College football may be a more popular sport to watch on television than its sister rival, NFL football. And it also has an important history, but of all the college teams that have lent themselves to that history, there is one team whose history rises above all others. That college is the University of Notre Dame, and their football team has a very storied pedigree, and their name is the Fighting Irish.
The history of the Fighting Irish football team dates back to 1887, when the team played its first game and also suffered its first loss to Michigan State. The team would realize its first victory a year later, in 1888, against the Harvard football team. All in all, before the beginning of the 20th century, Notre Dame had a record that included 31 wins, 15 losses and 4 draws. This was achieved between 1887 and the end of the year 1899. This was only the beginning of things to come for the Fighting Irish.
As Notre Dame and its football team entered the 20th century, the popularity of college football was on the rise. The introduction of the Intercollegiate Athletic Association of the United States (IAAUS) brought a consistent approach to the way college football was to be played. Finally, the IAAUS became known as the NCAA in the year 1910. During this time, Notre Dame would continue to enhance their winning efforts on the field of play by again defeating Michigan. Interestingly, after their second loss at the hands of Notre Dame, Michigan stubbornly refused to play the Fighting Irish and would not play them again for 33 years.
By the end of the 1912 college football season, they would be a dominant force in college football and would rack up a winning season. His record for that year included 108 wins, 31 losses, and 13 draws to finish his season. Notre Dame’s history includes a long list of inspiring football coaches. Some of these coaches’ names include the names of Knute Rockne, whose story of player George Gipp, nicknamed “the Gipper,” prompted the phrase “win one for the gipper” in a halftime speech to his team when they needed to hear something. that would strengthen his spirit and cause the defeat of an Army soccer team that until then had an undefeated season. Other names include Frank Leahy, Dan Devine, Lou Holtz, and probably one of the most memorable names, Ara Parseghian.
Parseghian, would have a ride on player named Daniel Ruettiger, who was nicknamed “Rudy” by what was then part of the Notre Dame scouting team, dressed in a regular uniform after Parseghian players insisted on this due to Ruettiger’s dogged determination and heart during the 1974 Fighting Irish season turned into an opportunity for Ruettiger to have one last chance to play in a home game that season. Ruettiger would be put in the game for just two snaps at defensive end. No small feat for Ruettiger, who was 5’6″ and 165 pounds. To his credit, despite what could only be seen as mission impossible, Rudy would fire the quarterback on play two for Georgia. Tech, Rudy Allen.
Daniel “Rudy” Ruettiger would forever be a part of the history of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team, as his life story would translate into a movie called “Rudy” and that movie would become an instant classic and story. of inspiration that is still viewed today with much reverence.