1990 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team

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1990 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football
Orange Bowl, L 9–10 vs. Colorado
ConferenceIndependent
Ranking
CoachesNo. 6
APNo. 6
Record9–3
Head coach
Offensive schemeWishbone triple option
Defensive coordinatorGary Darnell (1st season)
Base defense4–3
Captains
Home stadiumNotre Dame Stadium
1990 NCAA Division I-A independents football records
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 14 Louisville – 10–1–1
No. 3 Miami (FL) – 10–2–0
No. 4 Florida State – 10–2–0
No. 6 Notre Dame – 9–3–0
No. 11 Penn State – 9–3–0
Louisiana Tech – 8–3–1
Southern Miss – 8–4–0
Temple – 7–4–0
Syracuse – 7–4–2
Army – 6–5–0
Northern Illinois – 6–5–0
South Carolina – 6–5–0
Virginia Tech – 6–5–0
East Carolina – 5–6–0
Southwestern Louisiana – 5–6–0
Navy – 5–6–0
Memphis State – 4–6–1
Boston College – 4–7–0
Tulane – 4–7–0
West Virginia – 4–7–0
Akron – 3–7–1
Pittsburgh – 3–7–1
Rutgers – 3–8–0
Tulsa – 3–8–0
Cincinnati – 1–10–0
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1990 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team represented the University of Notre Dame as an independent during the 1990 NCAA Division I-A football season. Led by fifth-year head coach Lou Holtz, the Fighting Irish compiled a record of 9–3 with a loss to Colorado in the Orange Bowl. The team played home games at Notre Dame Stadium in Notre Dame, Indiana.

This was the final season that Notre Dame's home games aired on ESPN, ABC, or CBS, as NBC took over beginning the following year. However, a home playoff game aired on ESPN and ABC in 2024.

Schedule

DateTimeOpponentRankSiteTVResultAttendanceSource
September 158:00 p.m.No. 4 MichiganNo. 1
CBSW 28–2459,075[1]
September 222:30 p.m.at No. 24 Michigan StateNo. 1
ABCW 20–1980,401[2]
September 2912:00 p.m.PurdueNo. 1
  • Notre Dame Stadium
  • Notre Dame, IN (rivalry)
SportsChannelW 37–1159,075[3]
October 612:00 p.m.StanfordNo. 1
  • Notre Dame Stadium
  • Notre Dame, IN (rivalry)
L 31–3659,075[4]
October 1312:00 p.m.Air ForceNo. 8
  • Notre Dame Stadium
  • Notre Dame, IN (rivalry)
W 57–2759,075[5]
October 202:30 p.m.No. 2 Miami (FL)No. 6
  • Notre Dame Stadium
  • Notre Dame, IN (rivalry)
CBSW 29–2059,075[6]
October 276:45 p.m.at PittsburghNo. 3
ESPNW 31–2256,500[7]
November 312:00 p.m.vs. NavyNo. 2
W 52–3170,382[8]
November 102:30 p.m.at No. 9 TennesseeNo. 1
CBSW 34–2997,123[9]
November 174:00 p.m.No. 18 Penn StateNo. 1
  • Notre Dame Stadium
  • Notre Dame, IN (rivalry)
ESPNL 21–2459,075[10]
November 248:00 p.m.at No. 18 USCNo. 7
ABCW 10–691,639[11]
January 1, 19918:00 p.m.vs. No. 1 ColoradoNo. 5
NBCL 9–1077,062[12]

Game summaries

Michigan

#4 Michigan Wolverines (0–0) at #1 Notre Dame Fighting Irish (0–0)
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Michigan 3 7 14024
Notre Dame 14 0 01428

at Notre Dame Stadium, South Bend, Indiana

  • Date: September 15
  • Game time: 8:05 p.m. EST
  • Game attendance: 59,075
  • Box Score
Game information

First quarter

  • ND – Rick Mirer 2-yard run (Craig Hentrich kick), 11:28. Notre Dame 7–0.
  • MICH – J.D. Carlson 38-yard field goal, 7:01. Notre Dame 7–3.
  • ND – Reggie Brooks 2-yard run (Craig Hentrich kick), 1:59. Notre Dame 14–3.

Second quarter

Third quarter

  • MICH – Allen Jefferson 1-yard run (J.D. Carlson), 7:49. Michigan 17–14.
  • MICH – Desmond Howard 25-yard pass from Elvis Grbac (J.D. Carlson kick), 7:33. Michigan 24–14.

Fourth quarter

  • ND – Rodney Culver 1-yard run (Craig Hentrich kick), 12:59. Michigan 24–21.
  • ND – Adrian Jarrell 18-yard pass from Rick Mirer (Craig Hentrich kick), 1:40. Notre Dame 28–24.
Top passers
Top rushers
Top receivers

Michigan State

#1 Notre Dame at #24 Michigan State
Team 1 234Total
• Fighting Irish 7 0014 21
Spartans 0 1270 19
  • Source:
Scoring summary
1NDWatters 5 yard run (Hentrich kick)ND 7-0
2MSULangeloh 42 yard field goalND 7-3
2MSUSafety, blocked punt out of end zoneND 7-5
2MSUHickson 1 yard run (Langeloh kick)MSU 12-7
3MSUDuckett 1 yard run (Langeloh kick)MSU 19-7
413:13NDWatters 2 yard run (Hentrich kick)MSU 19-14
40:34NDCulver 1 yard run (Hentrich kick)ND 21-19

The Immaculate Deflection - Rick Mirer's 24-yard completion to Adrian Jarrell, which bounced off hands of MSU LB Todd Murray up and into Jarrell's arms at MSU 2. Three plays later, Culver scored. "There's definitely somebody looking out for us. There's somebody on our side," said Mirer.

