Best Notre Dame games of the "post Holtz" era

[GreatGolson]

Starting from the time after Lou left South Bend '97 season to the present, what were the greatest games you can think off, obviously the "Bush Push" comes to mind, 1998 upset of No 5 Michigan was a good one under Davie, what other great games will be remembered as those that filled the void between 1988 and ND's next national championship?

 

[GreatGolson]

Also BEFORE you jump on me, I KNOW LOU LEFT IN 96, but 97 was the first season after him.

 

[Irish4Life09]

For me....my fav game was 2004 @UT...
Unfortunately it's the only ND game I've ever been to, but it was so awesome watching 100,000+ drunk fans go home pissed off, especially after we separated Ainge's shoulder....such a fantastic game. Actually got to meet Darius Walker's parents on the way to the car afterwards,they were very nice.

 

[NDTH91]

Great Games

Great Games

Two that immediately come to mind:

2006 vs. UCLA - I was at this game and although we shouldn't have been behind, Quinn to Smardzija for the win made Notre Dame Stadium erupt like I've never heard it before.

2006 vs. Michigan State - Probably one of the best Notre Dame football games ever if not just in recent memory. Granted michigan st. was not the best team that year, but that was a comeback like Notre Dame had never known before.

Others that I can think of:

The 2008 Hawaii Bowl vs. Hawaii - Not a close game, but a great one to watch if you're an Irish fan after one of the worst years ever.

2000 vs. Air Force - Another game I was lucky enough to attend. Air Force erased an 18 point deficit, and had a chance to win the game with a late field goal, but the Irish blocked it, forced overtime, and won on a reverse option by Joey Gatheral (Another "why are we in this situation?" classic).

 

[IrishGiant]

Starting from the time after Lou left South Bend '97 season to the present, what were the greatest games you can think off, obviously the "Bush Push" comes to mind, 1998 upset of No 5 Michigan was a good one under Davie, what other great games will be remembered as those that filled the void between 1988 and ND's next national championship?

The last great game I can remember off the top of my head where I said "Wow" was in 2006 vs. Michigan State when we came back after being down 31-14 at the half, and won on a late 4th quarter INT. Great game.

 

[KPENN]

The last great game I can remember off the top of my head where I said "Wow" was in 2006 vs. Michigan State when we came back after being down 31-14 at the half, and won on a late 4th quarter INT. Great game.

Oh man that game was great. I think my dogs have mental issues from my actions during that game.

 

[IrishGiant]

Oh man that game was great. I think my dogs have mental issues from my actions during that game.

Thank God I have no small impressionable animals in my house. Between ND on saturdays, and the Giants on sundays those poor little critters would be scarred for sure. I've gone through 3 remotes in the last couple years I'd hate for a poor little dog to get hit by friendly fire!

 

[KPENN]

Thank God I have no small impressionable animals in my house. Between ND on saturdays, and the Giants on sundays those poor little critters would be scarred for sure. I've gone through 3 remotes in the last couple years I'd hate for a poor little dog to get hit by friendly fire!

What made that game even sweeter was I had $20 on it. My friends a serial Notre Dame hater. Oh and John Smith's meltdown after the game

 

[IrishGiant]

What made that game even sweeter was I had $20 on it. My friends a serial Notre Dame hater. Oh and John Smith's meltdown after the game

Thank God most of my friends are Irish fans as well, otherwise they may be a target of my friendly fire!

 

[KPENN]

Thank God most of my friends are Irish fans as well, otherwise they may be a target of my friendly fire!

Not one of my Friends or me have the same favorite team.. It can get pretty ugly. Especially UNC vs duke week...

 

[IrishLax]

The last great game I can remember off the top of my head where I said "Wow" was in 2006 vs. Michigan State when we came back after being down 31-14 at the half, and won on a late 4th quarter INT. Great game.

There were about a dozen of us watching the game in a dorm room... all pretty sad, depressed, hopeless... and then all of a sudden the whole dorm room/building/campus just went crazy. And I mean absolutely crazy. One of my friends jumped up so high from the couch he was sitting on that he hit his head on the ceiling and got a concussion. And the absolute look of shock on the faces of the MSU fans made it all that much more enjoyable when we settled down.

And then there was the impromptu party at Stonehenge as soon as the final whistle blew... just all around awesomeness abounding.

 

[NDinLA is a TROLL]

Notre Dame v Mich St 2002 to end to 5 year losing streak easily tops for me.

Arnaz Battle throwing a bomb to Holiday (QB) for a 30 yard gain in the opening drive. Later turns into a granted pounding the ball into the end zone. Battle catches a pass and two Mich St defenders blast each other and Battle runs for 60 yard to the end zone.

A very close and competitive game the whole way and Mich St has one last chance to win the game with a hail mary but Gerome Sapp picks the ball off at the three yard line and ends to losing streak.

Easily the best game. Second has to be 2006 vs UCLA.

 

[Rudy89]

UCLA and MSU in 06. For the obvious reasons but those are the most special to me because they were my senior year of high school and went along with my final year of football myself.

The MSU game was special because like the irish a week before my high school team was blown out by a rival when we had started out so well with a lot of hype. The next week we battled back and had a great win to put us back on the right track just like ND did.

