# List of Notre Dame Fighting Irish football seasons

This is a list of Notre Dame Fighting Irish football season records. The Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team with a total of 25 National Championships, is the football team of the University of Notre Dame, Indiana, United States. The team competes as an Independent at the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision level.
Notre Dame has the most consensus national championships and has produced more All-Americans than any other Football Bowl Subdivision school. Additionally, seven Fighting Irish football players have won the Heisman Trophy.
Notre Dame is one of only two Catholic universities that field a team in the Football Bowl Subdivision, the other being Boston College, and one of a handful of programs independent of a football conference. The team plays its home games on Notre Dame's campus at Notre Dame Stadium, also known as the "House that Rockne Built," which has a capacity of 80,795.
Notre Dame claims national championships in an additional three seasons, for a total of 11 consensus national championships. Notre Dame, however, is often credited with 13 national championships in total. The 1938 and 1953 seasons are the reason for the discrepancy. In 1938, 8-1 Notre Dame was awarded the national championship by the Dickinson System, while Texas Christian (which finished 11-0) was awarded the championship by the Associated Press. In the 1953 season, an undefeated Notre Dame team (9-0-1) was named national champion by every major selector except the AP and UPI (Coaches) polls, where the Irish finished second in both to 10-1 Maryland. As Notre Dame has a policy of only recognizing AP and Coaches Poll national championships post-1936, the school does not officially recognize the 1938 and 1953 national championships.

## Seasons

The following is a list of Notre Dame's all-time season records.
| Year | Coach | Overall | Conference | Standing | Bowl/playoffs | Coaches$^#$ | AP$^°$ |
| Independent (1887–1893) ||||||||
| 1887 | No coach | 0–3 | | | | | |
| 1888 | No coach | 1–0 | | | | | |
| 1889 | No coach | 1–0 | | | | | |
| 1892 | No coach | 1–0–1 | | | | | |
| 1893 | No coach | 4–1 | | | | | |
| J.L. Morison (Independent) (1894) ||||||||
| 1894 | J.L. Morison | 3–1–1 | | | | | |
| H.G. Hadden (Independent) (1895) ||||||||
| 1895 | H.G. Hadden | 3–1 | | | | | |
| Frank E. Hering (Independent) (1896–1898) ||||||||
| 1896 | Frank E. Hering | 4–3 | | | | | |
| 1897 | Frank E. Hering | 4–1–1 | | | | | |
| 1898 | Frank E. Hering | 4–2 | | | | | |
| James McWeeney (Independent) (1899) ||||||||
| 1899 | James McWeeney | 6–3–1 | | | | | |
| Pat O'Dea (Independent) (1900–1901) ||||||||
| 1900 | Pat O'Dea | 6–3–1 | | | | | |
| 1901 | Pat O'Dea | 8–1–1 | | | | | |
| James Farragher (Independent) (1902–1903) ||||||||
| 1902 | James Farragher | 6–2–1 | | | | | |
| 1903 | James Farragher | 8–0–1 | | | | | |
| Louis Salmon (Independent) (1904) ||||||||
| 1904 | Louis Salmon | 5–3 | | | | | |
| Henry J. McGlew (Independent) (1905) ||||||||
| 1905 | Henry J. McGlew | 5–4 | | | | | |
| Thomas Barry (Independent) (1906–1907) ||||||||
| 1906 | Thomas Barry | 6–1 | | | | | |
| 1907 | Thomas Barry | 6–0–1 | | | | | |
| Victor M. Place (Independent) (1908) ||||||||
| 1908 | Victor M. Place | 8–1 | | | | | |
| Frank Longman (Independent) (1909–1910) ||||||||
| 1909 | Frank Longman | 7–0–1 | | | | | |
