One of many many components that makes Notre Dame soccer so particular is this system’s storied historical past. Having performed soccer since 1887, the Preventing Irish have appeared in lots of vital video games and have confronted among the finest groups in faculty soccer historical past. This lengthy historical past additionally set the Irish as much as develop many rivalries over time.
Everybody is aware of Notre Dame’s main rivals, like USC, Stanford, and Navy. These rivalries return nearly 100 years and have produced among the best video games in faculty soccer historical past. They’ve additionally participated in extremely contested sequence that don’t have rivalry standing; nevertheless, they’ve made a long-lasting affect on the followers and this system. Examples of this are Miami and Clemson, which aren’t formally rivals of the Irish however have garnered dislike from the fan base. These packages get extra hate from Irish followers than conventional rivals like Navy do.
Nonetheless, one other college suits in the identical class as Miami and Clemson, the College of Nebraska. The Corn Huskers and the Preventing Irish have a historical past of enjoying one another that extends all the way in which again to 1915. That was so way back that the US hadn’t entered World Conflict 1 but. However what was this rivalry like, and what precipitated it to fade into obscurity?
The Historical past of Notre Dame vs Nebraska
As talked about earlier than, the primary time these two packages performed one another was in 1915, after Notre Dame coach Jesse Harper wrote a letter to Nebraska AD requesting the 2 to play. In a extremely aggressive recreation, Nebraska sneaked out a 20-19 victory after Notre Dame missed an additional level late. The Irish received their revenge the very subsequent season once they blew out the Cornhuskers 20-0. After these two matches, the colleges agreed to play one another yearly. They performed each season from 1915 to 1925. The 2 break up the sequence going 5-5-1 throughout that point span.
The sequence took a hiatus for 26 years till they met once more in 1947 and 1948. Notre Dame crushed Nebraska in each video games, profitable 31-0 in 1947 and 44-14 in 1948. This shouldn’t come as a lot of a shock, because the Irish have been the very best workforce within the nation at that time, profitable the natty in 1947 and ending second in 1948. Nebraska was going by its “Bum Years” and was overmatched.
It was one other 25 years earlier than the 2 groups met once more, however this time was a bit totally different. 1973 was the primary and solely time these two performed within the postseason, with the 2 enjoying within the Orange Bowl. This recreation was a blowout much like the match-up within the late 40s. Nonetheless, it was a blowout in favor of the Cornhuskers, who gained 40-6. To today, it’s the most important margin of victory within the historical past of the sequence. Since then, they’ve met two extra instances in 2000 and 2001, with Nebraska profitable each.
Why They Stopped Enjoying Every Different
Within the early Twenties, it appeared that Notre Dame vs. Nebraska can be a rivalry that might endure. It was thought of one of many recreation’s best rivalries. It was additionally extraordinarily well-liked with each fanbases, with each recreation being performed earlier than a sold-out crowd. 4 of the video games passed off on Thanksgiving, the week groups put aside to play their greatest rivals.
So with all this momentum for these colleges to develop a heated rivalry, what occurred? The brief reply is Notre Dame determined to switch Nebraska with USC. In 1925, USC despatched athletic director Gwynn Wilson and his spouse to Lincoln to attempt to persuade the Irish to play them. Then Notre Dame head coach Knute Rockne was towards the concept as a result of journey concerned. Nonetheless, Wilson’s spouse met with Rockne’s spouse and satisfied her to journey to California in November. After that, Notre Dame introduced that it could be changing Nebraska with USC in 1926.
Though Notre Dame vs. Nebraska by no means materialized into the historic rivalry all of us anticipated, that doesn’t imply the 2 can’t play and attempt to reignite it. With many faculty soccer traditions ending, Notre Dame has an opportunity to begin a model new one.
Brian Germinaro is a sportswriter for Stomach Up Sports activities. Comply with him on Twitter/X for extra sports activities protection and Stomach Up Sports activities for much more faculty soccer content material. Function picture credit score: Brian Bahr.