1963 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team

1963 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football
ConferenceIndependent
Record2–7
Head coach
CaptainBob Lehmann
Home stadiumNotre Dame Stadium
1963 NCAA University Division independents football records
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 14 Memphis State – 9–0–1
No. 3 Pittsburgh – 9–1–0
No. 2 Navy – 9–2–0
No. 12 Syracuse – 8–2–0
Utah State – 8–2–0
Oregon – 8–3–0
No. 16 Penn State – 7–3–0
Army – 7–3–0
Air Force – 7–4–0
Boston College – 6–3–0
Buffalo – 5–3–1
Southern Miss – 5–3–1
Villanova – 5–4–0
Oregon State – 5–5–0
San Jose State – 5–5–0
Xavier – 5–4–1
West Texas State – 4–4–1
Florida State – 4–5–1
Colgate – 3–4–1
New Mexico State – 3–6–1
Colorado State – 3–7–0
Miami (FL) – 3–7–0
Texas Western – 3–7–0
Detroit – 2–6–1
Holy Cross – 2–6–1
Notre Dame – 2–7–0
Pacific (CA) – 2–8–0
Houston – 2–8–0
Boston University – 1–6–1
Dayton – 1–7–2
Rankings from Coaches Poll

The 1963 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team was an American football team that represented the University of Notre Dame as an independent during the 1963 NCAA University Division football season. Hugh Devore served as interim head coach for the 1963 season following the resignation of Joe Kuharich. Devore had previously stepped in as head coach in 1945 while Frank Leahy completed his military service. The 1963 Notre Dame team compiled a 2–7 record and were outscored by a total of 159 to 108. In five games against ranked opponents, they defeated No. 7 USC and lost to No. 6 Wisconsin, No. 4 Navy, No. 8 Pitt, and No. 4 Michigan State.[1] A tenth game against Iowa was cancelled due to the assassination of John F. Kennedy.

End Jim Kelly received first-team honors from the American Football Coaches Association and the United Press International on the 1963 All-America college football team. The team's statistical leaders included quarterbacks John Huarte (243 passing yards) and Frank Budka (239 passing yards, 24 points scored), Joe Kantor (330 rushing yards), and Kelly (264 receiving yards).[2]

In December 1963, Devore's position as interim head coach ended, as Notre Dame hired Ara Parseghian as its new head coach.[3]

The team played its home games at Notre Dame Stadium in Notre Dame, Indiana.

Schedule

DateOpponentSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 28No. 6 Wisconsin
L 9–1456,806[4]
October 5at Purdue
L 6–751,723[5]
October 12No. 7 USC
  • Notre Dame Stadium
  • Notre Dame, IN (rivalry)
W 17–1459,135[6]
October 19UCLA
  • Notre Dame Stadium
  • Notre Dame, IN
W 27–1242,948[7]
October 26at Stanford
L 14–2455,000[8]
November 2No. 4 Navy
  • Notre Dame Stadium
  • Notre Dame, IN (rivalry)
L 14–3559,362[9]
November 9No. 8 Pittsburgh
  • Notre Dame Stadium
  • Notre Dame, IN (rivalry)
L 7–2741,306[10]
November 16at No. 4 Michigan State
L 7–1270,128[11]
November 23at Iowa
 [12]
November 28vs. Syracuse
L 7–1456,972[13]

Personnel

1963 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team roster
Players Coaches
Offense
Pos.#NameClass
HB John Atamian Jr
G Jim Carroll Jr
QB John Huarte Jr
HB Jack Snow Jr
 Defense
Pos.#NameClass
 Special teams
Pos.#NameClass
Head coach
Coordinators/assistant coaches
    Legend
    • (C) Team captain
    • (S) Suspended
    • (I) Ineligible
    • Injured Injured
    • Redshirt Redshirt

    Team players drafted into the NFL

    Player Position Round NFL club
    Jim KellyTE2Pittsburgh Steelers
    Paul CostaTE4Green Bay Packers
    Frank BudkaDB4Chicago Bears
    Jim SnowdenTackle5Washington Redskins
    George BednarGuard8St. Louis Cardinals
    Tom MacDonaldBack13Washington Redskins
    Dave HumenikTackle17New York Giants

    [16]

    References

    1. ↑ "1963 Notre Dame Fighting Irish Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved July 21, 2026.
    2. ↑ "1963 Notre Dame Fighting Irish Stats". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved July 21, 2026.
    3. ↑ "Parseghian To Coach N.D.: Expect Devore To Stay On Irish Football Staff". The Suth Bend tribune. December 14, 1963. p. 1 – via Newspapers.com.
    4. ↑ "Wisconsin edges Notre Dame, 14–9, on late-game rally". The Pittsburgh Press. September 29, 1963. Retrieved March 17, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
    5. ↑ "Purdue hands Notre Dame second loss in row, 7–6". Rockford Morning Star. October 6, 1963. Retrieved March 17, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
    6. ↑ "Irish beat Trojans on field goal, 17–14". The Progress-Index. October 13, 1963. Retrieved March 17, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
    7. ↑ "O'Hara fires up Irish to beat Bruins, 27–12". The Register. October 20, 1963. Retrieved March 17, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
    8. ↑ "Stanford surprises Notre Dame, 24–14". The Lima Citizen. October 27, 1963. Retrieved March 17, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
    9. ↑ "Roger, Navy win 35–14". The Tampa Tribune. November 3, 1963. Retrieved March 17, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
    10. ↑ "Devore loses temper, Irish bow to Panthers". Reading Eagle. UPI. November 10, 1963. p. 34.
    11. ↑ "Spartans nip Notre Dame, 12–7, on 85-yard scamper". Omaha World-Herald. November 17, 1963. Retrieved March 17, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
    12. ↑ "Notre Dame–Iowa game called off". The South Bend Tribune. November 23, 1963. Retrieved March 17, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
    13. ↑ "Syracuse stumbles to 14–7 victory". The Newark Star-Ledger. November 29, 1963. Retrieved March 17, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
    14. ↑ "Schedule/Results (1963 Notre Dame)". NCAA Statistics. National Collegiate Athletic Association. Retrieved March 17, 2026.
    15. ↑ "1963 Notre Dame Fighting Irish Schedule and Results".
    16. ↑ "1964 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com.
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