The 1978 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team represented the University of Notre Dame during the 1978 NCAA Division I-A football season.
Schedule
| Date | Time | Opponent | Rank | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
|---|
| September 9 | 2:30 p.m. | Missouri | No. 5 | | | L 0–3 | 59,075 |
| September 23 | 12:50 p.m. | No. 5 Michigan | No. 14 | - Notre Dame Stadium
- South Bend, IN (rivalry)
| ABC | L 14–28 | 59,075 |
| September 30 | 2:30 p.m. | Purdue | | | | W 10–6 | 59,075 |
| October 7 | 1:30 p.m. | at Michigan State | | | | W 29–25 | 77,087 |
| October 14 | 12:40 p.m. | No. 9 Pittsburgh | | - Notre Dame Stadium
- South Bend, IN (rivalry)
| ABC | W 26–17 | 59,075 |
| October 21 | 3:30 p.m. | at Air Force | No. 20 | | | W 38–15 | 35,425 |
| October 28 | 2:30 p.m. | Miami | No. 19 | - Notre Dame Stadium
- South Bend, IN
| | W 20–0 | 59,075 |
| November 4 | 1:50 p.m. | vs. No. 11 Navy | No. 15 | | | W 27–7 | 63,780 |
| November 11 | 1:30 p.m. | Tennessee | No. 14 | - Notre Dame Stadium
- South Bend, IN
| | W 31–14 | 59,075 |
| November 18 | 1:30 p.m. | at No. 20 Georgia Tech | No. 10 | | | W 38–21 | 54,526 |
| November 25 | 4:10 p.m. | at No. 3 USC | No. 8 | | ABC | L 25–27 | 84,256 |
| January 1, 1979 | 2:00 p.m. | vs. No. 9 Houston | No. 10 | | CBS | W 35–34 | 32,500 |
|
Personnel
| 1978 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team roster
|
|---|
| Players
|
Coaches
|
|---|
| Offense
|
Defense
| Pos. |
# |
Name |
Class
|
|---|
| DT
|
94
|
Tom Bock
|
Fr
| | CB
|
|
Dick Boushka
| | S
|
33
|
Jim Browner
|
Sr
| | CB
|
|
Rick Buehner
| | DT
|
77
|
Mike Calhoun
|
Sr
| | DE
|
|
Jay Case
| | S
|
40
|
Steve Cichy
|
Fr
| | LB
|
43
|
Bob Crable
|
Fr
| | DB
|
20
|
Angelo Fasano
|
So
| | CB
|
25
|
Tom Flynn
|
Sr
| | CB
|
27
|
Tom Gibbons
|
So
| | LB
|
55
|
Bob Golic (C)
|
Sr
| | DE
|
92
|
Joe Gramke
|
Fr
| | DE
|
|
John Hankred
| | S
|
10
|
Randy Harrison
| | LB
|
|
Steve Hartwig
| | LB
|
58
|
Steve Heimkreiter
| | LB
|
|
Pete Johnson
| | S
|
|
Phil Johnson
| | CB
|
19
|
John Krimm
|
Fr
| | LB
|
61
|
Bobby Leopold
|
Jr
| | DE
|
98
|
Pat Kramer
|
Fr
| | LB
|
|
Brendan Moynihan
| | DE
|
|
Hardy Rayam
| | S, P
|
|
Joe Restic
| | DT
|
|
John Thomas
| | CB
|
34
|
Dave Waymer
|
Jr
| | DT
|
74
|
Jeff Weston
| | OLB
|
54
|
Mike Whittington
|
Jr
| | DT
|
|
Tom Wroblewski
| | DE
|
70
|
Scott Zettek
|
So
|
|
Special teams
| Pos. |
# |
Name |
Class
|
|---|
| PK
|
|
Chuck Male
| | PK
|
|
Joe Unis
|
|
- Head coach
- Coordinators/assistant coaches
- Legend
- (C) Team captain
- (S) Suspended
- (I) Ineligible
 Injured Redshirt
Roster
Last update: 2015-12-20
|
Game summaries
Michigan
| Game information
|
|---|
|
First quarter
- ND – Dennis Grindinger 6-yard pass from Joe Montana (Joe Unis kick), 14:07. Notre Dame 7–0. Drive:
Second quarter
- MICH – Rick Leach 4-yard run (Gregg Willner kick). Tie 7–7. Drive: 59 yards.
- ND – Vagas Ferguson 4-yard run (Joe Unis kick). Notre Dame 14–7. Drive:
Third quarter
- MICH – Doug Marsh 5-yard pass from Rick Leach (Gregg Willner kick). Tie 14–14. Drive:
Fourth quarter
- MICH – Doug Marsh 17-yard pass from Rick Leach (kick failed). Michigan 20–14. Drive:
- MICH – Ralph Clayton 40-yard pass from Rick Leach (run failed). Michigan 26–14. Drive:
- MICH – Safety, Joe Montana tackled by Curtis Greer in end zone. Michigan 28–14.
|
- Top passers
- Top rushers
- Top receivers
|
|
The Reunion Game - first meeting between the two schools in 35 years
Notre Dame wore green jerseys for the game.
Pittsburgh
| |
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|
| Pittsburgh |
0 |
10 | 0 | 7 |
17 |
| • Notre Dame |
7 |
0 | 0 | 19 |
26 |
|
|
| Scoring summary |
|---|
| | 1 | | ND | Heavens 1-yard run (Unis kick) | ND 7-0 |
| | 2 | | PITT | Trocano 3-yard run (Schubert kick) | Tied 7-7 |
| | 2 | | PITT | Schubert 33-yard field goal | PITT 10-7 |
| | 4 | | PITT | Trocano 3-yard run (Schubert kick) | PITT 17-7 |
| | 4 | | ND | Haines 8-yard pass from Montana (pass failed) | PITT 17-13 |
| | 4 | | ND | Montana 1-yard run (kick failed) | ND 19-17 |
| | 4 | | ND | Ferguson 3-yard pass from Montana (Unis kick) | ND 26-17 |
|
Notre Dame handed Pittsburgh is first loss of the season. Jerome Heavens, who had never seen Knute Rockne, All American, surpassed George Gipp on the school's all-time rushing list. Heavens passed Gipp on his 24th carry but lost yardage on his 25th before moving pass him for good on his 26th attempt. "I think the Gipper tackled me on that," Heavens said.
[1]
Cotton Bowl
The Cotton Bowl win was Notre Dame's 600th victory in school history.[2]
References
