1970 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team

1970 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football
National champion (FACT, Matthews, Sagarin), Cotton Bowl champion
Cotton Bowl Classic, W 24–11 vs. Texas
ConferenceIndependent
Ranking
CoachesNo. 5
APNo. 2
Record10–1
Head coach
MVPJoe Theismann and Tim Kelly
Captains
Home stadiumNotre Dame Stadium
1970 NCAA University Division independents football records
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 2 Notre Dame – 10–1–0
Villanova – 9–2–0
No. 16 Air Force – 9–3–0
No. 13 Georgia Tech – 9–3–0
Boston College – 8–2–0
No. 19 Houston – 8–3–0
West Virginia – 8–3–0
No. 17 Tulane – 8–4–0
No. 18 Penn State – 7–3–0
West Texas State – 7–3–0
Cincinnati – 7–4–0
Florida State – 7–4–0
Virginia Tech – 5–6–0
Syracuse – 6–4–0
Dayton – 5–4–1
Pittsburgh – 5–5–0
Rutgers – 5–5–0
Utah State – 5–5–0
Colgate – 5–6–0
Southern Miss – 5–6–0
New Mexico State – 4–6–0
Miami (FL) – 3–8–0
Northern Illinois – 3–7–0
Marshall – 3–6–0
Buffalo – 2–9–0
Navy – 2–9–0
Army – 1–9–1
Xavier – 1–9–0
Holy Cross – 0–10–1
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1970 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team was an American football team that represented the University of Notre Dame as an independent during the 1970 NCAA University Division football season. In their seventh year under head coach Ara Parseghian, the Irish compiled a 10–1 record, outscored opponents by a total of 330 to 97, and were ranked No. 2 in the final AP poll and No. 5 in the final UPI poll. They defeated No. 7 LSU and lost to unranked USC during the regular season and concluded the season with a 24–11 victory over No. 1 Texas in the Cotton Bowl.[1][2]

End Tom Gatewood and offensive guard Larry DiNardo were consensus first-team picks on the 1970 All-America college football team. Quarterback Joe Theisman received fist-team All-America honors from the Associated Press, and Clarence Ellis received first-team honors from the Newspaper Enterprise Association and United Press International.. The team's statistical leaders during the regular season included Theisman (2,429 passing yards, 16 touchdown passes), Gatewood (77 catches for 1,123 receiving yards), Ed Gulyas (534 rushing yards), and Denny Allan and Scott Hempel (48 points scored each).[3][4]

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

Schedule

DateTimeOpponentRankSiteTVResultAttendanceSource
September 192:30 p.m.at NorthwesternNo. 6
W 35–1450,409[5]
September 261:30 p.m.PurdueNo. 6
W 48–059,075[6]
October 32:30 p.m.at Michigan StateNo. 4
W 29–076,103[7]
October 101:30 p.m.ArmyNo. 3
  • Notre Dame Stadium
  • Notre Dame, IN (rivalry)
W 51–1059,075[8]
October 173:50 p.m.at No. 18 MissouriNo. 3
ABCW 24–764,200[9]
October 311:32 p.m.vs. NavyNo. 3
W 56–745,226[10]
November 71:30 p.m.PittsburghNo. 2
  • Notre Dame Stadium
  • Notre Dame, IN (rivalry)
W 46–1459,075[11]
November 141:30 p.m.Georgia TechNo. 1
  • Notre Dame Stadium
  • Notre Dame, IN (rivalry)
W 10–759,075[12]
November 211:30 p.m.No. 7 LSUNo. 2
  • Notre Dame Stadium
  • Notre Dame, IN
W 3–059,075[13]
November 284:15 p.m.at USCNo. 4
ABCL 28–3864,694[14]
January 1, 19712:00 p.m.vs. No. 1 TexasNo. 6
CBSW 24–1173,000[15]

Game summaries

Northwestern

1 2 3 4 Total
Notre Dame 14 14 7 0 35
Northwestern 0 14 0 0 14

Purdue

Purdue Boilermakers at Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Purdue 0 0 000
Notre Dame 10 14 71748

at Notre Dame Stadium • South Bend, Indiana

  • Date: September 26
  • Game weather: Rainy
  • Game attendance: 59,075
  • Box Score
Game information

Michigan State

Team 1 234Total
• Notre Dame 7 1507 29
Michigan St 0 000 0
Scoring summary
Q1NDBarz 1 yard run (Hempel kick)ND 7–0
Q2NDMinnix 1 yard run (Hempel kick)ND 14–0
Q2NDGulyas 2 yard run (Theismann run)ND 22–0
Q4NDParker 4 yard run (Hempel kick)ND 29–0

[18]

Army

1 2 3 4 Total
Army 0 3 7 0 10
Notre Dame 21 9 14 7 51

Missouri

Originally, Missouri was scheduled to host this game at Busch Memorial Stadium in St. Louis, but the St. Louis Cardinals forced the game to be moved to the University of Missouri campus because they anticipated hosting Game 6 of the World Series.[19] As it turned out, the Cardinals finished a distant fourth place in the National League East, 13 games behind the Pittsburgh Pirates, and were below .500 from July 1 through the end of the season.[20]

Team 1 234Total
• Notre Dame 3 0147 24
Missouri 0 070 7
Team 1 234Total
• Notre Dame 7 28714 56
Navy 7 000 7
Scoring summary
1Notre DameDewan 3-yard run (Hempel kick)Notre Dame 7-0
1NavyDillon 5-yard run (Lanning kick)Tie 7-7
2Notre DameBarz 2-yard run (Hempel kick)Notre Dame 14-7
2Notre DameBarz 1-yard run (Hempel kick)Notre Dame 21-7
2Notre DameGatewood 6-yard pass from Theismann (Hempel kick)Notre Dame 28-7
2Notre DameGatewood 29-yard pass from Theismann (Hempel kick)Notre Dame 35-7
3Notre DameAllan 3-yard run (Hempel kick)Notre Dame 42-7
4Notre DameDiestowski 30-yard run (Hempel kick)Notre Dame 49-7
4Notre DameMinnix 5-yard run (Hempel kick)Notre Dame 56-7

