen on NBC.

View a few of Claypool’s touchdown receptions from his record day:

Nick’s Notre Dame Mailbag: Should ND Still Play Navy Annually?

Is it enjoyable? Not in the moment, but at the same time it’s one of the most unique rivalries in all of sports.

Earlier this week I solicited questions for the first of the weekly mailbag series we’ll have on Fighting Irish Wire. If you missed it there are a few ways to leave questions that may end up getting used:

1. Leave a comment on this or any other post on Fighting Irish Wire

2. Leave a question on our Facebook page – either on one of our posts or on our wall

3. Tweet us @IrishWireND or me personally @Shep670

4. Leave a comment on our Instagram Page. And even if you don’t leave a question – you should go follow it as it’s going to become a lot more active soon.

5.  You can also click to e-mail me at the top of any of my posts on Fighting Irish Wire

With all of that said – here is your second Midweek Mailbag answered by yours truly.

Question 1: Should Notre Dame still play Navy annually?

Notre Dame Football: Sellout Streak Over

Where were you on Thanksgiving Day in 1973?

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Where were you on Thanksgiving Day in 1973?

If you answered with being at Notre Dame Stadium when the Irish dismantled Air Force 48-15 en-route to a national championship, then you were a part of history.

No, not just because that Ara Parseghian-led team went on to win it all, but because it was the last time Notre Dame Stadium failed to sell out for a home football contest.

Until this weekend.

It went over four-and-a-half decades and lasted 273 games but it appears that streak of consecutive sellouts is history.

“Based on ticket sales through Wednesday, we do not anticipate sellouts for our games against Navy and Boston College,” Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick said in a statement. “That this comes during a time of sustained success for our football program reflects both challenges impacting the ticket market nationwide and the unique dynamics of this year’s schedule.”

Swarbrick mentioned in an interview with Eric Hansen of the South Bend Tribune that the Irish playing three true home games this November and the weather that comes with that are the most-likely factors to seeing the streak end.

In the piece you find out how several games over the years counted as sellouts as well, even when plenty of empty seats were clearly evident.

The streak ranked second, behind only Nebraska who has sold out every one of their last 373 home contests.

Over the last ten seasons the Irish have played just one home-game five times, often playing the on-again, off-again Shamrock Series during the month.

Notre Dame can move to 8-2 with a win over No. 21 Navy and potentially 9-2 if they can also get by traditional pain-in-the-rear, Boston College in two weeks.

If you haven’t been to a game in quite some time, here’s your chance to see a potential top-10 finishing Notre Dame team up close.

Notre Dame Almanac: Charlie Weis’s Dumbest Decision

That loss to Navy was laughable and anyone with any sense saw how over-matched Notre Dame had become, not in terms of talent, but in terms of employing a know-it-all coach who actually didn’t know a sneeze from a wet fart.

With it being Navy week I started to try and think of the most-memorable moments in the rivalry to me.  For a series that has been played seemingly forever, I have very few actual lasting memories of it.  With that said, a few did come to mind from games I remember watching.

2002 – A week after getting upset against Boston College, the Irish trailed 23-15 entering the fourth quarter before Carlyle Holiday threw two late touchdown passes, the final being the go-ahead score to Omar Jenkins to avoid a disasterous loss to a 1-7 Navy team.

2012 – Ten years later the Irish kicked off their season in Ireland, dismantling Navy 50-10.  Stephon Tuitt’s fumble return for a touchdown helped blow things wide open on an afternoon that belonged to the Irish, even abroad in Dublin.

And the single worst in-game-decision Charlie Weis made at Notre Dame, which is saying something…

Michigan State Legend Charles Rogers Passes Away

In two career games against Notre Dame, Rogers was the best player on the field

38 years is way too short of amount of time for someone to get on Earth. That was my first reaction when I heard the news about former Michigan State receiver and 2003 number-two overall draft pick to the Detroit Lions, Charles Rogers.

TMZ reports it was a liver disease and cancer that wound up running its course.

Off the field issues get linked to Rogers who battled through more than just injuries during and after his NFL career.

Charles Rogers gets remembered by NFL fans for being a bust but college fans remember a legend.

Obviously Michigan State fans feel that way having watched him weekly but Notre Dame fans can’t name many players that tormented the Irish quite like No. 1 in green and white did.

Michigan State teammate and former NFL tight end Chris Baker remembered his friend on Twitter this morning:

In two career games against Notre Dame, Rogers was the best player on the field compiling 11 receptions, 291 yards and three touchdowns in those games.