1979 USC at Notre Dame

This is the 10/20/1979 USC at Notre Dame game. The 9'th ranked Irish were hosting the 4'th ranked Trojans. USC had seemed invincible for most of the season and then suddenly, after building a 21-0 lead over Stanford the week before the Trojans faltered surrendering 21 unanswered points and getting tied by the Cardinals. They quickly righted the ship and rolled in this road encounter but it seemed almost impossible that the talent on this team could let a lead like that slip. In this game they looked extra impressive. I claim no rights.

[@gregorystrong2055]

Another Great Upload!! This Was The Game That Told The Nation Charles White Was Indeed The Heisman Favorite For 1979!! What A Workhorse!! Over 40 Carries, Over 200 Yards And 4 Touchdowns!!

[@nathaniellathy6559]

Billy Sims could have repeated for Oklahoma

[@gregorystrong2055]

Amen Sir!! Billy Sims Had A Monster Game Against Nebraska In 1979; However, The Loss Against Texas Coupled With Injuries Derailed His Chances In 1979.😢

[@RandyDubin]

RIP Keith Jackson, Frank Broyles, Tony Hunter, & Charles White.

[@MasaCamry2021]

I'm Japanese, and this was the first game I learned about the sport of football. That year, Notre Dame University and Miami University played an official game in Japan. Because of this, this game was broadcast in Japan. I'm nostalgic!

[@ynp1978]

At one time I had a DVD of this game....however this picture quality is MUCH better than the one I had!

[@raymondfioravanti4158]

I’ve literally been checking for this game almost every night for the past year. White’s big Heisman game.

[@34bg13]

Classic Irish - Miss those days

[@MasaCamry2021]

Correct: Üniversitey of Notre Dame and University of Miami

[@kbrewski1]

I was AT this game in Notre Dame Stadium. Soph year at ND. My first time seeing USC in person. Unfortunately it didn't go well. I was smitten with the SC cheerleaders. Lawdy....

[@A100-ND]

You're not the only one wowed by the SC cheerleaders & Song Girls...!

[@raymondfioravanti4158]

Yup, USC captain Brad Budde blew the coin toss-blurting out which end zone he wanted to defend rather than choosing to receive. Minute 6:50. Consequently USC kicked off to start both halves. Doh!

[@8avexp]

Both teams racked up over 500 yards of total offense in this game. Dan Devine must have let the players decide if they wanted to have their names on their jerseys in '79. Only a few chose to do so, it would seem. John Hankerd was drafted by Denver after the 1980 season, but left training camp when he decided he'd had enough football.

[@johnmanier7968]

Southern Cal’s yardage was the most any team ever gained on ND in the 20th Century.

[@8avexp]

@@johnmanier7968 Then in the 21st century, they racked up 610 yards against Ty Willingham in '02.

[@ukuscott]

thank you JC!!

[@williamdunphy352]

Commentators: Keith Jackson, Frank Broyles &

[@kbrewski1]

I went down at halftime from the student section and took a picture with 2 gorgeous USC cheerleaders on each side of me. Still have the picture!

[@Vgy926]

Do you have the 1980 USC-Notre Dame game?

[@thebadguyswon-w7n]

Is this the one that ND's late touchdown was ruled a fumble? The first ND vs USC game I watched I was crushed.

[@kbrewski1]

​@@thebadguyswon-w7n You weren't crushed when the Irish got hosed in 1978 at USC after Montana led a great comeback down 24-6 or something?

[@A100-ND]

@@thebadguyswon-w7n The 1982 game at USC had a controversial fumble call go against ND. In '83 at ND stadium, the ND students chanted "Fumble... Revenge... Fumble... Revenge..."

[@8avexp]

@@A100-ND We had a cheer when I was at UConn that we would chant if a call went against us: "Nuts and bolts! Nuts and bolts! Boy, did we get screwed!"

[@thebadguyswon-w7n]

@@kbrewski1 I was too young to remember 78 or 79 for that matter. 1980 is the first one I can remember.

[@mailman06514]

Is there anyway I can contact you ?

[@sirbobloblaws]

I think every USC offensive starter made an NFL roster. Too bad there was no playoff back then. I bet USC would have crushed Bama.

[@nathaniellathy6559]

Notre Dame went 7-4 in 79. A sign Irish football was slipping

[@8avexp]

It was an omen of things to come. I remember listening to this game, but have never seen it onscreen. Charles White tore 'em up in the second half and they pulled away.

[@ukuscott]

as a USC fan, 1979 was the last year we were even in the Nat Champ picture until 2002, after this season the NCAA 3 year probation kept us in mediocrity for the next 20 years.

[@raymondfioravanti4158]

USC blew the coin toss-using their call to choose end zones rather than choosing the ball. They kicked to start both halves.

[@8avexp]

@@raymondfioravanti4158 They wanted the wind at their backs.

[@ynp1978]

@@raymondfioravanti4158 They sure as hell did! ND got both kickoffs and the wind in the 4th quarter! Having the wind in the 1st quarter is small consolation.

[@TimKozlowski-bp5tg]

The Notre Dame helmet's look so cheap

[@biglouie964]

6'5" 265 Tackle would get destroyed in 2024

[@stealthbomber2127]

I used to think that but watching 265 pound Mark Stepnoski of the back to back Cowboys stand Reggie White and Refrigerator Perry up and move them with technique I no longer believe that. Charles Haley and other 240 to 250 d ends had great success too. All of the other Cowboys O linemen were 320+.

[@hunkerbunt5174]

6'5 265 with a 34 waist is an asset kicker in any era.

[@kbrewski1]

With all due respect to Dan Devine, if Ara P had stuck it out through the end of the 70s (he wasn't that old), ND would have won 2 or 3 more NCs. Bama had NO OFFENSE in the 70s, neither did Michigan for the most part. Frickin Pitt won in 76. It was there for the taking.

[@8avexp]

Ara was burned out at the end of the '74 season. He made a prophetic statement in 1970 when the contracts to renew the Michigan series starting in 1978 were signed. Bo Schembechler, who was a good friend of Ara's, said, "Ara, I'm gonna whip your ass!" Ara replied, "I'll be long gone by then."

[@natch27]

Notre Dame wore the green jerseys hoping for some of the same magic from two years earlier but w/o Montana and Co. the jerseys lost their touch.

[@kbrewski1]

When ND obliterated USC in the Green Jersey Game 49-19 on the way to the 1977 National Championship, they kept wearing the Green Jerseys all through 1977 through 1980 seasons. Faust then changed them back to a lighter blue.

[@natch27]

@@kbrewski1 You’re correct, Devine had them dress in green more than any other coach. I certainly hoped he cherished that ‘77 win, as it was his sole victory in six games against ‘SC.

[@kbrewski1]

@@natch27 The green jerseys were worn throughout the entire Frank Leahy era I believe, and continued through the 50s/early 60s until Ara switched back to traditional blue in 1964. So the history went back and forth re color.

[@8avexp]

@@kbrewski1 They continued to wear green until 1963. They switched to blue jerseys in Joe Kuharich's debut against North Carolina in 1959, then went back to green. They switched to green against Syracuse in the '63 season finale in Yankee Stadium, then wore navy blue until the '77 SC game.

[@kbrewski1]

@@8avexp Hmm, I didn't know about 1963. What was with all the uniform switching that year?

[@kennyfutch8783]

USC was overrated. They were lucky to beat LSU.