  • Notre Dame's 60th victory as No. 1 ranked team & 5-0-1 vs. MSU when ranked #1

Purdue

Stanford

Stanford at #1 Notre Dame
Team 1 234Total
• Cardinal 7 8147 36
Fighting Irish 7 1770 31
  • Source:
Scoring summary
1NDMirer 1 yard run (Hentrich kick)ND 7-0
1StaMilburn 9 run (Hopkins kick)Tied 7-7
2NDHentrich 29 yard field goalND 10-7
2NDT. Smith 11 yard pass from Mirer (Hentrich kick)ND 17-7
2NDT. Smith 15 yard pass from Mirer (Hentrich kick)ND 24-7
2StaVardell 1 yard run (Palumbis to McCafferty pass)ND 24-15
3StaVardell 1 yard run (Hopkins kick)ND 24-22
3NDCulver 1 yard run (Hentrich kick)ND 31-22
3StaVardell 1 yard run (Hopkins kick)ND 31-29
4StaVardell 1 yard run (Hopkins kick)Sta 36-31

Air Force

Miami (FL)

#2 Miami (FL) at #6 Notre Dame
Team 1 234Total
Hurricanes 10 703 20
• Fighting Irish 10 667 29
       
Scoring summary
Q112:17MIAMcGuire 1-yard run (Huerta kick)MIA 7–0
6:51NDHentrich-25 yard field goalMIA 7–3
1:43MIAHuerta 23-yard field goalMIA 10–3
NDIsmail 94-yard kickoff return (Hentrich kick)Tie 10–10
Q211:48NDHentrich-44 yard field goalND 13–10
8:10MIAErickson-1 yard run (Huerta kick)MIA 17–13
4:16NDHentrich-34 yard field goalMIA 17–16
Q35:24NDHentrich-36 yard field goalND 19–17
1:45NDHentrich 35-yard field goalND 22–17
Q414:01MIAHuerta 25-yard field goalND 22–20
6:16NDCulver 21-yard pass from Mirer (Hentrich kick)ND 29–20

[13]

Pittsburgh

#2 Notre Dame vs. Navy
Team 1 234Total
• Fighting Irish 7 32121 52
Midshipmen 0 10714 31
Scoring summary
Q1NDBettis 1 yard run (Hentrich kick)ND 7–0
Q2NAVYPace 1 yard run (Schenk kick)Tie 7–7
Q2NDHentrich 31 yard field goalND 10–7
Q2NAVYSchenk 27 yard field goalTie 10–10
Q3NDCulver 7 yard run (Hentrich kick)ND 17–10
Q3NDWatters 2 yard run (Hentrich kick)ND 24–10
Q3NDMirer 30 yard run (Hentrich kick)ND 31–10
Q3NAVYGrizzard 6 yard run (Schenk kick)ND 31–17
Q4NDBrooks 3 yard run (Hentrich kick)ND 38–17
Q4NAVYBerghutt 19 yard pass from Grizzard (Schenk kick)ND 38–24
Q4NDIsmail 54 yard pass from Mirer (Hentrich kick)ND 45–24
Q4NAVYMason 7 yard pass from Grizzard (Schenk kick)ND 45–31
Q4NDLyght 53 yard kickoff return (Hentrich kick)ND 52–31

[14]

Tennessee

#1 Notre Dame at #9 Tennessee
Team 1 234Total
• Fighting Irish 7 3717 34
Volunteers 6 0149 29
  • Source:
Scoring summary
1TENBurke 46 yard field goalTEN 3-0
1NDCulver 59 yard pass from Mirer (Hentrich kick)ND 7-3
1TENBurke 22 yard field goalND 7-6
2NDHentrich 26 yard field goalND 10-6
3TENThompson 10 yard run (Burke kick)TEN 13-10
3NDWatters 68 yard run (Hentrich kick)ND 17-13
3TENHarper 32 yard pass from Kelly (Burke kick)TEN 20-17
4NDHentrich 20 yard field goalTied 20-20
4TENBurke 45 yard field goalTEN 23-20
4NDWatters 10 yard run (Hentrich kick)ND 27-23
4NDIsmail 44 yard run (Hentrich kick)ND 34-23
4TENHarper 23 yard pass from Kelly (pass failed)ND 34-29

The Irish traveled to Knoxville and pulled off a thrilling 34–29 victory over the 9th-ranked Tennessee Vols. The Irish built a 4th quarter lead and held off a furious late comeback by Tennessee.

