Notre Dame released another NDTop10 over the weekend with the greatest defensive plays to seal victories being counted down. In looking at this list it’s important to go realize they’re still thinking biggest wins and not so much actual toughest or most-amazing play to win the games.
Before I share my thought after and what I would have put number one, take a watch for yourself. Some great memories in this one, almost all I could tell you where I was watching the moments unfold.
Well, except for the couple I wasn’t born yet for…
🗣️ DEFENSE CALLED GAME!
Here's the top 1️⃣0️⃣ defensive ending plays in Notre Dame football history. #GoIrish pic.twitter.com/F3KbF1XAdB
— Notre Dame Football (@NDFootball) April 19, 2020
I’m not going to argue that the top two on this wound up sealing wins for Notre Dame over top-ranked teams in the nation. However, you can’t convince me there is a more impressive play on the list than the two goal line tackles made on the east coast to seal victories. Stanford in 2012 resulting in a 12-0 regular season I think makes it more impressive than any one of the tackles on that stand, as great as it was.
To me the most impressive plays on the list come in 1995 against Army and in 1998, especially the third down tackle against Boston College. Both tackles are like running into brick walls, just entirely stopped dead in their tracks, even if bigger opponents and games were won by balls being batted away.