American college football season
1966 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football |
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Consensus national champion |
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Conference | Independent |
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Ranking |
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Coaches | No. 1 |
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AP | No. 1 |
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Record | 9–0–1 |
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Head coach | - Ara Parseghian (3rd season)
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Offensive scheme | T formation |
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Base defense | 4–4 |
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Captain | Jim Lynch |
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Home stadium | Notre Dame Stadium |
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Seasons |
The 1966 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team represented the University of Notre Dame as an independent during the 1966 NCAA University Division football season. The Irish, coached by Ara Parseghian, ended the season undefeated with a record of 9–0–1, and won a national championship. The Fighting Irish earned a consensus title after beating No. 10 Oklahoma, 38–0, in Norman, tying unbeaten and No. 2 Michigan State, 10–10, and ending the season defeating No. 10 USC, 51–0, in the Coliseum[1] The 1966 squad became the eighth Irish team to win the national title and the first under Parseghian. The Irish outscored their opponents 362–38.[1] The 10–10 tie between The Spartans and the Irish remains one of the controversial games of college football, and is considered today to be one of the great "games of the century".[2]
Schedule
Date | Opponent | Rank | Site | Result | Attendance | Source |
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September 24 | No. 7 Purdue | No. 8 | | W 26–14 | 59,075 | |
October 1 | at Northwestern | No. 4 | | W 35–7 | 55,356 | |
October 8 | Army | No. 3 | - Notre Dame Stadium
- Notre Dame, IN (rivalry)
| W 35–0 | 59,075 | |
October 15 | North Carolina | No. 2 | - Notre Dame Stadium
- Notre Dame, IN (rivalry)
| W 32–0 | 59,075 | |
October 22 | at No. 10 Oklahoma | No. 1 | | W 38–0 | 63,439 | |
October 29 | vs. Navy | No. 1 | | W 31–7 | 70,101 | |
November 5 | Pittsburgh | No. 1 | - Notre Dame Stadium
- Notre Dame, IN (rivalry)
| W 40–0 | 59,075 | |
November 12 | Duke | No. 1 | - Notre Dame Stadium
- Notre Dame, IN
| W 64–0 | 59,075 | [3] |
November 19 | at No. 2 Michigan State | No. 1 | | T 10–10 | 80,011 | |
November 26 | at No. 10 USC | No. 1 | | W 51–0 | 88,520 | |
- Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game
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Roster
1966 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team roster |
Players | Coaches |
Offense | Defense | Special teams Pos. | # | Name | Class | P | 90 | Joe Azzaro | K | 11 | Jim Ryan | | - Head coach
- Coordinators/assistant coaches
- Legend
- (C) Team captain
- (S) Suspended
- (I) Ineligible
- Injured
- Redshirt
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Rankings
Game summaries
Purdue
Purdue at Notre Dame | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | No. 8 Boilermakers | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 14 | • No. 6 Fighting Irish | 7 | 7 | 0 | 12 | 26 | |
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Scoring summary |
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| 1 | | PUR | Leroy Keyes 94-yard fumble return (kick good) | PUR 7-0 | | 1 | | ND | Nick Eddy 96-yard kickoff return (kick good) | Tied 7-7 | | 2 | | ND | Jim Seymour 84-yard pass from Terry Hanratty (kick good) | ND 14-7 | | 4 | | ND | Jim Seymour 39-yard pass from Terry Hanratty | ND 20-7 | | 4 | | PUR | Perry Williams 1-yard run (kick good) | ND 20-14 | | 4 | | ND | Jim Seymour 7-yard pass from Terry Hanratty | ND 26-14 | |
