1970 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team

American college football season

1970 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football

National champion (FACT, Matthews, Sagarin), Cotton Bowl champion

Cotton Bowl Classic, W 24–11 vs. Texas

Conference| Independent
Ranking
Coaches| No. 5
AP| No. 2
Record| 10–1
Head coach|

* Ara Parseghian (7th season)

Captains|

* Larry DiNardo
* Tim Kelly

Home stadium| Notre Dame Stadium

Seasons

← 1969

1971 →

1970 NCAA University Division independents football records

* v
* t
* e

| Conf. |  |  | Overall

|
|
|
|

Team | W |   | L |   | T |  |  | W |   | L |   | T
No. 2 Notre Dame |   |  | – |  |   |  |  | 10  | – | 1  | – | 0
Villanova |   |  | – |  |   |  |  | 9  | – | 2  | – | 0
No. 16 Air Force |   |  | – |  |   |  |  | 9  | – | 3  | – | 0
No. 13 Georgia Tech |   |  | – |  |   |  |  | 9  | – | 3  | – | 0
Boston College |   |  | – |  |   |  |  | 8  | – | 2  | – | 0
No. 19 Houston |   |  | – |  |   |  |  | 8  | – | 3  | – | 0
West Virginia |   |  | – |  |   |  |  | 8  | – | 3  | – | 0
No. 17 Tulane |   |  | – |  |   |  |  | 8  | – | 4  | – | 0
No. 18 Penn State |   |  | – |  |   |  |  | 7  | – | 3  | – | 0
West Texas State |   |  | – |  |   |  |  | 7  | – | 3  | – | 0
Cincinnati |   |  | – |  |   |  |  | 7  | – | 4  | – | 0
Florida State |   |  | – |  |   |  |  | 7  | – | 4  | – | 0
Virginia Tech |   |  | – |  |   |  |  | 5  | – | 6  | – | 0
Syracuse |   |  | – |  |   |  |  | 6  | – | 4  | – | 0
Dayton |   |  | – |  |   |  |  | 5  | – | 4  | – | 1
Pittsburgh |   |  | – |  |   |  |  | 5  | – | 5  | – | 0
Rutgers |   |  | – |  |   |  |  | 5  | – | 5  | – | 0
Utah State |   |  | – |  |   |  |  | 5  | – | 5  | – | 0
Colgate |   |  | – |  |   |  |  | 5  | – | 6  | – | 0
Southern Miss |   |  | – |  |   |  |  | 5  | – | 6  | – | 0
New Mexico State |   |  | – |  |   |  |  | 4  | – | 6  | – | 0
Miami (FL) |   |  | – |  |   |  |  | 3  | – | 8  | – | 0
Northern Illinois |   |  | – |  |   |  |  | 3  | – | 7  | – | 0
Marshall |   |  | – |  |   |  |  | 3  | – | 6  | – | 0
Buffalo |   |  | – |  |   |  |  | 2  | – | 9  | – | 0
Navy |   |  | – |  |   |  |  | 2  | – | 9  | – | 0
Army |   |  | – |  |   |  |  | 1  | – | 9  | – | 1
Xavier |   |  | – |  |   |  |  | 1  | – | 9  | – | 0
Holy Cross |   |  | – |  |   |  |  | 0  | – | 10  | – | 1
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1970 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team represented the University of Notre Dame during the 1970 NCAA University Division football season. The Irish finished with 10 wins and 1 loss. Capping off their season was a 24–11 victory over the #1 ranked Texas Longhorns in the Cotton Bowl.

