Oct. 2, 2012
Full Notes Package in PDF Format (recommended for easy reading and enhanced statistical data)
2012 Notre Dame Football Gameweek Central – Miami
DATE
- Saturday, October 6, 2012
TIME
- 6:39 p.m. CST
SITE (CAPACITY)
- Soldier Field (61,500); Chicago, Ill.
TELEVISION
- NBC national telecast with Tom Hammond (play-by-play), Mike Mayock (analysis), Alex Flanagan (sideline), Rob Hyland (producer) and Pierre Moossa (director).
RADIO
- IMG College Sports is the exclusive national rights-holder for Irish football radio broadcasts.IMG College manages, produces and syndicates the Irish national football radio network. Notre Dame games will be broadcast by Don Criqui (play-by-play), former Irish great Allen Pinkett (analysis) and Jeff Jeffers (sideline). This broadcast can be heard live on both SIRIUS and XM Satellite Radio (channel 129).
- All Irish home games may be heard in South Bend on News & Sports Radio 96.1 FM & 960 AM WSBT.
TICKETS
- Including Saturday’s game with Miami, Fla., Notre Dame has played in front of sellout crowds in 247 of its previous 289 games (.855) overall.
- Notre Dame has played before 618 sellouts in 890 total games (.694) since 1930.
WEB SITES
- Notre Dame (UND.com), Miami, Fla. (HurricaneSports.com)
POLLS
- Notre Dame is ranked No. 9 in this week’s Associated Press poll and No. 10 in the USA Today Coaches’ poll. Miami, Fla., is unranked in both polls, but receiving votes.
REAL TIME STATS
- Live in-game stats will be provided through CBS College Sports GameTracker via UND.com.
SERIES INFO
- Notre Dame has won eight Associated Press national titles while Miami, Fla., has won five.
- Notre Dame and Miami, Fla., face off for the 25th time, with the two teams meeting for the first time since 2010. Notre Dame holds a 16-7-1 series lead – with the Irish winning eight of the nine meetings (8-1-0) in South Bend and the two teams splitting 13 contests (6-6-1) in Miami. Notre Dame has captured the previous two meetings on a neutral field.
- More on the series history is available on pages 30-33.
COUNTDOWN TO KICKOFF
10. Notre Dame has 10 players on its roster from the Chicagoland area. That is the greatest quantity of players from one metropolitan area on the Irish roster.
9. Notre Dame’s defense ranks ninth in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) in both sacks (3.5/game) and pass efficiency defense (96.79). (Page 11)
8. The Irish defense has totaled eight interceptions in 2012. That total is equal to the number of interceptions the 2011 Notre Dame defense recorded in 13 games. Only three schools are averaging more interceptions per game than the Irish. (Page 10)
7. Senior LB Manti Te’o has played a role in seven of the 13 turnovers forced by Notre Dame’s defense. The All-America linebacker has recorded three interceptions, recovered two fumbles and hurried passers on two occasions that resulted in interceptions. (Pages 14-15)
6. Junior CB Bennett Jackson and Te’o are each tied for sixth in the FBS in interceptions per game with three picks in four contests. (Page 10)
5. The five takeaways this year by senior LB Manti Te’o (three interceptions and two fumble recoveries) are equal to the turnovers accumulated by the defenses of No. 14 Oregon State (four) and No. 17 Oklahoma (one) – combined. (Pages 14-15)
4. The 36 points allowed through the first four games are the fewest by a Notre Dame defense through an opening four games since the 1975 Irish defense permitted 20 points. This year’s Notre Dame defense ranks third in the FBS in scoring defense at nine points per game. (Page 11)
3. Notre Dame ranks third in the FBS in turnover margin as the Irish are +9 through four games in that category. For comparison’s sake, through four games in 2011, the Irish ranked 120th in the FBS and were -10 in turnover margin. (Pages 8-9)
2. Notre Dame’s defense ranks second in the FBS in lowest percentage of touchdowns allowed on red zone trips. Irish opponents have only scored two touchdowns in 10 trips to the red zone this year. (Page 11)
1. The Irish are the one team in the FBS to have not trailed in any game this year. It’s the first time since 1989 a Notre Dame team has not trailed in any of the first four games to open a season. (Page 9)
0. Zero rushing touchdowns have been scored against Notre Dame’s defense this year. The Irish are the only team in the FBS to have not permitted a rushing score in 2012.