[4]
Northwestern
Notre Dame at Northwestern | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | • No. 4 Fighting Irish | 7 | 6 | 8 | 14 | 35 | Wildcats | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 | - Date: October 1
- Location: Dyche Stadium, Evanston, IL
- Game start: 1:30 pm CDT
- Game attendance: 55,356
- Game weather: Partly sunny, 60 degrees
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Scoring summary |
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| 1 | | ND | Nick Eddy 56-yard run (kick good) | ND 7-0 | | 2 | | ND | Larry Conjar 1-yard run (kick failed) | ND 13-0 | | 3 | | ND | Rocky Bleier 12-yard run (2-pt. good) | ND 21-0 | | 4 | | ND | Frank Criniti 2-yard run (kick good) | ND 28-0 | | 4 | | ND | Tom Schoen 37-yard interception return (kick good) | ND 35-0 | | 4 | | NU | Roger Murphy 22-yard pass from Bill Melzer (kick good) | ND 35-7 | |
[5]
Army
Army at Notre Dame | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | Cadets | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | • No. 3 Fighting Irish | 21 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 35 | - Date: October 8
- Location: Notre Dame Stadium, South Bend, IN
- Game start: 1:30 pm CDT
- Game attendance: 59,075
- Game weather: Fair, 76 degrees
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Scoring summary |
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| 1 | | ND | Rocky Bleier 2-yard run (kick good) | ND 7-0 | | 1 | | ND | Jim Seymour 33-yard pass from Terry Hanratty (kick good) | ND 14-0 | | 1 | | ND | Terry Hanratty 7-yard run (kick good) | ND 21-0 | | 2 | | ND | Nick Eddy 3-yard run (kick good) | ND 28-0 | | 2 | | ND | Nick Eddy 3-yard run (kick good) | ND 35-0 | |
[6]
North Carolina
North Carolina at Notre Dame | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | Tar Heels | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | • No. 2 Fighting Irish | 7 | 13 | 6 | 6 | 32 | - Date: October 15
- Location: Notre Dame Stadium, South Bend, IN
- Game start: 1:30 pm CDT
- Game attendance: 59,075
- Game weather: Cloudy, 50 degrees, wind 22-40 MPH
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Scoring summary |
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| 1 | | ND | Larry Conjar 1-yard run (kick good) | ND 7-0 | | 2 | | ND | Larry Conjar 1-yard run (kick failed) | ND 13-0 | | 2 | | ND | Jim Seymour 56-yard pass from Terry Hanratty (kick good) | ND 20-0 | | 3 | | ND | Nick Eddy 52-yard run (2-pt. failed) | ND 26-0 | | 4 | | ND | Bob Gladieux 5-yard run (2-pt. failed) | ND 32-0 | |
[7]
Oklahoma
Notre Dame at Oklahoma | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | • No. 1 Fighting Irish | 0 | 17 | 21 | 0 | 38 | No. 10 Sooners | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
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Scoring summary |
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| 2 | | ND | Nick Eddy 3-yard run (Joe Azzaro kick) | ND 7-0 | | 2 | | ND | Terry Hanratty 2-yard run (Joe Azzaro kick) | ND 14-0 | | 2 | | ND | Joe Azzaro 32-yard field goal | ND 17-0 | | 3 | | ND | Nick Eddy 1-yard run (Joe Azzaro kick) | ND 24-0 | | 3 | 3:30 | ND | Rocky Bleier 9-yard run (Joe Azzaro kick) | ND 31-0 | | 3 | | ND | Coley O'Brien 5-yard run (Joe Azzaro kick) | ND 38-0 | |
[8]
Navy
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | • No. 1 Fighting Irish | 3 | 7 | 14 | 7 | 31 | Midshipmen | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 | |
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Scoring summary |
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| 1 | | ND | Azzaro 42-yard field goal | ND 3-0 | | 2 | | ND | Conjar 7-yard run (Azzaro kick) | ND 10-0 | | 3 | | ND | Hanratty 1-yard run (Azzaro kick) | ND 17-0 | | 3 | | ND | Gladieux 1-yard run (Azzaro kick) | ND 24-0 | | 4 | | NAVY | Bergner recovered blocked punt in end zone (Church kick) | ND 24-7 | | 4 | | ND | Hanratty 6-yard run (Azzaro kick) | ND 31-7 | |
