Sept. 16, 1999

In conjunction with the ongoing Century of Greatness program, the Notre Dame Athletic Department is proud to introduce a new grouping of historical displays, highlighting the series history between Notre Dame and its 1999 home football opponents. Items in the display include game programs, ticket stubs, photographs, game-day lineups and news clippings from the various games played between Notre Dame and its 1999 home opponents.

These new offerings-which debuted during the week of the Aug. 28 Kansas game-will be updated primarily in relation to the home schedule, with the size and Joyce Center location of the displays varying based on the extent of the series history and available space.

The “Football Series History” displays are funded and maintained by the Notre Dame National Monogram Club, which also coordinates the Sports Heritage Hall and other trophy displays in the Joyce Center and other athletic facilities.

The display for the upcoming Michigan State weekend includes memorabilia from the storied history between the Irish and Spartans (MSU is the fourth-most common opponent in Notre Dame football history). The four-panel display is located adjacent to the entrance to the Notre Dame football office, on the first floor of the Joyce Center (between the north and south domes, enter at gate 2).

Highlights of the current Notre Dame-Michigan State display include: memorabilia from the early history of the series, which began in 1897 and spanned the early glory days of Notre Dame football led by the likes of Knute Rockne and George Gipp, items from the dominating eras held by Notre Dame in the late 1940s and Michigan State in the 1960s, an extensive variety of mementos from the famous 10-10 tie in 1966 (considered one of the most memorable games in college football history), memorabilia from Notre Dame’s rise to a No. 1 national ranking in the late 1980s, and Adrian Jarrell’s memorable catch that set up Notre Dame’s winning score at Michigan State in 1990 (which remains one of only two games in the series that has been decided in the final five minutes).

The Notre Dame-Michigan State rivalry also has produced several record-setting performances for both schools, with the following record-setter featured in the current display: Notre Dame’s John Petitbon, Jim Mutscheller, Tim Brown and Ron Powlus and MSU’s Dick Panin, Gene Washington, Bill Burke and Plaxico Burress.