NOTRE DAME FOOTBALL CELEBRATES 125 YEARS
- The celebration of 125 years of Fighting Irish football (1887-2012) is well underway.
- The University last spring introduced a special 125 logo that is being utilized throughout the year on all signage identifying elements of the campaign. The logo will be seen on sideline apparel worn by Irish coaches during 2012 home games and on the back of the Irish helmets for the Sept. 22 Notre Dame-Michigan game.
- The “Strong and True” slogan-taken from the University’s alma mater, “Notre Dame, Our Mother”-has been interwoven through various segments of the NDFB125 program. Although the celebration lasts all fall, the Sept. 22 Notre Dame-Michigan game at Notre Dame Stadium featured special recognition events based on Irish football history dating back to the first Notre Dame game in 1887 against Michigan. The Notre Dame-Michigan relationship qualifies as the original and oldest Football Bowl Subdivision rivalry. Former Irish head coach Ara Parseghian took part in the coin toss for that game.
- A Web site devoted to 125 years of Irish football has been created at http://125.nd.edu. It launched last spring, with three sample “Strong and True” moments featured. Beginning Aug. 27, 125 “Strong and True” moments will be released (one per day) via digital media, along with photo and video galleries. Some of those video moments will be featured at the Notre Dame Football Kickoff luncheons on the Fridays of home weekends.
- Former Notre Dame players and fans have been and will be encouraged to engage and participate via the 125 site (as well as social
- media) by sharing stories, photos and videos of their “Strong and True” experiences via Facebook (facebook.com/ndfootball) and Twitter (@125ndfb). The official NDFB125 site also will feature memories provided by former Irish football players and others connected with the program from their Notre Dame football experiences.
- Here are specifics of other elements of the 125-year celebration:
- NDFB125 banners featuring the official logo will be on display at all Notre Dame Stadium gates, as well as at the media entrance and on the ticket windows.
- The pennant-style flags that fly over Notre Dame Stadium and normally feature all the different opponent names from that season instead in 2012 will display the NDFB125 logo.
- The light posts surrounding Notre Dame Stadium, in the Joyce and Stadium parking lots and also around the Guglielmino Athletics Complex and the LaBar Practice Complex fields will feature NDFB125 flags.
- A 360-degree megapixel photo will be taken to commemorate the Sept. 22 Notre Dame-Michigan game. Fans will be able to interact with the image via the NDFB125 Web site, tag themselves and share with friends via social media.
- The 2012 Official Notre Dame Football Yearbook features a 125-year Irish football time line, including more than 140 pages of all-new prose in a scrapbook format and more than 1,200 images. It will be published Aug. 24 and will be sold through the Hammes Notre Dame Bookstore on the Notre Dame campus and via UND.com.
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- Each of the Notre Dame football game programs (including the version for the Notre Dame-Miami game in Chicago) features a specially-designed, eight-page pullout insert devoted to 125 years of Notre Dame football. Each insert is based on an essay dealing with an aspect of Notre Dame football history.
- Covers of the football games programs feature original art by nationally-known sports artist Tim Cortes from Duluth, Minn. Cortes’ work highlights the NDFB125 celebration and can be seen on all seven program covers (including the Solder Field game).
- Game tickets for the 2012 home season (and the Oct. 6 Soldier Field game against Miami) include both the NDFB125 logo as well as throwback looks based on tickets from past seasons.
- A one-hour television special providing a behind-the-scenes look at the Notre Dame football program will air at 2:30 p.m. EDT, on Oct. 13 (just prior to the Notre Dame-Stanford game) on NBC.
- The Leprechaun Legion, the official student group liaison to the athletics department, is coordinating a celebration of student traditions over 125 years of Notre Dame football.
- The Notre Dame Licensing Office has worked with a variety of its licensees to produce commercial products that include the NDFB125 logo–including everything from pins and pennants to apparel and mini-helmets.
- The 2012 version of “The Shirt” features the NDFB125 logo below the back collar.