[9]
Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh at Notre Dame | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | Panthers | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | • No. 1 Fighting Irish | 0 | 7 | 14 | 19 | 40 | - Date: October 8
- Location: Notre Dame Stadium, South Bend, IN
- Game start: 1:30 pm CST
- Game attendance: 59,075
- Game weather: Cloudy, 40 degrees
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Scoring summary |
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| 2 | | ND | Terry Hanratty 3-yard run (kick good) | ND 7-0 | | 3 | | ND | Nick Eddy 85-yard kickoff return (kick failed) | ND 13-0 | | 3 | | ND | Tom Schoen 63-yard punt return (2-pt. good) | ND 21-0 | | 4 | | ND | Larry Conjar 1-yard run (2-pt. failed) | ND 27-0 | | 4 | | ND | Bob Gladieux 19-yard pass from Terry Hanratty (2-pt. failed) | ND 33-0 | | 4 | | ND | Bob Gladieux 5-yard run (kick good) | ND 40-0 | |
[10]
Duke
Duke at Notre Dame | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | Blue Devils | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | • No. 1 Fighting Irish | 22 | 21 | 14 | 7 | 64 | - Date: October 15
- Location: Notre Dame Stadium, South Bend, IN
- Game start: 1:30 pm CST
- Game attendance: 59,075
- Game weather: Cloudy, 42 degrees
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Scoring summary |
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| 1 | | ND | Nick Eddy 77-yard run (2-pt. good) | ND 8-0 | | 1 | | ND | Tom O'Leary 30-yard return on lateral from John Horney after 25-yard interception return (kick good) | ND 15-0 | | 1 | | ND | Rocky Bleier 4-yard run (kick good) | ND 22-0 | | 2 | | ND | Rocky Bleier 45-yard pass from Terry Hanratty (kick good) | ND 29-0 | | 2 | | ND | Larry Conjar 2-yard run (kick good) | ND 36-0 | | 2 | | ND | Jim Seymour 10-yard pass from Terry Hanratty (kick good) | ND 43-0 | | 3 | | ND | Dave Haley 9-yard run (kick good) | ND 50-0 | | 3 | | ND | Coley O'Brien 3-yard run (kick good) | ND 57-0 | | 4 | | ND | Frank Criniti 10-yard run (kick good) | ND 64-0 | |
[11]
Michigan State
Notre Dame at Michigan State | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | No.1 Fighting Irish | 0 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 10 | No. 2 Spartans | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 10 | |
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Scoring summary |
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| 2 | | MSU | Cavender 4-yard run (Kenney kick) | MSU 7-0 | | 2 | | MSU | Kenney 47-yard field goal | MSU 10-0 | | 2 | | ND | Gladieux 34-yard pass from O'Brien (Azzaro kick) | MSU 10-7 | | 4 | | ND | Azzaro 28-yard field goal | Tied 10-10 | |
[12]
[13]
USC
Notre Dame at USC | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | • No. 1 Fighting Irish | 14 | 17 | 13 | 7 | 51 | No. 10 Trojans | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
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Scoring summary |
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| 1 | | ND | Larry Conjar 2-yard run (Joe Azzaro kick) | ND 7-0 | | 1 | | ND | Tom Schoen 40-yard interception return (Joe Azzaro kick) | ND 14-0 | | 2 | | ND | Joe Azzaro 38-yard field goal | ND 17-0 | | 2 | | ND | Jim Seymour 13-yard pass from Coley O'Brien (Joe Azzaro kick) | ND 24-0 | | 2 | | ND | Jim Seymour 39-yard pass from Coley O'Brien (Joe Azzaro kick) | ND 31-0 | | 3 | | ND | Dan Harshman 23-yard pass from Coley O'Brien (Joe Azzaro kick) | ND 38-0 | | 3 | | ND | Nick Eddy 9-yard run (kick failed) | ND 44-0 | | 4 | | ND | Dave Martin 33-yard interception return (Joe Azzaro kick) | ND 51-0 | |
[14][15]
Post-season
Award winners
Heisman Voting:
- Nick Eddy, 3rd,[17]
