Nov. 22, 2011

Complete Notes in PDF Packet

DATE

• Saturday, November 26, 2011

TIME

• 5:12 p.m. PT

SITE (CAPACITY)

• Stanford Stadium (50,000); Stanford, Calif.

Television

• ABC national telecast with Brent Musburger (play-by-play), Kirk Herbstreit (analysis), Heather Cox (sideline), Bill Bonnell (producer) and Derek Mobley (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 Notre Dame home games may be heard in South Bend on Sunny 101.5 FM and Newsradio 960 WSBT-AM.

TICKETS

• Notre Dame has played in front of sellout crowds in 279 of its previous 315 games, including 120 of its last 156 games away from the friendly confines of Notre Dame Stadium dating back to the start of the 1986 season (include this weekend’s tilt with Stanford which is sold out).

Web Sites

• Notre Dame (UND.com), Stanford (GoStanford.com)

POLLS

• Notre Dame is tied at No. 22 this week in the Associated Press poll and No. 24 in the USA Today Coaches’ poll. Stanford is ranked No. 4 in the AP and No. 5 in the coaches.

Real-Time Stats

• Live in-game statistics will be provided through CBS College Sports GameTracker via UND.com.

SERIES INFO

• Notre Dame and Stanford will meet for the 26th time on Saturday with the Irish holding a 17-8 advantage in the series. This will be the 12th meeting in Stanford, with the Irish holding a slim 6-5 lead. (more on the series on pages 51-54)

ALL THE NIGHT MOVES

• Notre Dame hosted a night game (Oct. 22, USC, 7:30 p.m.) for the first time in 21 years. The previous night game at Notre Dame Stadium came on Sept. 15, 1990 against Michigan.
• Notre Dame has already played under the lights Sept. 10 at Michigan, Oct. 1 at Purdue, Nov. 5 at Wake Forest and Nov. 12 against Maryland at FedEx Field. The Irish close the regular season with a night game at Stanford (Nov. 26).
• Six night games is a Notre Dame regular season record.
• This year marks the 60th anniversary of Notre Dame’s first night game, a 48-6 rout of Detroit on Oct. 5, 1951 in Briggs Stadium.
• The Irish have played 98 night games overall with an overall record of 63-33-2 (.653), including 6-2 all-time at home.
• The largest margin of victory at night was 57-7 at Stanford on Nov. 29, 2004, when Willingham poured it on his former employer.
• The largest margin of defeat was 38-3 at USC on Nov. 29, 2008, eking out the Jan. 1, 1973 Orange Bowl to Nebraska (40-6) – which would inspire the Irish to win the national title the next year under Parseghian.
• Notre Dame’s longest winning streak in night games is 11, beginning with an Oct. 13, 1973 win at Rice and concluding with a Sept. 24, 1983 shutout loss at Miami (20-0), which went on to win its first national title.
• The longest losing streak is nine under Davie.
• Notre Dame’s night history can almost be divided into two eras – the 35-year pre-Lou Holtz era from 1951-85, and the 25 years since Holtz took the reins in 1986. It was under Holtz that multiple night games in a season became standard at Notre Dame. It eventually prompted the exclusive NBC contract for home games that commenced with the 1991 season.
• In the 35 years from 1951-85, Notre Dame was 21-6-1 (.768) in night games. In the 11 years under Holtz alone (1986-96), the Irish were an almost identical 20-5-1 (.788).
• Notre Dame has played more night games against Miami (Fla.) and USC (11) than any other foes. The Irish are 6-4-1 (.591) vs. the Hurricanes, with the lone loss at home at night occurring in 1984. Notre Dame is 3-7-1 (.350) against the Trojans.
• Notre Dame is 6-7 (.462) at night in bowls, where it has a five-game losing streak and has not won since the 39-28 conquest of Florida in the 1992 Sugar Bowl.
• Here’s a look at each of Notre Dame head coach’s record at night: Leahy: 1-0
  Brennan: 1-1
  Kuharich: 0-1
  Parseghian: 10-2-1
  Devine: 5-0
  Faust: 4-2
  Holtz: 20-5-1
  Davie: 2-9
  Willingham: 5-2
  Baer: 0-1
  Weis: 9-7
  Kelly: 6-3