The UCLA game because the night before I won my senior night game and my high school had the opportunity to get in the playoffs for only the second time in school history. I was on cloud nine already and too see the quinn pass to shark to win that game give mes goosebumps still. Two hours later I found out we had secured a playoff spot and took the pumped up feeling from that game to practice on monday.

 

[jboxer562]

in my young life, i have only seen games post the holtz era. the game that sticks out the most to my memory as being most excited was when Notre Dame went into the Doak and knocked off Chris Rix, Greg Jones, and the FSU noles

 

[DaLastFarleyite]

The last great game I can remember off the top of my head where I said "Wow" was in 2006 vs. Michigan State when we came back after being down 31-14 at the half, and won on a late 4th quarter INT. Great game.

My wife and I went to that game. It was (not withstanding the nearly non-stop rain and strong wind pelting us in the upper deck of MSU's stadium) a most memorable and enjoyable firsthand experience. It was a very long tailgate with several of my ND classmates. Thank God, my younger brother (a MSU grad) was able to get us a hotel room because we were in no condition to drive home after re-igniting the tailgate after the euphoric ending to the game.

 

[military_irish]

another game that was pretty good ( although it should never have got that far) but was the 2000 game against Air Force where Glenn Earl blocked a FG at the end of the game and ND won in overtime on a Getherall reverse

 

[Riddickulous]

Getting utterly outplayed against Michigan but still winning 35-17 because Michigan turned it over seven times.

It was hilarious hearing the excuses the week after.

 

[irishfan]

Some other not mentioned ones

ND vs. Michigan in 2002 (25-23 I think, Shane Walton had a pick to end the game)

ND vs. Wash St in 2003 (Big 4th quarter comeback. Julius Jones' return game and Brady Quinn got to come in for a drive when Holiday got hurt)

ND vs. Mich in 2004 (Huge upset after the BYU awful loss. DWalker's first game)

ND vs. Mich in 2005 (Wish the D played this well for all of Weis' years)

ND vs. Stanford in 2005

ND vs. UCLA in 2007 (just such a surprising win considering the year)

ND vs. Stanford in 2007

ND vs. Washington in 2009 (don't think anyone thought we had a chance before UW's TD got called back before the goal line stand(s)

 

[Riddickulous]

Some losses that were great games:

2005, Michigan State. Down 38-17 with about two or three minutes left in the third quarter, I watched in awe as Quinn and company rebounded and tied the game at 38 before the end of the fourth. Crap ending.

Purdue, 2007. The first game of the 2007 season in which the offense looked capable of moving the ball. Golden Tate put on a one-man show.

And some fun wins:

Washington, 2008. I haven't seen such utter domination in all my years of watching the Irish. I remember thinking Floyd was going to end up with about 200 yards when he had almost 90 by the second play of the second drive.

North Carolina, 2006. God, was that a fun game. Shark had a massive day and boy did Brady Quinn go off on North Carolina.

 

[NeuteredDoomer]

Closest and exciting game that never should have been: ND vs. San Diego St. '08.

Before, during and after the game, the optimist in me thought this was a young ND team and SDSU would be playing balls out.

The realist in me saw my red flags confirmed.

 

[ACamp1900]

forme these come to mind...

-06 MSU for sre...
-Darius Walker's comeout party agaisnt Michigan his Freshman year
-The near upset of Nebraska at home
-Zibby DOMINATING Tennessee at home in 05 I think it was
-UCLA and Brady's drive.
-FSU in 02

 

[NDALA]

1. '02 FSU
2. '04 Tennessee
3. '02 '04 '05 Michigan

 

[We_Are_ND]

What made that game even sweeter was I had $20 on it. My friends a serial Notre Dame hater. Oh and John Smith's meltdown after the game

Dude my friends who are not ND fans had 100$ on the spread which was +3 for ND. ND scored on the INT and we were all going fucking crazy bc the TD put them up by 3. But then they missed the extra point so it was a push. LOL. Sucks for them but sweet for meeeee.

 

[We_Are_ND]

Getting utterly outplayed against Michigan but still winning 35-17 because Michigan turned it over seven times......

Get the fuck outta here...........NOW

 

[GreatGolson]

Getting utterly outplayed against Michigan but still winning 35-17 because Michigan turned it over seven times.

HereComeTheIrish, remember that Thor God Hammer you've got? Maybe a little smiting is in order... sorry shaq.

 

[Riddickulous]

HereComeTheIrish, remember that Thor God Hammer you've got? Maybe a little smiting is in order... sorry shaq.

We were outplayed.

 

[Jerry]

2000 Airforce - I was at that game. Getherall's return was great.

2000 Purdue - Bries's last game against ND. Went to the game w/ a bunch of Purdue friends. They were not happy after Setta's kick. Gary Godsey started at QB for the Irish. I remember "In Godsey We Trust" banner hanging on one of the halls.

2002 MSU - I remember I was sitting in a bar and a bunch of people were rooting against ND. Just loved to see their faces when Battle was going down the side line for the go ahead score.

2002 FSU - By far the pinnacle of that season and pretty much Willingham's tenure at ND.

2006 PSU - Big high before a big low the next week.

2006 MSU - It looked like this season was going down the drain but they pulled it out.

2007 (just kidding)

2008 UM - I was at this game. Fun to be in the rain, when it's warm, Michigan fans sitting around me were speechless.

2008 Hawaii - Just to get the monkey off our backs.