- Terry Hanratty, 6th[17]
All-Americans:
Name | AP | UPI | NEA | FC | SN | L | T | CP | FN |
† Nick Eddy, HB | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | | 1 | 1 |
† Jim Lynch, LB | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
‡ Tom Regner, G | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | | 1 | 1 |
Alan Page, DE | 2 | 2 | 1 | | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Pete Duranko, DT | 3 | 1 | | 1 | 2 | | | | |
Kevin Hardy, DT | 2 | 2 | 3 | | 1 | | 1 | | 1 |
Jim Seymour, E | 3 | 2 | 2 | | 3 | | | | 1 |
Paul Seiler, T | | 3 | | | 2 | | | | |
George Goeddeke, C | 3 | 2 | 3 | | 3 | | | | |
Tom Schoen, DB | 3 | 2 | | | | | | | |
Larry Conjar, FB | 3 | 3 | | | 3 | | | | 1 |
Terry Hanratty, QB | 3 | | 3 | | | | | | |
†denotes unanimous selection ‡denotes consensus selection Source:[1] |
College Football Hall of Fame Inductees:
Notre Dame leads all universities in players inducted.[18]
1967 NFL Draft
References
- ^ a b c "2007 Notre Dame Media Guide: History and Records (pages 131-175)". und.cstv.com. Archived from the original on June 10, 2008. Retrieved December 29, 2008.
- ^ Celzic, Mike (1992). The Biggest Game of Them All: Notre Dame, Michigan State and the Fall of 1966. ISBN 0-671-75817-9.
- ^ "Duke tops Navy 9–7". Tallahassee Democrat. November 6, 1966. Retrieved January 21, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Irish Uncover Soph Aerial Attack, Smash Purdue." Eugene Register-Guard. 1966 Sep 25.
- ^ South Bend Tribune, Oct. 2, 1966, p. 1
- ^ South Bend Tribune, Oct. 9, 1966, p. 1
- ^ South Bend Tribune, Oct. 16, 1966, p. 1
- ^ "ND Stomps Sooners." Palm Beach Post. 1966 Oct 23.
- ^ South Bend Tribune, Oct. 30, 1966, p.
- ^ South Bend Tribune, Nov. 6, 1966, p. 1
- ^ South Bend Tribune, Nov. 13, 1966, p. 1
- ^ Jenkins, Dan (November 28, 1966). "An Upside-Down Game". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved August 17, 2019.
- ^ "Ocala Star-Banner - Google News Archive Search".
- ^ "Irish Trouncing of U.S.C. Worst in Trojans' History". The New York Times. November 27, 1966. Retrieved August 17, 2019.
- ^ "Army Borrows 'Air Force'; Irish Rout Troy." Eugene Register-Guard. 1966 Nov 27.
- ^ "The Maxwell Award Collegiate Player of the Year: Past Recipients". The Maxwell Football Club. Archived from the original on February 14, 2009. Retrieved December 30, 2008.
- ^ a b "Heisman Voting". und.cstv.com. Archived from the original on December 17, 2008. Retrieved December 30, 2008.
- ^ "Hall of Fame: Select group by school". College Football Hall of Fame. Football Foundation. Retrieved December 30, 2008.
- ^ "Notre Dame NFL Draft History". uhnd.com. Archived from the original on January 6, 2009. Retrieved December 30, 2008.
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Venues | |
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Bowls and rivalries | |
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Culture and lore | |
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People | |
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Seasons | |
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National championship seasons in bold |
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1936–1949 | |
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1950s | |
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1960s | - 1960: Minnesota (AP, Coaches, NFF) / Ole Miss (FWAA)
- 1961: Alabama (AP, Coaches, NFF) / Ohio State (FWAA)
- 1962: USC
- 1963: Texas
- 1964: Alabama (AP, Coaches) / Arkansas (FWAA) / Notre Dame (NFF)
- 1965: Alabama (AP, FWAA) / Michigan State (Coaches, FWAA, NFF)
- 1966: Notre Dame (AP, Coaches, FWAA, NFF) / Michigan State (NFF)
- 1967: USC
- 1968: Ohio State
- 1969: Texas
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1970s | |
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1980–1991 | |
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