REGULAR SEASON FINALES

• Notre Dame is 64-44-12 (.583) in regular season finales (excludes 1887, 1889 seasons when the Irish played just one game).
• Notre Dame is 40-37-10 (.517) on the road in regular season finales.
• The Irish are 17-5 (.773) at home in regular season finales.
• Notre Dame is 7-2-2 (.727) in regular season finales at neutral sites.
• The Irish are 2-2 (.500) at Stanford in regular season finales.
• Here’s a breakdown of each Notre Dame head coach’s record in regular season finales (post 1912): Harper: 5-0
  Rockne: 9-3-1
  Anderson: 1-2
  Layden: 4-2-1
  Leahy: 7-2-2
  McKeever: 1-0
  Devore: 0-2
  Brennan: 3-2
  Kuharich: 2-2
  Parseghian: 4-5-2
  Devine: 3-3
  Faust: 1-4
  Holtz: 6-4-1
  Davie: 3-2
  Willingham: 0-3
  Weis: 2-3
  Kelly: 1-0
• The largest margin of victory in a regular season finale was 69-0 against Marquette (Comiskey Park) on Nov. 28, 1912. In terms of the modern era (post WWII), the largest margin of victory was 51-0 at No. 10 USC on Nov. 26, 1966 (Irish secured national title).
• The largest margin of defeat was 58-7 at No. 4 Miami, Fla. on Nov. 30, 1985..

A VICTORY OVER STANFORD…

• Improves Notre Dame’s overall record to 9-3 (.750) overall, 5-1 (.833) away from Notre Dame Stadium and 4-1 (.800) on the road.
• Gives the Irish a five-game winning streak for the first time since 2006.
• Gives Notre Dame its first five-game winning streak to close the regular season since 2005.
• Gives the Irish a victory for the ninth time in the last 10 games and 13th time in the last 16 games.
• Extends the road winning streak for Notre Dame to four games (longest road winning streak since 2006).
• Secures the first nine-win season for the Irish since 2006 and 36th in school history.
• Gives Notre Dame nine victories in a season in which they started 0-2 for just the second time in school history (1978, 9-3).
• Gives the Irish a victory over an AP top-five foe for the first time since Sept. 10, 2005 when Notre Dame won at No. 3 Michigan (17-10).
• Gives Notre Dame a victory over an AP top-five foe in the month of November for the first time since Nov. 13, 1993 when the No. 2 Irish knocked off No. 1 Florida State (31-24).
• Gives the Irish a victory over an AP top-five foe in the regular season finale for the first time since Nov. 26, 1988 when No. 1 Notre Dame upended No. 2 USC (27-10).
• Improves the Irish to 40-55-5 (.425) all-time against AP top-five foes, including 12-21-2 (.371) on the road.
• Improves Notre Dame to 143-128-10 (.527) all-time against AP top-25 foes, including 56-55-4 (.504) on the road.
• Improves the all-time record for the Irish in regular season finales to 65-44-12 (.587).
• Improves Notre Dame’s all-time record in regular season finales on the road to 41-37-10 (.523).
• Improves the all-time record for the Irish to 854-298-42 (.733).
• Improves Notre Dame’s all-time record outside of South Bend to 392-180-29 (.676).
• Improves the all-time record for the Irish on the road to 283-144-23 (.654).
• Improves Notre Dame’s all-time record against Stanford to 18-8 (.692).
• Improves the all-time record for the Irish against the Cardinal in Stanford Stadium to 7-5 (.583).
• Improves Notre Dame’s all-time record against the Pac-12 to 88-48-2 (.645).
• Improves the all-time record for the Irish away from South Bend against the Pac-12 to 40-30-5 (.567).
• Improves Notre Dame’s all-time road record against the Pac-12 to 35-26-5 (.568).
• Improves the Irish to 1-4 (.200) all-time against ranked Stanford.
• Improves Notre Dame to 1-2 (.333) all-time against the ranked Cardinal on the road.
• Improves the ranked Irish to 12-2 (.857) all-time against Stanford.
• Improves ranked Notre Dame to 5-0 (1.000) all-time against the Cardinal on the road.
• Improves the ranked Irish to 1-1 (.500) all-time against ranked Stanford.
• Improves ranked Notre Dame to 1-0 (1.000) all-time against the ranked Cardinal on the road.
• Improves Kelly’s record to 188-65-2 (.741) overall.
• Improves Kelly’s record to 70-30 (.700) in FBS games.
• Improves Kelly’s record to 60-18 (.769) over the last six seasons.
• Improves Kelly’s record to 111-32 (.776) since 2001.
• Improves Kelly’s record to 5-2 (.714) all-time against current members of the Pac-12, including 3-0 (1.000) on the road.
• Improves Kelly’s record to 55-13 (.809) all-time in the month of November.
• Extends Kelly’s winning streak in the month of November to 15 games.
• Makes Kelly the first Irish coach to knock off a top-five opponent on the road in the month of November since Lou Holtz on Nov. 26, 1988 when No. 1 Notre Dame upended No. 2 USC (27-10).
• Makes Kelly the first Notre Dame coach to knock off a top-five opponent in the month of November since Lou Holtz on Nov. 13, 1993 when the No. 2 Irish knocked off No. 1 Florida State (31-24).
• Makes Kelly the first Irish coach to register victories in consecutive meetings with a ranked opponent in the month of November since Lou Holtz in 1992-93.