| 1910 | Frank Longman | 4–1–1 | | | | | |
| John L. Marks (Independent) (1911–1912) ||||||||
| 1911 | John L. Marks | 6–0–2 | | | | | |
| 1912 | John L. Marks | 7–0 | | | | | |
| Jesse Harper (Independent) (1913–1917) ||||||||
| 1913 | Jesse Harper | 7–0 | | | | | |
| 1914 | Jesse Harper | 6–2 | | | | | |
| 1915 | Jesse Harper | 7–1 | | | | | |
| 1916 | Jesse Harper | 8–1 | | | | | |
| 1917 | Jesse Harper | 6–1–1 | | | | | |
| Knute Rockne (Independent) (1918–1930) ||||||||
| 1918 | Knute Rockne | 3–1–2 | | | | | |
| 1919 | Knute Rockne | 9–0 | | | | | |
| 1920 | Knute Rockne | 9–0 | | | | | |
| 1921 | Knute Rockne | 10–1 | | | | | |
| 1922 | Knute Rockne | 8–1–1 | | | | | |
| 1923 | Knute Rockne | 9–1 | | | | | |
| 1924 | Knute Rockne | 10–0 | | | W Rose | | |
| 1925 | Knute Rockne | 7–2–1 | | | | | |
| 1926 | Knute Rockne | 9–1 | | | | | |
| 1927 | Knute Rockne | 7–1–1 | | | | | |
| 1928 | Knute Rockne | 5–4 | | | | | |
| 1929 | Knute Rockne | 9–0 | | | | | |
| 1930 | Knute Rockne | 10–0 | | | | | |
| Hunk Anderson (Independent) (1931–1933) ||||||||
| 1931 | Hunk Anderson | 6–2–1 | | | | | |
| 1932 | Hunk Anderson | 7–2 | | | | | |
| 1933 | Hunk Anderson | 3–5–1 | | | | | |
| Elmer Layden (Independent) (1934–1940) ||||||||
| 1934 | Elmer Layden | 6–3 | | | | | |
| 1935 | Elmer Layden | 7–1–1 | | | | | |
| 1936 | Elmer Layden | 6–2–1 | | | | | 8 |
| 1937 | Elmer Layden | 6–2–1 | | | | | 9 |
| 1938 | Elmer Layden | 8–1 | | | | | 5 |
| 1939 | Elmer Layden | 7–2 | | | | | 13 |
| 1940 | Elmer Layden | 7–2 | | | | | |
| Frank Leahy (Independent) (1941–1943) ||||||||
| 1941 | Frank Leahy | 8–0–1 | | | | | 3 |
| 1942 | Frank Leahy | 7–2–2 | | | | | 6 |
| 1943 | Frank Leahy | 9–1 | | | | | 1 |
| Edward McKeever (Independent) (1944) ||||||||
| 1944 | Edward McKeever | 8–2 | | | | | 9 |
| Hugh Devore (Independent) (1945) ||||||||
| 1945 | Hugh Devore | 7–2–1 | | | | | 9 |
| Frank Leahy (Independent) (1946–1953) ||||||||
| 1946 | Frank Leahy | 8–0–1 | | | | | 1 |
| 1947 | Frank Leahy | 9–0 | | | | | 1 |
| 1948 | Frank Leahy | 9–0–1 | | | | | 2 |
| 1949 | Frank Leahy | 10–0 | | | | | 1 |
| 1950 | Frank Leahy | 4–4–1 | | | | | |
| 1951 | Frank Leahy | 7–2–1 | | | | 13 | |
| 1952 | Frank Leahy | 7–2–1 | | | | 13 | 3 |
| 1953 | Frank Leahy | 9–0–1 | | | | 2 | 2 |
| Terry Brennan (Independent) (1954–1958) ||||||||
| 1954 | Terry Brennan | 9–1 | | | | 4 | 4 |
| 1955 | Terry Brennan | 8–2 | | | | 10 | 9 |
| 1956 | Terry Brennan | 2–8 | | | | | |
| 1957 | Terry Brennan | 7–3 | | | | 9 | 10 |
| 1958 | Terry Brennan | 6–4 | | | | 14 | 17 |
| Joe Kuharich (Independent) (1959–1962) ||||||||
| 1959 | Joe Kuharich | 5–5 | | | | 18 | 17 |
| 1960 | Joe Kuharich | 2–8 | | | | | |
| 1961 | Joe Kuharich | 5–5 | | | | | |
| 1962 | Joe Kuharich | 5–5 | | | | | |
| Hugh Devore (Independent) (1963) ||||||||
| 1963 | Hugh Devore | 2–7 | | | | | |
| Ara Parseghian (Independent) (1964–1974) ||||||||
| 1964 | Ara Parseghian | 9–1 | | | | 3 | 3 |
| 1965 | Ara Parseghian | 7–2–1 | | | | 8 | 9 |
| 1966 | Ara Parseghian | 9–0–1 | | | | 1 | 1 |
| 1967 | Ara Parseghian | 8–2 | | | | 4 | 5 |
| 1968 | Ara Parseghian | 7–2–1 | | | | 8 | 5 |
| 1969 | Ara Parseghian | 8–2–1 | | | L Cotton | 9 | 5 |
| 1970 | Ara Parseghian | 10–1 | | | W Cotton | 5 | 2 |
| 1971 | Ara Parseghian | 8–2 | | | | 15 | 13 |
| 1972 | Ara Parseghian | 8–3 | | | L Orange | 12 | 14 |
| 1973 | Ara Parseghian | 11–0 | | | W Sugar | 4 | 1 |
| 1974 | Ara Parseghian | 10–2 | | | W Orange | 4 | 6 |
