The time has come to begin voting in the Hesburgh Region in the 2020 FIW Tournament to crown the best Notre Dame football game since 1986. Round one in the Hesburgh Region saw an 11 knock off a six-seed and was also home to the closer opening-round game where ’00 Purdue beat ’90 Tennessee by just a vote.
How was Round Two shape up? Gets your votes in now. The second round will close voting on Sunday afternoon before we advance to the Sweet 16.
— 1. ’93 Florida State vs. 8. ’99 Oklahoma
Hesburgh Region – Second Round of the 2020 FIW Tournament to Decide Notre Dame’s Best Football Game Since 1986.
Better game?
— Fighting Irish Wire (@IrishWireND) March 19, 2020
The Game of the Century goes down to the final play and results in a Notre Dame win over No.1 Florida State. That will be a tough one to beat at all but the ’99 forgettable season did feature an entertaining comeback win over Oklahoma that got into the second round.
— 5. ’02 Florida State vs. 4. ’00 Purdue
Hesburgh Region – Second Round of the 2020 FIW Tournament to Decide Notre Dame’s Best Football Game Since 1986.
Better game?
— Fighting Irish Wire (@IrishWireND) March 19, 2020
Carlyle Holiday found Arnaz Battle to start things early as Notre Dame went on the road and beat Florida State in 2002. Can that huge win get by 2000 Purdue who avoided upset in round-one by the slightest of margins or will Gary Godsey and Nick Setta sneak out another victory?
— 3. ’89 Michigan vs. 11. ’12 Michigan
Hesburgh Region – Second Round of the 2020 FIW Tournament to Decide Notre Dame’s Best Football Game Since 1986.
Better game?
— Fighting Irish Wire (@IrishWireND) March 19, 2020
We (and by we I actually just mean me) were surprised how little love the 2000 win against Air Force received. That said, any win over Michigan is sweet and this Second Round match-up offers a couple of those. Manti Te’o’s huge night en-route to 12-0 takes on the old No.1 vs No. 2 game from 1989 that saw Rocket Ismail blast off. Twice.
–2. ’12 Oklahoma vs. 7. ’12 Stanford
Hesburgh Region – Second Round of the 2020 FIW Tournament to Decide Notre Dame’s Best Football Game Since 1986.
Better game?
— Fighting Irish Wire (@IrishWireND) March 19, 2020
We often view the 2012 Oklahoma as the biggest win of the 2012 season and it takes on the overtime thriller that concluded with an all-time goal-line stand. During seeding, I thought it was certain the Oklahoma game would roll but the more I think the more I’m like Stanford’s chances to make this a Second Round thriller.