1986 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team

1986 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football
ConferenceIndependent
Record5–6
Head coach
Defensive coordinatorFoge Fazio (1st season)
CaptainMike Kovaleski
Home stadiumNotre Dame Stadium (c. 59,075, grass)
Seasons
← 1985
1987 →
1986 NCAA Division I-A independents football records
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 1 Penn State   –   –   12 – 0 – 0
No. 2 Miami (FL)   –   –   11 – 1 – 0
No. 20 Virginia Tech   –   –   9 – 2 – 1
No. 19 Boston College   –   –   9 – 3 – 0
Tulsa   –   –   7 – 4 – 0
Florida State   –   –   7 – 4 – 1
Army   –   –   6 – 5 – 0
Southwestern Louisiana   –   –   6 – 5 – 0
Southern Miss   –   –   6 – 5 – 0
Temple   –   –   6 – 5 – 0
Pittsburgh   –   –   5 – 5 – 1
Rutgers   –   –   5 – 5 – 1
Cincinnati   –   –   5 – 6 – 0
Notre Dame   –   –   5 – 6 – 0
Syracuse   –   –   5 – 6 – 0
South Carolina   –   –   3 – 6 – 2
Tulane   –   –   4 – 7 – 0
West Virginia   –   –   4 – 7 – 0
Louisville   –   –   3 – 8 – 0
Navy   –   –   3 – 8 – 0
Wichita State   –   –   3 – 8 – 0
East Carolina   –   –   2 – 9 – 0
Northern Illinois   –   –   2 – 9 – 0
Memphis State   –   –   1 – 10 – 0
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1986 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team represented the University of Notre Dame in the 1986 NCAA Division I-A football season.[1] The team was coached by Lou Holtz and played its home games at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, Indiana.

Schedule

[edit]
DateTimeOpponentRankSiteTVResultAttendanceSource
September 133:30 p.m.No. 3 Michigan
ABCL 23–2459,075[2]
September 202:30 p.m.at Michigan StateNo. 20
CBSL 15–2079,895
September 273:30 p.m.Purdue
  • Notre Dame Stadium
  • Notre Dame, IN (rivalry)
ABCW 41–959,075
October 43:30 p.m.at No. 2 Alabama
ABCL 10–2875,808[3]
October 1112:30 p.m.Pittsburgh
  • Notre Dame Stadium
  • Notre Dame, IN (rivalry)
USA, WGNL 9–1059,075
October 1812:30 p.m.Air Force
  • Notre Dame Stadium
  • Notre Dame, IN (rivalry)
USA, WGNW 31–359,075
November 17:00 p.m.at Navy
TBSW 33–1461,335
November 81:00 p.m.SMU
  • Notre Dame Stadium
  • Notre Dame, IN
W 61–2959,075
November 153:30 p.m.No. 3 Penn State
  • Notre Dame Stadium
  • Notre Dame, IN (rivalry)
ABCL 19–2459,075
November 227:30 p.m.at No. 8 LSU
ESPNL 19–2178,197[4]
November 293:30 p.m.at No. 17 USC
CBSW 38–3770,614

Roster

[edit]
1986 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team roster
Players Coaches
Offense
Pos. # Name Class
QB 2 Terry Andrysiak Jr
QB 7 Steve Beuerlein Sr
WR 81 Tim Brown Jr
OT 66 Andy Heck So
  3 Alonzo Jefferson
  Anthony Johnson Fr
  Pernell Taylor
WR 83 Reggie Ward
  Joel Williams
Defense
Pos. # Name Class
LB 48 Cedric Figaro Jr
Special teams
Pos. # Name Class
K 18 John Carney
Head coach
Coordinators/assistant coaches
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  • Injured Injured
  • Redshirt Redshirt

Game summaries

[edit]