| Dan Devine (Independent) (1975–1980) ||||||||
| 1975 | Dan Devine | 8–3 | | | | 17 | |
| 1976 | Dan Devine | 9–3 | | | W Gator | 12 | 12 |
| 1977 | Dan Devine | 11–1 | | | W Cotton | 1 | 1 |
| 1978 | Dan Devine | 9–3 | | | W Cotton | 6 | 7 |
| 1979 | Dan Devine | 7–4 | | | | | |
| 1980 | Dan Devine | 9–2–1 | | | L Sugar | 10 | 9 |
| Gerry Faust (Independent) (1981–1985) ||||||||
| 1981 | Gerry Faust | 5–6 | | | | | |
| 1982 | Gerry Faust | 6–4–1 | | | | | |
| 1983 | Gerry Faust | 7–5 | | | W Liberty | | |
| 1984 | Gerry Faust | 7–5 | | | L Aloha | | |
| 1985 | Gerry Faust | 5–6 | | | | | |
| Lou Holtz (Independent) (1986–1996) ||||||||
| 1986 | Lou Holtz | 5–6 | | | | | |
| 1987 | Lou Holtz | 8–4 | | | L Cotton | | 17 |
| 1988 | Lou Holtz | 12–0 | | | W Fiesta | 1 | 1 |
| 1989 | Lou Holtz | 12–1 | | | W Orange | 3 | 2 |
| 1990 | Lou Holtz | 9–3 | | | L Orange | 6 | 6 |
| 1991 | Lou Holtz | 10–3 | | | W Sugar | 12 | 13 |
| 1992 | Lou Holtz | 10–1–1 | | | W Cotton$^†$ | 4 | 4 |
| 1993 | Lou Holtz | 11–1 | | | W Cotton$^†$ | 2 | 2 |
| 1994 | Lou Holtz | 6–5–1 | | | L Fiesta$^†$ | | |
| 1995 | Lou Holtz | 9–3 | | | L Orange$^†$ | 13 | 11 |
| 1996 | Lou Holtz | 8–3 | | | | 21 | 19 |
| Bob Davie (Independent) (1997–2001) ||||||||
| 1997 | Bob Davie | 7–6 | | | L Independence | | |
| 1998 | Bob Davie | 9–3 | | | L Gator | 22 | 22 |
| 1999 | Bob Davie | 5–7 | | | | | |
| 2000 | Bob Davie | 9–3 | | | L Fiesta$^†$ | 16 | 15 |
| 2001 | Bob Davie | 5–6 | | | | | |
| Tyrone Willingham (Independent) (2002–2004) ||||||||
| 2002 | Tyrone Willingham | 10–3 | | | L Gator | 17 | 17 |
| 2003 | Tyrone Willingham | 5–7 | | | | | |
| 2004 | Tyrone Willingham | 6–6 | | | L Insight | | |
| Charlie Weis (Independent) (2005–2009) ||||||||
| 2005 | Charlie Weis | 9–3 | | | L Fiesta$^†$ | 11 | 9 |
| 2006 | Charlie Weis | 10–3 | | | L Sugar$^†$ | 19 | 17 |
| 2007 | Charlie Weis | 3–9 | | | | | |
| 2008 | Charlie Weis | 7–6 | | | W Hawaii | | |
| 2009 | Charlie Weis | 6–6 | | | | | |
| Brian Kelly (Independent) (2010–2019) ||||||||
| 2010 | Brian Kelly | 8–5 | | | W Sun | | |
| 2011 | Brian Kelly | 8–5 | | | L Champs Sports | | |
| 2012 | Brian Kelly | 12–1 | | | L BCS NCG$^†$ | 3 | 4 |
| 2013 | Brian Kelly | 9–4 | | | W Pinstripe | 24 | 20 |
| 2014 | Brian Kelly | 8–5 | | | W Music City | | |
| 2015 | Brian Kelly | 10–3 | | | L Fiesta$^†$ | 12 | 11 |
| 2016 | Brian Kelly | 4–8 | | | | | |
| 2017 | Brian Kelly | 10–3 | | | W Citrus | 11 | 11 |
| 2018 | Brian Kelly | 12–1 | | | L Cotton$^†$ (CFP Semifinal) | 5 | 5 |
| 2019 | Brian Kelly | 11–2 | | | W Camping World | 11 | 12 |
| Brian Kelly (Atlantic Coast Conference) (2020) ||||||||
| 2020 | Brian Kelly | 10–2 | 9–0 | 1st | L Rose$^†$ (CFP Semifinal) | 5 | 5 |
| Brian Kelly (Independent) (2021) ||||||||
| 2021 | Brian Kelly | 11–2 | | | L Fiesta$^†$ | 8 | 8 |
| Marcus Freeman (Independent) (2022–present) ||||||||
| 2022 | Marcus Freeman | 9–4 | | | W Gator | 18 | 18 |
| 2023 | Marcus Freeman | 10–3 | | | W Sun | 14 | 14 |
| 2024 | Marcus Freeman | 14–2 | | | W CFP First Round$^†$ W Sugar$^†$ (CFP Quarterfinal) W Orange$^†$ (CFP Semifinal) L CFP NCG$^†$ | 2 | 2 |
| Total: | Total: | 982–344–42 | | | | | |
| National championship  Conference title  Conference division title or championship game berth ||||||||
| $^†$Indicates Bowl Coalition, Bowl Alliance, BCS, or CFP / New Years' Six bowl. $^#$Rankings from final Coaches Poll. ||||||||