A DEFEAT TO STANFORD…

• Drops Notre Dame’s overall record to 8-4 (.667) overall, 4-2 (.667) away from Notre Dame Stadium and 3-2 (.600) on the road.
• Gives Notre Dame just its second loss in the last 10 games and fourth in the last 16 games.
• Drops Notre Dame to 39-56-5 (.415) all-time against AP top-five opponents, including 11-22-2 (.343) on the road.
• Drops the Irish to 142-129-10 (.523) all-time against AP top-25 opponents, including 55-56-4 (.496) on the road.
• Drops Notre Dame’s all-time record in regular season finales to 64-45-12 (.579).
• Drops the all-time record for the Irish in regular season finales on the road to 40-38-10 (.511).
• Drops Notre Dame’s all-time record to 853-299-42 (.732).
• Drops the all-time record for the Irish outside of South Bend to 391-181-29 (.675).
• Drops Notre Dame’s all-time record on the road to 282-145-23 (.652).
• Drops the all-time record for the Irish against Stanford to 17-9 (.654).
• Drops Notre Dame’s all-time record against the Cardinal in Stanford Stadium to 6-6 (.500).
• Drops the all-time record for Irish against the Pac-12 to 87-49-2 (.638).
• Drops Notre Dame’s all-time record away from South Bend against the Pac-12 to 39-31-5 (.553).
• Drops the all-time road record for the Irish against the Pac-12 to 34-27-5 (.553).
• Drops the Irish to 0-5 (.000) all-time against ranked Stanford.
• Drops Notre Dame to 0-3 (.000) all-time against the ranked Cardinal on the road.
• Drops the ranked Irish to 11-3 (.786) all-time against Stanford.
• Drops ranked Notre Dame to 4-1 (.800) all-time against the Cardinal on the road.
• Drops the ranked Irish to 0-2 (.000) all-time against ranked Stanford.
• Drops ranked Notre Dame to 0-1 (.000) all-time against the ranked Cardinal on the road.
• Drops Kelly’s record to 187-66-2 (.737) overall.
• Drops Kelly’s record to 69-31 (.690) in FBS games.
• Drops Kelly’s record to 59-19 (.756) over the last six seasons.
• Drops Kelly’s record to 110-33 (.769) since 2001.
• Drops Kelly’s record to 4-3 (.571) all-time against current members of the Pac-12, including 2-1 (.667) on the road.
• Drops Kelly’s record to 54-14 (.794) all-time in the month of November.
• Snaps Kelly’s winning streak in the month of November at 14 games.

NOTRE DAME IN NOVEMBER

• Notre Dame is 315-121-27 (.710) all-time during the month.
• The Irish are 146-44-7 (.759) in November home games.
• Notre Dame is 116-65-16 (.629) in November road games.
• The Irish are 53-12-4 (.797) in November neutral games.
• Notre Dame is 98-37-2 (.723) in November games at Notre Dame Stadium.
• Notre Dame has won six straight games in the month of November. The six-game winning streak comes directly on the heels of a six-game losing streak in the month of November (Irish lost eight of its last nine November games before Kelly’s arrival in 2010).

ON THIS DATE

• Notre Dame has played 14 previous games in its history on Nov. 26. The Irish are 11-2-1 (.821) all-time on this date.
• 1988: Top-ranked Notre Dame handles second-ranked USC, 27-10, to finish the regular season 11-0. The Irish went on to win the national championship with a 34-21 victory over West Virginia.