## Schedule

[edit]

Date| Time| Opponent| Rank| Site| TV| Result| Attendance| Source

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

September 19| 2:30 p.m.| at Northwestern| No. 6|

* Dyche Stadium
* Evanston, IL (rivalry)

| | W 35–14| 50,049|
September 26| 1:30 p.m.| Purdue| No. 6|

* Notre Dame Stadium
* Notre Dame, IN (rivalry)

| | W 48–0| 59,075|
October 3| 2:30 p.m.| at Michigan State| No. 4|

* Spartan Stadium
* East Lansing, MI (rivalry)

| | W 29–0| 76,103|
October 10| 1:30 p.m.| Army| No. 3|

* Notre Dame Stadium
* Notre Dame, IN (rivalry)

| | W 51–10| 59,075|
October 17| 3:50 p.m.| at No. 18 Missouri| No. 3|

* Memorial Stadium
* Columbia, MO

| ABC| W 24–7| 64,200|
October 31| 1:32 p.m.| vs. Navy| No. 3|

* John F. Kennedy Stadium
* Philadelphia, PA (rivalry)

| | W 56–7| 45,226|
November 7| 1:30 p.m.| Pittsburgh| No. 2|

* Notre Dame Stadium
* Notre Dame, IN (rivalry)

| | W 46–14| 59,075|
November 14| 1:30 p.m.| Georgia Tech| No. 1|

* Notre Dame Stadium
* Notre Dame, IN (rivalry)

| | W 10–7| 59,075| [1]
November 21| 1:30 p.m.| No. 7 LSU| No. 2|

* Notre Dame Stadium
* Notre Dame, IN

| | W 3–0| 59,075| [2]
November 28| 4:15 p.m.| at USC| No. 4|

* Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
* Los Angeles, CA (rivalry)

| ABC| L 28–38| 64,694|
January 1, 1971| 2:00 p.m.| vs. No. 1 Texas| No. 6|

* Cotton Bowl
* Dallas, TX (Cotton Bowl Classic)

| CBS| W 24–11| 73,000| [3]

* Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game
* All times are in Eastern time
* Source: [4]

## Game summaries

[edit]

### Northwestern

[edit]

| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total

|
|
|
|
|

Notre Dame | 14  | 14  | 7  | 0 | 35
Northwestern  | 0  | 14  | 0  | 0 | 14

### Purdue

[edit]

See also: 1970 Purdue Boilermakers football team and Shillelagh Trophy (Notre Dame–Purdue)

Purdue Boilermakers at Notre Dame Fighting Irish

Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3| 4| Total

|
|
|
|
|

Purdue | 0 | 0 | 0| 0| 0
Notre Dame | 10 | 14 | 7| 17| 48

at Notre Dame Stadium • South Bend, Indiana

* Date: September 26
* Game weather: Rainy
* Game attendance: 59,075
* Box Score

Game information

Purdue

Notre Dame

* Joe Theismann
16/24, 274 Yds, 3 TD
* Tom Gatewood
12 Rec, 192 Yds, 3 TD

|

Scoring summary

| Quarter  | Time  | Drive | Team  | Scoring information  | Score

|
|
|
|
|

Plays | Yards  | TOP | PUR  | ND
1  |  |  |  |  | Notre Dame  | 19-yard field goal by Hempel  | 0  | 3
1  |  |  | 80  |  | Notre Dame  | Allan 4-yard touchdown run, Hempel kick good  | 0  | 10
2  |  |  |  |  | Notre Dame  | Gatewood 17-yard touchdown reception from Theismann, Hempel kick good  | 0  | 17
2  | 6:09  |  |  |  | Notre Dame  | Gatewood 7-yard touchdown reception from Theismann, Hempel kick good  | 0  | 24
3  |  |  |  |  | Notre Dame  | Gatewood 20-yard touchdown reception from Theismann, Hempel kick good  | 0  | 31
4  |  |  |  |  | Notre Dame  | 37-yard field goal by Hempel  | 0  | 34
4  |  |  |  |  | Notre Dame  | Dewan 4-yard touchdown run, Hempel kick good  | 0  | 41
4  |  |  |  |  | Notre Dame  | Parker 63-yard touchdown run, Hempel kick good  | 0  | 48
"TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | 0  | 48

### Michigan State

[edit]