Penn State

USC

Colorado (Orange Bowl)

#5 Notre Dame vs. #1 Colorado
Team 1 234Total
Fighting Irish 0 630 9
• Buffaloes 0 370 10
  
Scoring summary
Q2CUJim Harper 22-yard field goalCU 3–0
7:32NDRicky Watters 2-yard run (PAT blocked)ND 6–3
Q3NDCraig Hentrich 24-yard field goalND 9–3
CUEric Bieniemy 1-yard run (Harper kick)'CU 10–9

Notre Dame lost a heartbreaker to top-ranked Colorado in the Orange Bowl, 10–9. The Irish were undone by three third-quarter turnovers and a controversial penalty flag that negated a late punt return touchdown by Ismail. Colorado would go on to win a share of the national championship.

[15] [16]

Roster

1990 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team roster
Players Coaches
Offense
Pos.#NameClass
FB 6 Jerome Bettis Fr
RB 40 Tony Brooks Jr
TE 86 Derek Brown Jr
RB 5 Rodney Culver Jr
WR 87 Lake Dawson Fr
WR 25 Raghib Ismail Sr
WR 10 Adrian Jarrell So
OT 65 Lindsay Knapp Jr
RB 4 Dorsey Levens So
TE 80 Oscar McBride Fr
OT 76 Gene McGuire Jr
QB 3 Rick Mirer So
G 52 Tim Ryan Sr
WR 12 Ricky Watters Sr
 Defense
Pos.#NameClass
S 9 Jeff Burris Fr
CB 32 Willie Clark Fr
CB 29 John Covington Fr
DT 93 Bob Dahl Sr
LB 31 Demetrius DuBose So
LB 42 Michael Stonebreaker Jr
CB 1 Todd Lyght Sr
LB 89 Karmeeleyah McGill So
LB 46 Brian Ratigan So
CB 21 Rod Smith Jr
DT 97 Bryant Young Fr
DT 50 Chris Zorich Sr
 Special teams
Pos.#NameClass
K, P 28 Craig Hentrich So
P 16 Jim Sexton Sr
Head coach
Coordinators/assistant coaches
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  • Injured Injured
  • Redshirt Redshirt

Roster

Awards and honors

Team players drafted into the NFL

  • Despite being drafted by the Los Angeles Raiders, the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League signed Raghib Ismail to a four-year contract worth 18 million dollars in April 1991.[20] The Ismail signing included four million dollars upfront.[21]

References

  1. "Irish rally past U-M, hold onto No. 1 ranking". The Kalamazoo Gazette. September 16, 1990. Retrieved June 30, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. "'Luck' gets Irish around Spartans". Troy Daily News. September 23, 1990. Retrieved June 30, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. "Purdue no test for Irish". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. September 30, 1990. Retrieved June 30, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. "Stanford shocks No. 1 Notre Dame". The Knoxville News-Sentinel. October 7, 1990. Retrieved June 30, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. "Irish rebound and await Miami". The South Bend Tribune. October 14, 1990. Retrieved June 30, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. "Notre Dame rolls past Miami 29–20". The Atlanta Journal & Constitution. October 21, 1990. Retrieved June 30, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. "Third-ranked Notre Dame ho-hims past Pittsburgh, 31–22". The Indianapolis Star. October 28, 1990. Retrieved June 30, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. "Irish outgun Navy, 52–31". The Star-Ledger. November 4, 1990. Retrieved June 30, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. "Notre Dame, Watters in flow". Chicago Tribune. November 11, 1990. Retrieved June 30, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. "Penn State shocks Irish". The State. November 18, 1990. Retrieved June 30, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. "Defense reigns as Irish edge Trojans". The Indianapolis Star. November 25, 1990. Retrieved June 30, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. "Colorado makes 1 strong case". The Palm Beach Post. January 2, 1991. Retrieved June 30, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. Gainesville Sun. 1990 Sep 21. Retrieved 2018-Oct-06.
  14. Gainesville Sun. 1990 Nov 4. Retrieved 2018-Dec-15.
  15. "Top-Ranked Colorado Holds Off Notre Dame". The New York Times. January 2, 1991. Retrieved December 30, 2018.
  16. "FLAG WIPED THE EGG OFF MCCARTNEY". The Washington Post. January 3, 1991. Retrieved December 30, 2018.
  17. "NOTRE DAME FIGHTING IRISH - Football". und.cstv.com. Archived from the original on January 6, 2008. Retrieved January 15, 2022.
  18. "Walter Camp Football Foundation Awards (Page 3)". The Walter Camp Foundation. Archived from the original on September 5, 2008. Retrieved January 2, 2008.
  19. "Winners & Finalists". Rotary Club of Houston. Archived from the original on January 8, 2009. Retrieved January 2, 2008.
  20. Drake, Stephen (2009). Weird Facts about Canadian Football: Strange, Wacky and Hilarious Stories. OverTime Books. p. 59. ISBN 978-1-897277-26-3.
  21. Drake, Stephen (2009). Weird Facts about Canadian Football: Strange, Wacky and Hilarious Stories. OverTime Books. p. 114. ISBN 978-1-897277-26-3.