Ranking Brian Kelly’s 100 Notre Dame Wins: 100-91
The first ten-pack I’ve got for you mostly fall under the category of insignificant opponents and some of those happen to have been ugly games on top of it.
100. 2016 Army: 44-6 win in Shamrock Series Game that improved the Irish to 4-6 in their forgettable season that ultimately ended 4-8.
99. 2018 Ball State: 24-16 win moved Notre Dame to 2-0 a week after beating Michigan but Brandon Wimbush’s three interception performance was forgettable in an incredibly memorable season.
98. 2015 UMASS: 62-27 win moved the Irish to 4-0 a week before they traveled to Clemson but in no way, shape or form will a game against UMASS ever register as “big” in any capacity.
97. 2010 Western Michigan: The 44-20 win over the Broncos got the Irish to 4-3 on the year before consecutive losses were had against Navy and Tulsa.
96. 2019 New Mexico: 66-14 blowout against Bob Davie’s team, but Davie was out that week due to a medical issue.
95. 2019 Bowling Green: 52-0 win over the Falcons came at the expense of former defensive coordinator Brian VanGorder who was in his first year as BGSU’s DC.
94. 2016 Syracuse: 50-33 victory as the defense played brutally, allowing 27 first half points against a team that finished the year just 4-8. Equanimeous St. Brown had a great day though with four receptions for 182 yards and two scores.
93. 2017 Miami (OH): 52-17 win as Irish flexed their muscle to 28 first quarter points but the UMASS rule applies here if Miami (OH) isn’t being quarterbacked by Ben Roethlisberger.
92. 2011 Air Force: 59-33 win as Tommy Rees threw for four first half touchdowns.
91. 2010 Army: 27-3 win in another Shamrock Series game, this one coming in Notre Dame’s first game at the new Yankee Stadium.
Of these ten only one came against a Power Five team, that one being the 2016 win over Syracuse, who hardly counts as a Power Five program.
Next up: 90-81…