Team | 1 | 2| 3| 4| Total

|
|
|
|
|

• Notre Dame | 7 | 15| 0| 7 | 29
Michigan St | 0 | 0| 0| 0 | 0

* Date: October 3
* Location: Spartan Stadium, East Lansing, MI
* Game attendance: 76,103
* Referee: Jerry Markbreit

Scoring summary

Q1| | ND| Barz 1 yard run (Hempel kick)| ND 7–0
Q2| | ND| Minnix 1 yard run (Hempel kick)| ND 14–0
Q2| | ND| Gulyas 2 yard run (Theismann run)| ND 22–0
Q4| | ND| Parker 4 yard run (Hempel kick)| ND 29–0

* Joe Theismann 12/17, 147 Yds, 13 Rush, 107 Yds
* First Notre Dame game on artificial turf
* First Notre Dame win in East Lansing since 1949

[5]

### Army

[edit]

| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total

|
|
|
|
|

Army  | 0  | 3  | 7  | 0 | 10
Notre Dame | 21  | 9  | 14  | 7 | 51

### Missouri

[edit]

Originally, Missouri was scheduled to host this game at Busch Memorial Stadium in St. Louis, but the St. Louis Cardinals forced the game to be moved to the University of Missouri campus because they anticipated hosting Game 6 of the World Series.[6] As it turned out, the Cardinals finished a distant fourth place in the National League East, 13 games behind the Pittsburgh Pirates, and were below .500 from July 1 through the end of the season.[7]

Team | 1 | 2| 3| 4| Total

|
|
|
|
|

• Notre Dame | 3 | 0| 14| 7 | 24
Missouri | 0 | 0| 7| 0 | 7

* Date: October 17
* Location: Memorial Stadium, Columbia, MO
* Game start: 2:50 p.m. CDT
* TV announcers (ABC): Chris Schenkel, Bud Wilkinson

### Navy

[edit]

Team | 1 | 2| 3| 4| Total

|
|
|
|
|

• Notre Dame | 7 | 28| 7| 14 | 56
Navy | 7 | 0| 0| 0 | 7

* Date: October 31
* Location: JFK Stadium, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Scoring summary

1| | Notre Dame| Dewan 3-yard run (Hempel kick)| Notre Dame 7-0
1| | Navy| Dillon 5-yard run (Lanning kick)| Tie 7-7
2| | Notre Dame| Barz 2-yard run (Hempel kick)| Notre Dame 14-7
2| | Notre Dame| Barz 1-yard run (Hempel kick)| Notre Dame 21-7
2| | Notre Dame| Gatewood 6-yard pass from Theismann (Hempel kick)| Notre Dame 28-7
2| | Notre Dame| Gatewood 29-yard pass from Theismann (Hempel kick)| Notre Dame 35-7
3| | Notre Dame| Allan 3-yard run (Hempel kick)| Notre Dame 42-7
4| | Notre Dame| Diestowski 30-yard run (Hempel kick)| Notre Dame 49-7
4| | Notre Dame| Minnix 5-yard run (Hempel kick)| Notre Dame 56-7

[8]

### Pittsburgh

[edit]

| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total

|
|
|
|
|

Pittsburgh  | 0  | 14  | 0  | 0 | 14
Notre Dame | 7  | 18  | 6  | 15 | 46

### Georgia Tech

[edit]

| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total

|
|
|
|
|

Georgia Tech  | 0  | 0  | 7  | 0 | 7
Notre Dame | 0  | 0  | 3  | 7 | 10

### LSU

[edit]

Team | 1 | 2| 3| 4| Total

|
|
|
|
|

LSU | 0 | 0| 0| 0 | 0
• Notre Dame | 0 | 0| 0| 3 | 3

* Date: November 21
* Location: Notre Dame Stadium, South Bend, Indiana
* Game start: 1:30 p.m. EST
* Game attendance: 59,075
* Game weather: mostly cloudy, 47 degrees, wind S 15-18 MPH
* Referee: Jerry Markbreit