- A special NDFB125 commemorative coin has been produced and is being utilized throughout the 2012 season for pre-game coin tosses. A smaller version is being produced for retail sale.
- Legends of Notre Dame, located just south of Notre Dame Stadium, is displaying signage related to the celebration.
- Centerplate, the University’s official athletics concessionaire, has included the 125 logo on commemorative drink cups and popcorn boxes utilized throughout the 2012 football season.
- The South Bend Convention and Visitors Bureau has joined in the celebration with a variety of programs–including streets renamed during the football season in both downtown South Bend and Mishawaka. Flags denoting NDFB125 will hang along Michigan Avenue in downtown South Bend all fall, as well as throughout downtown Mishawaka.
- A large version of the official logo will appear throughout September on the side of the parking garage at Main and Colfax in downtown South Bend.
- Hotels in the South Bend-Mishawaka area will feature commemorative room key cards featuring the NDFB125 logo all during the 2012 home season.
- Notre Dame’s University Relations department will create a commemorative poster featuring images from the Notre Dame-Michigan game weekend.
SOLDIER FIELD: A HOME AWAY FROM HOME
- Notre Dame is unbeaten in 11 previous trips to Soldier Field. The Irish are 9-0-2 all-time at the facility, highlighted by a 3-0 ledger in 1929 when it was used as a home-away-from-home alternative while Notre Dame Stadium was under construction. Head coach Knute Rockne’s “Ramblers” never played on their own campus that season, but still finished 9-0 en route to their second national title.
- Miami represents the eighth different foe Notre Dame will have played in Soldier Field.
A VICTORY OVER MIAMI…
- Improves Notre Dame to 5-0 for the first time since 2002.
- Improves the Irish to 10-0-2 (1.000) all-time in games played at Soldier Field.
- Improves Notre Dame to 61-16-2 (.785) all-time in games played following a bye week.
- Improves the Irish to 66-36-2 (.644) all-time in night games.
- Improves Notre Dame to 71-20-3 (.785) all-time when playing in an NFL stadium.
- Improves the Irish to 19-6-2 (.741) all-time when playing in a current NFL stadium.
- Improves Notre Dame to 377-92-8 (.799) all-time in the month of October.
- Improves the Irish to 37-7-1 (.883) in October games on neutral fields.
- Improves Notre Dame to 145-43-4 (.766) in October games away from Notre Dame Stadium.
- Improves the Irish to 17-7-1 (.700) in the all-time series with Miami.
- Improves Notre Dame to 3-0 (1.000) on neutral fields in the all-time series with the Hurricanes.
- Improves the Irish to 12-2-1 (.833) all-time against Miami when the Hurricanes are unranked.
- Improves Notre Dame when ranked in the top 25 to 14-4-1 (.763) all-time against Miami.
- Improves the Irish when ranked in the top 10 to 12-2-1 (.833) all-time against the Hurricanes.
- Improves Notre Dame when ranked in the top 25 to 9-1-1 (.864) all-time against Miami when the Hurricanes are unranked.
- Improves the Irish when ranked in the top 10 to 7-0-1 (1.000) all-time against Miami when the Hurricanes are unranked.
- Improves Notre Dame’s all-time record to 858-300-42 (.733).
- Improves the all-time record for the Irish on neutral fields to 114-38-6 (.741).
- Improves Notre Dame’s all-time record away from Notre Dame Stadium to 395-182-29 (.676).
- Improves the all-time record for the Irish against ACC foes to 82-32-2 (.716).
- Improves Kelly’s record to 192-67-2 (.739) overall.
- Improves Kelly’s record to 73-32 (.695) in FBS games.
- Improves Kelly’s record to 64-20 (.762) since 2006.
- Improves Kelly’s record to 115-34 (.772) since 2001.
- Improves Kelly’s record to 2-0 (1.000) all-time against Miami.
- Improves Kelly’s record to 6-3 (.667) all-time against ACC foes.
- Improves Kelly’s record to 5-1 (.833) against ACC foes as Notre Dame head coach.
- Improves Kelly’s record to 67-21-2 (.756) all-time in the month of October.
- Improves Kelly’s record to 7-3 (.700) in the month of October as Notre Dame head coach.
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