1988 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team

NCAATeamFootballSeason
Year=1988
Team=Notre Dame Fighting Irish

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ImageSize=150 px
Conference=NCAA Division I-A Independent Schools|Independent
Division=
ShortConference=Independent
CoachRank=1
APRank=1
Record=12-0
ConfRecord=
HeadCoach=Lou Holtz
OffCoach=Jim Strong
DefCoach=Barry Alvarez
OScheme=Option
DScheme=3-4
StadiumArena=Notre Dame Stadium (c. 59,075, grass)
Champion=National Champions
BowlTourney=1989 Fiesta Bowl
BowlTourneyResult=W 34-21 vs. West Virginia

The 1988 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team represented the University of Notre Dame during the 1988 college football season. The Irish, coached by Lou Holtz, ended the season with 12 wins and no losses, winning the national championship. The Fighting Irish won the title by defeating the previously unbeaten and #3 ranked West Virginia Mountaineers in the Sunkist Fiesta Bowl in Tempe, Arizona by a score of a 34-21. The 1988 squad, one of 11 national title squads for the Irish, is considered to be one of the best undefeated teams in the history of college football.cite web|last=McAllister|first=Mike|url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2005/football/ncaa/specials/bowls/2004/01/05/perfect.seasons/|title=Top 10 Perfect Seasons|publisher="si.com"|date=2005-01-05|accessdate=2008-07-20] The Irish beat the Nos. 1, 2 and 3 teams in the country at the time they played them. They also won 10 of 12 games by double digits. The 1988 squad is best remembered for its 31-30 upset of #1 ranked Miami, ending their 36-game regular season winning streak.cite web|last=Burns |first=Marty |url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/writers/best_game/06/11/burns.best/index.html |title=Catholics vs. Convicts The Irish pulled out a gritty win over a bitter foe|publisher="si.com"|accessdate=2008-07-23] The game is remembered to this day as one of the most memorable games in all of college football.cite book |last= Walters |first= John |title = Notre Dame Golden Moments |publisher= Rutledge Hill Press |date= 2004-07-21 | id = ISBN 1-591860-42-3 ] cite web|url=http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/football/2002-11-19-memorable-moments_x.htm|title=College football's best of the last 20 years|publisher="usatoday.com"|date= 2002-11-19|accessdate=2008-07-23] cite web|Pete Fiutak, Richard Cirminiello, John Harris, Matthew Zemek|url=http://cfn.scout.com/2/561908.html|title=CFN's Tuesday Question - The All-Time Greatest Regular Season Games |work=sportingnews.com |publisher="scout.com" |date=2006-08-28 |accessdate=2008-07-23]

eason

Roster

Source: [cite web|url=http://www.footballdb.com/index.html|title=The Football Database|accessdate=2008-07-21]

References

ee also

*1988 NCAA Division I-A football season
*NCAA Division I FBS National Football Championship
*List of undefeated Division I football teams

External links

* [http://und.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/nd-m-footbl-body.html Notre Dame Official Athletic Site]
* [http://www.nd.edu University of Notre Dame Official Website]
* [http://und.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/082905aaf.html Notre Dame Stadium Greatest Victories]