Scoring summary

4| 02:54| Notre Dame| Hempel 24-yard field goal| Notre Dame 3-0

### USC

[edit]

Notre Dame quarterback Joe Theismann completed 33 of 58 passes for a school-record 526 yards, and the Irish outgained the Trojans 557–359, but committed eight turnovers to zero for Southern Cal.[9]

Team | 1 | 2| 3| 4| Total

|
|
|
|
|

Notre Dame | 7 | 7| 7| 7 | 28
• So. Cal. | 21 | 3| 14| 0 | 38

* Date: November 28
* Location: Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
* Game start: 1:30 p.m. PST
* Game weather: High 50s, heavy rain
* TV announcers (ABC): Chris Schenkel, Bud Wilkinson

### 1971 Cotton Bowl vs. Texas

[edit]

[10]

#6 Notre Dame vs. #1 Texas

Team | 1 | 2| 3| 4| Total

|
|
|
|
|

• Notre Dame | 14 | 10| 0| 0 | 24
Texas | 3 | 8| 0| 0 | 11

* Date: January 1, 1971
* Location: Cotton Bowl, Dallas, Texas
* Game start: 1:00 CST
* Game attendance: 72,000
* Referee: Gene Calhoun (Big Ten)
* TV announcers (CBS): Lindsey Nelson, Tom Brookshier

Main article: 1971 Cotton Bowl Classic

See also: 1970 Texas Longhorns football team

## Roster

[edit]

1970 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team roster

Players  | Coaches
Offense | Pos. | # | Name | Class

|
|
|

RB | `22` | Denny Allan
FB | `33` | Bill Barz | Jr
WR | `` | John Cieszkowski
TE | `` | Mike Creaney
G | `67` | John Dampeer
RB | `` | Daryll Dewan
G | `56` | Larry DiNardo
RB | `` | Bill Gallagher
OT | `70` | Tom Gasseling
WR | `44` | Tom Gatewood | Jr
RB | `12` | Ed Gulyas
RB | `` | Denny Gutkowski
RB | `` | Ron Johnson
OL | `` | Gary Kos
OT | `73` | Mike Martin
RB | `` | Bob Minnix
RB | `` | Chuck Nightingale
C | `50` | Dan Novakov | Jr
RB | `` | Larry Parker
QB | `` | Pat Steenberge
WR | `` | John Tereschuk
QB | `7` | Joe Theismann | Sr
WR | `80` | Willie Townsend | So
WR | `` | Bill Trapp
Defense | Pos. | # | Name | Class

|
|
|

DB | `17` | Mike Crotty | Jr
DB | `23` | Clarence Ellis | Jr
DB | `5` | Terry Garner | So
DT | `72` | Mike Kadish | Sr
LB | `42` | Tim Kelly
DT | `75` | Greg Marx | Jr
LB | `43` | Tom McHale
DB | `1` | Tom Menie
DL | `` | Bob Neidert
LB | `81` | Jim O'Malley | So
LB | `` | Eric Patton
DE | `85` | Walt Patulski | Jr
DB | `` | Tim Rudnick
DB | `` | Ralph Stepaniak
LB | `` | Rick Thomann
LB | `61` | Mike Webb | So
LB | `` | Jim Wright
DL | `` | Mike Zikas
Special teams | Pos. | # | Name | Class