[21]

Pittsburgh

1 2 3 4 Total
Pittsburgh 0 14 0 0 14
Notre Dame 7 18 6 15 46

Georgia Tech

1 2 3 4 Total
Georgia Tech 0 0 7 0 7
Notre Dame 0 0 3 7 10

LSU

Team 1 234Total
LSU 0 000 0
• Notre Dame 0 003 3
Scoring summary
402:54Notre DameHempel 24-yard field goalNotre Dame 3-0

USC

Notre Dame quarterback Joe Theismann completed 33 of 58 passes for a school-record 526 yards, and the Irish outgained the Trojans 557–359, but committed eight turnovers to zero for Southern Cal.[22]

Team 1 234Total
Notre Dame 7 777 28
• So. Cal. 21 3140 38

1971 Cotton Bowl vs. Texas

[23]

#6 Notre Dame vs. #1 Texas
Team 1 234Total
• Notre Dame 14 1000 24
Texas 3 800 11

Roster

1970 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team roster
Players Coaches
Offense
Pos.#NameClass
RB 22 Denny Allan
FB 33 Bill Barz Jr
WR John Cieszkowski
TE Mike Creaney
G 67 John Dampeer
RB Daryll Dewan
G 56 Larry DiNardo
RB Bill Gallagher
OT 70 Tom Gasseling
WR 44 Tom Gatewood Jr
RB 12 Ed Gulyas
RB Denny Gutkowski
RB Ron Johnson
OL Gary Kos
OT 73 Mike Martin
RB Bob Minnix
RB Chuck Nightingale
C 50 Dan Novakov Jr
RB Larry Parker
QB Pat Steenberge
WR John Tereschuk
QB 7 Joe Theismann Sr
WR 80 Willie Townsend So
WR Bill Trapp
Defense
Pos.#NameClass
DB 17 Mike Crotty Jr
DB 23 Clarence Ellis Jr
DB 5 Terry Garner So
DT 72 Mike Kadish Sr
LB 42 Tim Kelly
DT 75 Greg Marx Jr
LB 43 Tom McHale
DB 1 Tom Menie
DL Bob Neidert
LB 81 Jim O'Malley So
LB Eric Patton
DE 85 Walt Patulski Jr
DB Tim Rudnick
DB Ralph Stepaniak
LB Rick Thomann
LB 61 Mike Webb So
LB Jim Wright
DL Mike Zikas
Special teams
Pos.#NameClass
K Scott Hempel
P Jim Yoder
Head coach
Coordinators/assistant coaches
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  • Injured Injured
  • Redshirt Redshirt

References

  1. ↑ "1969 Notre Dame Fighting Irish Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference. Retrieved July 22, 2026.
  2. ↑ "The Football Review (1970)" (PDF). The Notre Dame Scholastic. December 4, 1970. Retrieved July 21, 2026 – via Notre Dame Archives.
  3. ↑ "1970 Notre Dame Fighting Irish Stats". SR/College Football. Sports Reference. Retrieved July 21, 2026.
  4. ↑ The Football Review, p. 37.
  5. ↑ "Theismann, Allan lead Notre Dame to 35–14 victory". The Star-Ledger. September 20, 1970. Retrieved October 7, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ↑ "Irish ram by Purdue". The Huntsville Times. September 27, 1970. Retrieved October 7, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ↑ "Irish shut out Spartans". The Bay City Times. October 4, 1970. Retrieved October 7, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ↑ "Third-ranked Notre Dame too much for Army 51–10". The Racine Journal-Times. October 11, 1970. Retrieved October 7, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ↑ "Irish bounce back, blow by Missouri". The Indianapolis Star. October 18, 1970. Retrieved October 7, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ↑ "Notre Dame rolls over Navy, 56–7". The Clarion-Ledger. November 1, 1970. Retrieved October 7, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ↑ "Notre Dame hits Pitt hard 46–14". Battle Creek Enquirer & News. November 8, 1970. Retrieved October 7, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ↑ "Georgia Tech gives ND scare, Irish win 10–7". The Clarion-Ledger. November 15, 1970. Retrieved July 24, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ↑ "Irish fight past LSU 3–0". Star Tribune. November 22, 1970. Retrieved October 22, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ↑ "Southern Cal shatters Irish win string, 38–28". The Philadelphia Inquirer. November 29, 1970. Retrieved October 7, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ↑ "Irish stun Texas in Cotton Bowl, 24–11". Chicago Tribune. January 2, 1971. Retrieved May 2, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. ↑ "1970 Notre Dame Fighting Irish Schedule and Results".
  17. ↑ "Schedule/Results (1970 Notre Dame)". NCAA Statistics. National Collegiate Athletic Association. Retrieved October 7, 2025.
  18. ↑ "Irish Rout Michigan State." Palm Beach Post. 1970 Oct 4. Retrieved 2014-Dec-01.
  19. ↑ South Bend Tribune, Oct. 16, 1970, p. 37.
  20. ↑ "1970 St. Louis Cardinals Schedule".
  21. ↑ Ocala Star-Banner. 1970 November 1.
  22. ↑ South Bend Tribune, Nov. 29, 1970, pp. 1, 48.
  23. ↑ Jenkins, Dan (November 30, 1970). "NOTRE DAME GOES KICKING INTO THE COTTON". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved August 25, 2019.
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