1948 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team
| 1948 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football | |
|---|---|
| Conference | Independent |
| Ranking | |
| AP | No. 2 |
| Record | 9–0–1 |
| Head coach |
|
| Offensive scheme | T formation |
| Captain | Bill Fischer |
| Home stadium | Notre Dame Stadium |
| Conf. | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team | W | L | T | W | L | T | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 2 Notre Dame | – | 9 | – | 0 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Michigan State | – | 6 | – | 2 | – | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Detroit | – | 6 | – | 3 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Marquette | – | 2 | – | 8 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rankings from AP Poll | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The 1948 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team was an American football team that represented the University of Notre Dame as an independent during the 1948 college football season. In their sixth year under head coach Frank Leahy, the Irish compiled a 9–0–1 record, outscored opponents by a total of 320 to 93, and were ranked No. 2 in the final AP poll. In their only game against a ranked opponent, they defeated No. 8 Northwestern by a 12–7 score. In the final game of the season, they tied with unranked USC.[1]
Three Notre Dame players were consensus first-team selections on the 1948 All-America college football team: guard and team captain Bill Fischer; end Leon Hart; and halfback Emil Sitko.[2] In addition, guard Marty Wendell received first-team All-America honors from the American Football Coaches Association.[3]
The team played its home games at Notre Dame Stadium in Notre Dame, Indiana.
Schedule
| Date | Opponent | Rank | Site | Result | Attendance | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 25 | Purdue | W 28–27 | 59,343 | |||
| October 2 | at Pittsburgh | W 40–0 | 63,000–64,000 | [4] | ||
| October 9 | Michigan State | No. 1 |
| W 26–7 | 58,126 | [5] |
| October 16 | Nebraska | No. 2 | W 44–13 | 38,000 | ||
| October 23 | at Iowa | No. 2 | W 27–12 | 53,000 | ||
| October 30 | vs. Navy | No. 2 | W 41–7 | 63,314 | ||
| November 6 | at Indiana | No. 1 | W 42–6 | 34,000 | ||
| November 13 | No. 8 Northwestern | No. 2 |
| W 12–7 | 59,305 | |
| November 27 | Washington | No. 2 |
| W 46–0 | 50,609 | |
| December 4 | at USC | No. 2 | T 14–14 | 100,571 | ||
| ||||||
Rankings
| Week | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Poll | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | Final |
| AP | 1 (50) | 2 (34) | 2 (23) | 2 (19) | 1 (56) | 2 (80) | 2 (27) | 2 (38) | 2 (97) |
References
- ↑ "1948 Notre Dame Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved July 16, 2026.
- ↑ "Football Award Winners" (PDF). National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). 2016. p. 8. Retrieved October 21, 2017.
- ↑ "Midwest, Southwest Each Place Three On Collier's Team". Dunkirk (NY) Evening Observer. December 3, 1948. p. 16.
- ↑ Chester L. Smith (October 3, 1948). "63,000 Fans See Irish Roll Up Early Margin And Then Coast To Win". The Pittsburgh Press. p. 30 – via Newspapers.com.
- ↑ George S. Alderton (October 10, 1948). "Irish Might, Manpower Subdues Fighting Spartans, 26-7: MSC Draws First Blood, But Irish Turn on the Heat". Lansing State Journal. pp. 1, 4 (sports) – via Newspapers.com.
- ↑ "1948 Notre Dame Fighting Irish Schedule and Results".