Dec. 1, 1999

NOTRE DAME, Ind. — Notre Dame’s 1999 football schedule ranks as the third toughest in the country to this point in the season.

That’s based on NCAA statistics including all games through Nov. 27.

Here’s the top five this week in the most difficult schedule ratings:

Team Overall Opponent Record
1. Alabama 71-35 (.669)
2. Auburn 61-35 (.635)
3. Notre Dame 73-46 (.613)
4. South Carolina 66-42 (.611)
5. Florida State 64-42 (.603)

Other Notre Dame opponents for ’99 in the top 50 include Michigan 7th, Michigan State 13th, Purdue 18th, Tennessee 25th and USC 49th.

Since the NCAA began its toughest schedule rankings in 1977, Notre Dame five times has played the most difficult schedule in the nation (1978, 1985, 1987, 1989 and 1995), has been ranked among the top four teams on eight occasions — and has been in the top 20 in 16 of 21 previous seasons.

Assuming those rankings and numbers hold up through the remaining few games to be played this weekend, Notre Dame’s ranking of third is its best since 1995 when the Irish finished first in the toughest schedule rankings – and the .613 opponent percentage is the highest since the .637 mark in ’95.

Notre Dame played eight teams in ’99 that eventually qualified for bowl games, the most in that category since the ’89 team played nine (the ’90 team also played eight).