History of Notre Dame’s rivalry with Pittsburgh

Here’s a rivalry worth talking about.

Everyone knows about the rivalries Notre Dame has with USC, Navy and Michigan, although that last one currently is on hiatus. However, a lot fewer fans seem to realize that Pittsburgh is another program the Irish have played frequently. Ever since the Irish won a 6-0 decision during their first meeting in 1909, the Panthers have been a semi-regular opponent. Like with most rivalries, the Irish have the all-time edge, this one to the tune of 50-21-1.

The series isn’t fading away anytime soon as the programs currently are scheduled for seven future meetings. It’s time to give this rivalry the prestige and hype it deserves. To help fans appreciate the Irish’s history with the Steel City’s flagship university, let’s take a look at some of its most memorable moments to date. Diehard Irish fans undoubtedly remember many of these, but for the uninitiated, here is what to keep in mind during the programs’ future matchups:

Twitter reacts to Audric Estime’s go-ahead touchdown for Notre Dame

Another lead!

Notre Dame still hasn’t had a great game offensively. It’s shocking and frustrating that we’ve reached double digits in quarters for the season, and we have yet to be very impressed by this unit. Fortunately, touchdowns have come, and one came at a good time for the Irish. Aided by a targeting call in which [autotag]Drew Pyne[/autotag] got roughed up, they got to the 1-yard line, and [autotag]Audric Estime[/autotag] leapt into the end zone to put the team up, 14-10:

Make that two Irish touchdowns by running backs against California, although [autotag]Chris Tyree[/autotag]’s score in the second quarter was of the receiving variety. Once again, Irish fans had something to celebrate at a time when their team wasn’t giving them a lot of cause to do so. They took to Twitter to talk about the touchdown, although many of them surely were worried as to what might happen next. That’s not a good sign for the Irish:

Photos of Brian Kelly coaching Notre Dame in bowl games against LSU

The Irish have succeeded against LSU under Brian Kelly.

If you’re reading this story, chances are you’re as shocked as anyone that Brian Kelly reportedly is leaving Notre Dame to coach at LSU. For anyone with a long memory, it might be a slightly awkward arrangement at first because Kelly has coached two Irish teams to bowl wins over the Tigers. The first was a 31-28 win in the 2014 Music City Bowl that was decided on a last-second field goal from Kyle Brindza. Another close contest came in the 2018 Citrus Bowl, which the Irish won, 21-17, on a late 55-yard touchdown pass from Ian Book to Miles Boykin.

Here’s a look at Kelly during these games:

