Notre Dame trivia question for Week 6
No. 10 Notre Dame heads to the Blue Grass State to take on Louisville this Saturday at 7:30 p.m. on ABC. With Louisville entering the Associated Press and AFCA Coaches polls at No. 25, this will be the first-ever meeting between the Fighting Irish and Cardinals when both teams are ranked.
This will also mark the Irish’s third consecutive game versus a ranked opponent — the first time that happened since they went 1-2 versus No. 22 Purdue, (23-10 loss), No. 15 Pittsburgh (20-14 win) and No. 5 USC (45-14 loss) during the 2003 campaign. With USC currently in the top 10 and up next for Notre Dame Oct. 14, the Irish will play four straight contests against ranked foes for just the sixth time in their 136-year history.
When was the last time the Irish played four games in a row against ranked opponents?
A. 1957
B. 2000
C. 1992
D. 1990
Answer: B. Notre Dame opened the 2000 season with four consecutive games against ranked opponents and went 2-2: a 24-10 win over No. 25 Texas A&M Sept. 2, a 27-24 overtime defeat at the hands of No. 1 Nebraska Sept. 9, a 23-21 victory versus No. 13 Purdue Sept. 16 and a 27-21 loss at No. 23 Michigan State Sept. 23.
Notre Dame also played against four straight ranked opponents in 1992, 1990, 1957 and 1943. In 1992, the Irish went 4-0 against No. 9 Boston College (57-7 Nov. 7), No. 22 Penn State (17-16 Nov. 14), at No. 19 USC (31-23 Nov. 28) and versus No. 4 Texas A&M in the Cotton Bowl (28-3 Jan. 1, 1993). In 1990, Notre Dame went 2-2 at No. 9 Tennessee (W, 34-29 Nov. 10), No. 18 Penn State (L, 24-21 Nov. 17), at No. 18 USC (W, 10-6 Nov. 24) and vs. No. 1 Colorado in the Orange Bowl (L, 10-9).
In 1957, the Irish went 1-3 against No. 16 Navy (L, 20-6 Nov. 2), at No. 4 Michigan State (L, 34-6 Nov. 9), at No. 2 Oklahoma (W, 7-0 Nov. 16) and versus No. 8 Iowa (L, 21-13 Nov. 23). In 1943, Notre Dame went 4-0 versus No. 3 Navy (33-6 Oct. 30), No. 3 Army (26-0 Nov. 6), at No. 8 Northwestern (25-6 Nov. 13) and No. 2 Iowa Pre-Flight (14-13 Nov. 20).
