2006 was the first year I entered my Notre Dame fandom since I probably nine (1995) that I had legit hopes for the Fighting Irish to make a run at a national championship. 2005 was a surprise season that saw the likes of Brady Quinn, Jeff Samardzija, Tom Zbikowski and plenty of others burst onto the scene en-route to a BCS berth in the Fiesta Bowl.
2006 was supposed to trump that. They entered the season ranked second in the nation behind only Ohio State it was supposed to be the year that returned Notre Dame to glory.
Instead it was the final run for some memorable Notre Dame players but never did it ever sniff the levels we were all hoping. Notre Dame escaped Atlanta with a win in Week One before blowing out Penn State a week later. Michigan would put an end to title dreams in Week Three before Notre Dame would win eight straight to make it to 10-1, only to get blown out by both USC and LSU to close the year.
It was a memorable season even if it was disappointing compared to pre-season expectations. Notre Dame re-aired the comeback win over UCLA this past Saturday and posted all of the other home games from that season to YouTube.
Here they are for future reference:
Week Two – No. 4 Notre Dame 41, No. 19 Penn State 17
In a five minute span (game time) Notre Dame went from up 6-0 to up 27-0 in what wound up being a rout of the defending Orange Bowl Champions.
Week Three – No. 11 Michigan 47, No. 2 Notre Dame 21
I’ve never left a sporting event as mad as I was when I left this one. No further comment besides fire this thing into the sun.
Week Five – No. 12 Notre Dame 35, Purdue 21
A huge afternoon from Darius Walker finished with 209 total yards and rushing touchdown accompanied by a pair of Rhema McKnight touchdown receptions lifted the Irish on a pretty ho-hum afternoon.
Week Six – No. 12 Notre Dame 31, Stanford 10
Darius Walker had another huge day with nearly 200 yards of total offense and another score while Brady Quinn threw for 232 yards and three touchdowns in a rout of the then-winless Stanford Cardinal.
Week Eight – No. 10 Notre Dame 20, UCLA 17
It wasn’t pretty but it was a win that kept BCS dreams alive as Notre Dame made it four straight with a last second, Quinn to Samardzija touchdown hookup that helped the Irish avoid an upset.
Week 10 – No. 11 Notre Dame 45, North Carolina 26
Brady Quinn threw the ball all over the yard for 346 yards and four touchdowns as Jeff Samardzija pulled down 177 yards and a score. Tom Zbikowski returned a punt for a touchdown for good measure in a game that was really never close against Carolina.
Week 12 – No. 6 Notre Dame 41, Army 9
Notre Dame donned the green jerseys for the final home game of 2006 which happened to take place the same afternoon as the One-versus-Two, Ohio State/Michigan game in Columbus. Quinn, Walker and Samardzija all shined in what wound up being the final home game of real relevance for a handful of years.
2006 didn’t end the way any Notre Dame fans really wanted. USC would wipe the floor with the Irish a week later before a BCS berth that was generous ended with a 41-14 massacre in the Super Dome against a far-superior LSU squad. It was a disappointing year but it was also the closest to relevant football Notre Dame fans would have until really 2012 when the stars aligned for a 12-0 regular season.