|
|
|

K | `` | Scott Hempel
P | `` | Jim Yoder

Head coach

* Ara Parseghian

Coordinators/assistant coaches

* * *

Legend

* (C) Team captain
* (S) Suspended
* (I) Ineligible

* Injured
* Redshirt

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Georgia Tech gives ND scare, Irish win 10–7". The Clarion-Ledger. November 15, 1970. Retrieved July 24, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
2. ^ "Irish fight past LSU 3–0". Star Tribune. November 22, 1970. Retrieved October 22, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
3. ^ "Irish stun Texas in Cotton Bowl, 24–11". Chicago Tribune. January 2, 1971. Retrieved May 2, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
4. ^ "1970 Notre Dame Fighting Irish Schedule and Results".
5. ^ "Irish Rout Michigan State." Palm Beach Post. 1970 Oct 4. Retrieved 2014-Dec-01.
6. ^ South Bend Tribune, Oct. 16, 1970, p. 37.
7. ^ "1970 St. Louis Cardinals Schedule".
8. ^ Ocala Star-Banner. 1970 November 1.
9. ^ South Bend Tribune, Nov. 29, 1970, pp. 1, 48.
10. ^ Jenkins, Dan (November 30, 1970). "NOTRE DAME GOES KICKING INTO THE COTTON". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved August 25, 2019.

* v
* t
* e

Notre Dame Fighting Irish football

Venues|

* Brownson Hall field (1892?–1899)
* Cartier Field (1899–1928)
* Soldier Field (1929)
* Notre Dame Stadium (1930–present)

Bowls and rivalries|

* Bowl games
* Emerald Isle Classic
* Army
* Boston College
* Michigan
* Michigan State
* Navy
* Northwestern
* Pittsburgh
* Purdue
* Stanford
* USC

Culture and lore|

* History
* Band of the Fighting Irish
* Irish Guard
* Notre Dame Box
* Notre Dame Leprechaun
* "Notre Dame, Our Mother"
* "Notre Dame Victory March"
* Play Like a Champion Today
* Subway Alumni
* T formation
* Tall Grass Game
* 1946 "Game of the Century"
* 1966 "Game of the Century"
* Catholics vs. Convicts
* 30 for 30 film
* 1993 "Game of the Century"
* Bush Push
* Navy ends the drought
* Death of Lizzy Seeberg
* 2020 ACC Championship Game
* The Spirit of Notre Dame
* Knute Rockne, All American
* Notre Dame Football on NBC
* Rudy

People|

* Head coaches
* Starting quarterbacks
* Four Horsemen
* NFL draftees
* Statistical leaders
* Team captains

Seasons|

* 1887
* 1888
* 1889
* 1890
* 1891
* 1892
* 1893
* 1894
* 1895
* 1896
* 1897
* 1898
* 1899
* 1900
* 1901
* 1902
* 1903
* 1904
* 1905
* 1906
* 1907
* 1908
* 1909
* 1910
* 1911
* 1912
* 1913
* 1914
* 1915
* 1916
* 1917
* 1918
* 1919
* 1920
* 1921
* 1922
* 1923
* 1924
* 1925
* 1926
* 1927
* 1928
* 1929
* 1930
* 1931
* 1932
* 1933
* 1934
* 1935
* 1936
* 1937
* 1938
* 1939
* 1940
* 1941
* 1942
* 1943
* 1944
* 1945
* 1946
* 1947
* 1948
* 1949
* 1950
* 1951
* 1952
* 1953
* 1954
* 1955
* 1956
* 1957
* 1958
* 1959
* 1960
* 1961
* 1962
* 1963
* 1964
* 1965
* 1966
* 1967
* 1968
* 1969
* 1970
* 1971
* 1972
* 1973
* 1974
* 1975
* 1976
* 1977
* 1978
* 1979
* 1980
* 1981
* 1982
* 1983
* 1984
* 1985
* 1986
* 1987
* 1988
* 1989
* 1990
* 1991
* 1992
* 1993
* 1994
* 1995
* 1996
* 1997
* 1998
* 1999
* 2000
* 2001
* 2002
* 2003
* 2004
* 2005
* 2006
* 2007
* 2008
* 2009
* 2010
* 2011
* 2012
* 2013
* 2014
* 2015
* 2016
* 2017
* 2018
* 2019
* 2020
* 2021
* 2022
* 2023
* 2024
* 2025

National championship seasons in bold
*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template
*[Conf.]: Conference record
*[W]: Wins
*[L]: Losses
*[T]: Ties
*[No.]: Number