Michigan

[edit]
Week 1: Michigan at Notre Dame
1 234Total
• Michigan 7 3140 24
Notre Dame 7 763 23
Scoring summary
14:34NDTim Brown 3-yard run (John Carney kick)ND 7–0
10:33MICHJamie Morris 8-yard run (Pat Moons kick)TIE 7–7
28:08NDMark Green 1-yard run (Carney kick)ND 14–7
20:52MICHMoons 23-yard field goalND 14–10
38:57MICHMorris 1-yard run (Moons kick)MICH 17–14
38:51MICHMorris 27-yard pass from Jim Harbaugh (Moons kick)MICH 24–14
33:10NDJoel Williams 2-yard pass from Steve Beuerlein (kick failed)MICH 24–20
44:26NDCarney 25-yard field goalMICH 24–23

On September 13, 1986, Notre Dame lost to No. 3 Michigan, 24–23, before a crowd of 59,075 at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, Indiana. The game was the first for Lou Holtz as Notre Dame's head coach.

On the game's opening possession, Michigan mounted a six-and-a-half-minute drive to the Notre Dame 25-yard line, but Pat Moons missed a 42-yard field goal. After Michigan's touchdown, Notre Dame drove 75 yards on 13 plays, capped by a three-yard touchdown run by flanker Tim Brown. On its second possession, Michigan followed with an 80-yard, eight-play drive, fueled by a 34-yard catch by John Kolesar, and capped by an eight-yard touchdown run by Jamie Morris.[5][6]

On Notre Dame's second possession, the Irish again drove downfield, but Reggie Ward fumbled at Michigan's six-yard line, and Michigan recovered the loose ball. Notre Dame's defense held, and Michigan was forced to punt from its own end zone. Monte Robbins' punt was good for only 23 yards, and Notre Dame took over at Michigan's 26-yard line. Eight plays later, Mark Green scored on a one-yard run. After Green's touchdown, Jim Harbaugh led the Wolverines on a seven-minute, 75-yard, 13-play drive, and Pat Moons kicked a 23-yard field goal. Notre Dame led, 14-10, at halftime.[5][6]

Michigan moved ahead in the third quarter. On the opening drive of the second half, Harbaugh led the Wolverines on a 78-yard, 12-play drive ending with a one-yard touchdown run by Morris. On the kickoff following the touchdown, the kick hit a Notre Dame player and bounced loose with free safety Doug Mallory recovering the ball at the Notre Dame 27-yard line. On the next play from scrimmage, Harbaugh threw a touchdown pass to Morris, and Michigan led 24-14.[5][6]

On its next possession, Steve Beuerlein led the Irish on a 66-yard, 12-play touchdown drive ending with a two-yard pass from Beuerlein to Joel Williams. John Carney's extra point kick failed, and Michigan led, 24-20, at the end of the third quarter.[5][6]

In the fourth quarter, Notre Dame drove 62 yards in 10 plays, and a 25-yard field goal by John Carney brought the Irish within one point with 4:26 remaining in the game. Then, with 1:33 remaining in the game, Michigan fullback Bob Perryman fumbled at the Notre Dame 26-yard line, and Notre Dame linebacker Wesley Pritchett recovered the loose ball. Beuerlein quickly led the Irish to Michigan's 28-yard line. With 13 seconds remaining, Carney's 45-yard field goal attempt went wide to the left.[5][6]

Notre Dame out-gained Michigan, 455 yards to 393 yards. For the Irish, Steve Beuerlein completed 21 of 33 passes for 263 yards, at touchdown, and an interception, and Tim Brown rushed for 65 yards on 12 carries. For the Wolverines, Harbaugh completed 15 of 23 passes for 239 yards and a touchdown, Kolesar caught four passes for 93 yards, and Morris rushed for 77 yards and two touchdowns on 23 carries. Michigan forced four turnovers, including two fumble recoveries by Doug Mallory and a fourth-quarter interception by David Arnold in the end zone. Andy Moeller led the Michigan defense with seven solo tackles and six assists.[5][6]

At Michigan State

[edit]
See also: 1986 Michigan State Spartans football team, Michigan State–Notre Dame football rivalry, and Megaphone Trophy

