Here’s a curious factoid about Irish football, separated by 51 years.
John Walters, a Notre Dame alum and a Newsweek writer, asked today:
Notre Dame will play consecutive games in state of Pennsylvania beg. this Sat. I'll leave it to @PeteSampson_ to tell us last time ND…
— Medium Happy (@jdubs88) October 26, 2015
…played consecutive games in same state (outside Ind.) but I do know they played in Pa. 2x in same season in 1930: https://t.co/4vdzOYQdbU
— Medium Happy (@jdubs88) October 26, 2015
According to my research, the last time Notre Dame played consecutive games in the same state was 1989-1990. Top ranked Notre Dame lost to #7 Miami, 27-10, on Nov. 25, 1989. The Irish were dropped to #4 and played the new #1, Colorado, in the same stadium (the Orange Bowl). Notre Dame lost won, 21-6.
John asked me to find a situation not involving a bowl, and my research uncovered a neat coincidence.
The second-ranked Irish beat Navy, 40-0, on Oct. 31, 1964 at John F. Kennedy Stadium. On Oct. 31, the current ninth-ranked Irish will play Temple at Lincoln Financial Field, which is adjacent to where JFK Stadium used to stand.
Back to 1964. In the following week, the now top-ranked Irish beat Pittsburgh, 17-15, on Nov. 7 at Pitt Stadium. Next week – on Nov. 7, to be exact – the Irish will play Pittsburgh at Heinz Field.
Two Oct. 31 games in Philadelphia. Two Nov. 7 games in Pittsburgh. Fifty-one years apart.
Thank you to John for piquing my curiosity and for pointing out the dates were exactly the same.
Notre Dame graduate, class of '02 (the Davie years!). A former newspaper and TV reporter, andrewwinn is now professionally involved in something far less fun to discuss than college football. A dad, a husband and a wannabe data nerd.
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