Phil C
10-31-2008, 05:00 PM
Notre Dame in the past had great success in football and was known to play tough schedules but this one was one of the toughest. We have heard recently about UT's tough schedule and it is but man look at this one.
It was in 1943 and Notre Dame was to be No. 1 in the Country at the end of the season by the Associated Press. This was when the College Football National Championship was based on the regular season and the bowls were just considered exhibition games especially due to the lapse when they were played and the last regular season game ended and the teams weren't considered to be ready to be at their best. Also bear in mind this was during the World War 2 years and except for military schools you could possible lose and gain different players over the season which hurt continuity. Below is their season record in 1943 with date, school,
their final record and result given:
9-25-43 At Pittsburgh (3 - 5) Won 41 - 0
10-2-43 Georgia Tech (8-3) Won 55-13
10-9-43 At Michigan (8-1) Won 35 - 12
10-16-43 Wisconsin (1-9) Won 50 - 0
10-23-43 Illinois (3-7) Won 47 - 0
10-30-43 Navy (8-1) at Cleveland, OH Won 33-6
11-6-43 Army (7-2-1) at Bronx, NY Won 26 - 0
11-13-43 At Northwestern (6-2) Won 25 - 6
11-20-43 Iowa Pre-Flight (9-1) Won 14 - 13
11-27-43 Great Lakes Navy (10-2) Lost 14 -19
Even though Notre Dame lost the last game they were awarded the 1943 National Championship probably because they were Notre Dame but also because that was a brutal schedule. One can't blame them for passing on a bowl game that year. Probably had not Great Lakes Navy lost 2 games they would probably have got the National Championship that year.
The final rankings for the other teams besides Notre Dame at No. 1 was as follows: Iowa Pre Flight was No. 2, Michican was No. 3, Navy was No. 4, Great Lakes Navy was No. 6, Northwestern No. 9, Army No. 11, and Georgia Tech No. 13.
Notre Dame that year in it's last five games played against ranked teams and went 4 - 1 against them. They played and beat the final No. 2, 3, and 4 teams during the year. Seven of their ten games were against teams that made the top 13 teams.
As written this was one brutal schedule and they deserved No. 1 even without a bowl game.
Awesome indeed.
It was in 1943 and Notre Dame was to be No. 1 in the Country at the end of the season by the Associated Press. This was when the College Football National Championship was based on the regular season and the bowls were just considered exhibition games especially due to the lapse when they were played and the last regular season game ended and the teams weren't considered to be ready to be at their best. Also bear in mind this was during the World War 2 years and except for military schools you could possible lose and gain different players over the season which hurt continuity. Below is their season record in 1943 with date, school,
their final record and result given:
9-25-43 At Pittsburgh (3 - 5) Won 41 - 0
10-2-43 Georgia Tech (8-3) Won 55-13
10-9-43 At Michigan (8-1) Won 35 - 12
10-16-43 Wisconsin (1-9) Won 50 - 0
10-23-43 Illinois (3-7) Won 47 - 0
10-30-43 Navy (8-1) at Cleveland, OH Won 33-6
11-6-43 Army (7-2-1) at Bronx, NY Won 26 - 0
11-13-43 At Northwestern (6-2) Won 25 - 6
11-20-43 Iowa Pre-Flight (9-1) Won 14 - 13
11-27-43 Great Lakes Navy (10-2) Lost 14 -19
Even though Notre Dame lost the last game they were awarded the 1943 National Championship probably because they were Notre Dame but also because that was a brutal schedule. One can't blame them for passing on a bowl game that year. Probably had not Great Lakes Navy lost 2 games they would probably have got the National Championship that year.
The final rankings for the other teams besides Notre Dame at No. 1 was as follows: Iowa Pre Flight was No. 2, Michican was No. 3, Navy was No. 4, Great Lakes Navy was No. 6, Northwestern No. 9, Army No. 11, and Georgia Tech No. 13.
Notre Dame that year in it's last five games played against ranked teams and went 4 - 1 against them. They played and beat the final No. 2, 3, and 4 teams during the year. Seven of their ten games were against teams that made the top 13 teams.
As written this was one brutal schedule and they deserved No. 1 even without a bowl game.
Awesome indeed.