Jan 1, 2018; Orlando, FL, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach Brian Kelly celebrates after defeating the LSU Tigers in the 2018 Citrus Bowl at Camping World Stadium. Matt Stamey-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 1, 2018; Orlando, FL, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach Brian Kelly (right) thanks the fans after defeating LSU Tigers in the 2018 Citrus Bowl at Camping World Stadium. Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 1, 2018; Orlando, FL, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach Brian Kelly accepts the trophy after defeating LSU Tigers in the 2018 Citrus Bowl at Camping World Stadium. Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports
FILE- This Jan. 1, 2018 file photo shows Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly celebrating with the championship trophy after defeating LSU 21-17 in the Citrus Bowl NCAA college football game in Orlando, Fla. Notre Dame won 21-17.  (AP Photo/John Raoux, file)
Jan 1, 2018; Orlando, FL, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach Brian Kelly celebrates after the second half against the LSU Tigers in the 2018 Citrus Bowl at Camping World Stadium. Matt Stamey-USA TODAY Sports
ORLANDO, FL – JANUARY 01: Head coach Brian Kelly of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish is lifted up by Hunter Bivin #70 following the Citrus Bowl against the LSU Tigers on January 1, 2018 in Orlando, Florida. Notre Dame won 21-17. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
Jan 1, 2018; Orlando, FL, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach Brian Kelly (right) gets a Gatorade bath after defeating LSU Tigers in the 2018 Citrus Bowl at Camping World Stadium. Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports
Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly directs his team against LSU during the second half of the Citrus Bowl NCAA college football game, Monday, Jan. 1, 2018, in Orlando, Fla. Notre Dame won 21-17. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
Jan 1, 2018; Orlando, FL, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach Brian Kelly talks with a referee against the LSU Tigers during the first half in the 2018 Citrus Bowl at Camping World Stadium. Matt Stamey-USA TODAY Sports
ORLANDO, FL – JANUARY 01: Head coach Brian Kelly of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish looks on against the LSU Tigers in the first half of the Citrus Bowl on January 1, 2018 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
Jan 1, 2018; Orlando, FL, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach Brian Kelly runs onto the field with the team before the 2018 Citrus Bowl against the LSU Tigers at Camping World Stadium. Matt Stamey-USA TODAY Sports
NASHVILLE, TN – DECEMBER 30: Brian Kelly the head coach of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish watches the action during the Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl against the LSU Tigers at LP Field on December 30, 2014 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
NASHVILLE, TN – DECEMBER 30: Brian Kelly the head coach of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish gives instructions to his team during the Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl against the LSU Tigers at LP Field on December 30, 2014 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly argues a call with referee Mike Batlan, right, in the first half of the Music City Bowl NCAA college football game against LSU, Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2014, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)
Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly argues a call in the first half of the Music City Bowl NCAA college football game against LSU on Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2014, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)
Dec 30, 2014; Nashville, TN, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach Brian Kelly and Louisiana State Tigers head coach Les Miles shake hands before the Music City Bowl game at LP Field. Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 30, 2014; Nashville, TN, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach Brian Kelly prior to the game against the LSU Tigers in the Music City Bowl at LP Field. Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 30, 2014; Nashville, TN, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach Brian Kelly prior to the game against the LSU Tigers in the Music City Bowl at LP Field. Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 30, 2014; Nashville, TN, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach Brian Kelly prior to the game against the LSU Tigers in the Music City Bowl at LP Field. Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports

Notre Dame Almanac: Happy Anniversary Music City Bowl

LSU quarterback Anthony Jennings completed a then game-record 75 yard touchdown pass to wide receiver John Diarse.  Jennings other 13 pass attempts on the afternoon totaled just 76 more yards.  Joe Burrow was still a senior at Athens High School on this day.

I woke up this morning and began flipping channels only to come to ESPN-U.  I thought I was still in a haze when it said the 2014 Music City Bowl between Notre Dame and LSU was being shown.

If you’re a Notre Dame fan you remember the Irish pulling off the win to finish a 2014 season that began with so much positivity until one bad call in Tallahassee sent things spiraling out of control the second half of the season.

It did end on a high note however as the Irish earned their first win over an SEC team since beating Tennessee in 2005.

Do you remember how ridiculous that game was, though?

A young man named Leonard Fournette announcing his arrival by returning a kickoff 100 yards for a socre and setting the record for longest run in Music City Bowl history, an 89 yard touchdown run.  He’d finish with 264 total yards.

Notre Dame went back and forth between Everett Golson and Malik Zaire at quarterback as the two combined to throw for 186 yards and a touchdown while Zaire also helped play the ball-possession game in carrying 22 times for 96 yards.

Notre Dame ran the ball 51 times on the day, an almost exact 2:1 ratio as they attempted 26 passes.

CJ Prosise began his transformation to running back that afternoon as he had three carries (also had three carries all year coming in) for 75 yards, including a 50 yard scoring run.  A pretty nice first step for what wound up being a special 2015 for him.

LSU quarterback Anthony Jennings completed a then game-record 75 yard touchdown pass to wide receiver John Diarse.  Jennings other 13 pass attempts on the afternoon totaled just 76 more yards.  Joe Burrow was still a senior at Athens High School on this day.

And most importantly it all ended with Kyle Brindza hitting a 32 yard field goal as time expired to give Notre Dame (+8.5) the upset victory.

That was five years ago today, relive some of those fun memories by watching the highlights below:

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qp7jkgtWNVc&w=560&h=315]