Purdue

[edit]
1 234Total
Purdue 0 063 9
• Notre Dame 10 14314 41
Scoring summary
1Notre DameTaylor 2-yard run (Carney kick)Notre Dame 7-0
1Notre DameCarney 42-yard field goalNotre Dame 10-0
2Notre DameJohnson 2-yard run (Carney kick)Notre Dame 17-0
2Notre DameJackson 35-yard pass from Beuerlein (Carney kick)Notre Dame 24-0
3Notre DameCarney 49-yard field goalNotre Dame 27-0
3PurdueChaney 3-yard run (pass failed)Notre Dame 27-6
4PurdueBriggs 22-yard field goalNotre Dame 27-9
4Notre DameJohnson 13-yard run (Carney kick)Notre Dame 34-9
4Notre DameGreen 27-yard run (Carney kick )Notre Dame 41-9
See also: 1986 Purdue Boilermakers football team and Notre Dame–Purdue football rivalry

[7]

At Alabama

[edit]
See also: 1986 Alabama Crimson Tide football team

Pittsburgh

[edit]
See also: 1986 Pittsburgh Panthers football team and Notre Dame–Pittsburgh football rivalry

Air Force

[edit]
[edit]
See also: 1986 Navy Midshipmen football team and Navy–Notre Dame football rivalry
Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Navy Midshipmen
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Notre Dame 7 21 3233
Navy 0 0 7714

at Memorial Stadium • Baltimore, Maryland

Game information

SMU

[edit]

Penn State

[edit]

At LSU

[edit]
See also: 1986 LSU Tigers football team

At USC

[edit]
1 234Total
• Notre Dame 6 31118 38
USC 3 17107 37
Scoring summary
1USCShafer 48-yard field goalUSC 3-0
1Notre DameHeck 5-yard pass from Beuerlein (kick failed)Notre Dame 6-3
2USCBrock 58-yard interception return (Shafer kick)USC 10-6
2USCHolt 3-yard run (Shafer kick)USC 17-6
2Notre DameCarney 33-yard field goalUSC 17-9
2USCShafer 60-yard field goalUSC 20-9
3USCShafer 23-yard field goalUSC 23-9
3Notre DameCarney 32-yard field goalUSC 23-12
3USCSteele 1-yard run (Shafer kick)USC 30-12
3Notre DameBanks 22-yard pass from Beuerlein (Beuerlein to Jackson pass)USC 30-20
4USCPeete 1-yard run (Shafer kick)USC 37-20
4Notre DameJackson 42-yard pass from Beuerlein (Carney kick)USC 37-27
4Notre DameBanks 5-yard pass from Beuerlein (Beuerlein to Heck pass)USC 37-35
4:00Notre DameCarney 19-yard field goalNotre Dame 38-37
See also: 1986 USC Trojans football team and Notre Dame–USC football rivalry

Team players drafted into the NFL

[edit]

The following players were drafted into professional football following the season.

Player Position Round Pick Franchise
Wally Kleine Tackle 2 48 Washington Redskins
Steve Beuerlein Quarterback 4 110 Los Angeles Raiders
Robert Banks Defensive End 7 176 Houston Oilers
Joel D. Williams Tight End 8 210 Miami Dolphins

[8]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Notre Dame Yearly Results (1985-1989)". College Football Data Warehouse. David DeLassus. Archived from the original on September 5, 2015. Retrieved July 26, 2015.
  2. ^ Tommy George (September 14, 1986). "U-M plucks Irish luck: ND misses FG at end; it's 24-23". Detroit Free Press. pp. 1D, 17D – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ "Alabama makes quick work of Irish". Chicago Tribune. October 5, 1986. Retrieved February 20, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "Believe it: Louisiana State holds off Notre Dame". Chicago Tribune. November 23, 1986. Retrieved November 11, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ a b c d e f Tommy George (September 14, 1986). "U-M plucks Irish luck: ND misses FG at end; it's 24-23". Detroit Free Press. pp. 1D, 17D – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ a b c d e f Phil Nussel (September 15, 1986). "Michigan ruins Holtz debut, 24-23: ND commits four turnovers in loss". The Michigan Daily. pp. 1, 11 – via Bentley Historical Library.
  7. ^ Gainesville Sun. 1986 Sept 28.
  8. ^ "1987 NFL Draft Listing - Pro-Football-Reference.com". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Archived from the original on December 21, 2007.
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