# 1969 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team

The 1969 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team represented the University of Notre Dame as an independent during the 1969 NCAA University Division football season. Led by sixth-year head coach Ara Parseghian, the Fighting Irish compiled a record of 8–2–1.
After 44 seasons without postseason play (1925–1968), the school ended its self-imposed bowl hiatus. With an 8–1–1 regular season record, the Irish were led on the field by junior quarterback Joe Theismann. They met top-ranked Texas in the Cotton Bowl in Dallas on New Year's Day, but lost 21–17 when the Longhorns scored a late touchdown.

## Schedule

| Date | Time | Opponent | Rank | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
| September 20 | 1:30 pm | Northwestern | No. 11 | Notre Dame StadiumNotre Dame, IN (rivalry) | | W 35–10 | 59,075 |
| September 27 | 1:30 pm | at No. 16 Purdue | No. 9 | Ross–Ade StadiumWest Lafayette, IN (rivalry) | | L 14–28 | 68,179 |
| October 4 | 1:30 pm | No. 14 Michigan State | | Notre Dame StadiumNotre Dame, IN (rivalry) | | W 42–28 | 59,075 |
| October 11 | 2:00 pm | vs. Army | No. 15 | Yankee StadiumBronx, NY (rivalry) | | W 45–0 | 63,786 |
| October 18 | 1:30 pm | No. 3 USC | No. 11 | Notre Dame StadiumNotre Dame, IN (rivalry) | | T 14–14 | 59,075 |
| October 25 | 8:30 pm | at Tulane | No. 12 | Tulane StadiumNew Orleans, LA | | W 37–0 | 40,250 |
| November 1 | 1:30 pm | Navy | No. 10 | Notre Dame StadiumNotre Dame, IN (rivalry) | | W 47–0 | 59,075 |
| November 8 | 1:30 pm | at Pittsburgh | No. 8 | Pitt StadiumPittsburgh, PA (rivalry) | | W 49–7 | 44,084 |
| November 15 | 9:30 pm | at Georgia Tech | No. 9 | Grant FieldAtlanta, GA (rivalry) | ABC | W 38–20 | 41,104 |
| November 22 | 1:30 pm | Air Force | No. 8 | Notre Dame StadiumNotre Dame, IN (rivalry) | | W 13–6 | 59,075 |
| January 1, 1970 | 2:00 pm | vs. No. 1 Texas | No. 9 | Cotton BowlDallas, TX (Cotton Bowl) | CBS | L 17–21 | 71,938 |
| Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the gameAll times are in Eastern time |||||||||

## Game summaries
### Northwestern

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Northwestern | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| • Notre Dame | 14 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 35 |

### Purdue

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Notre Dame | 0 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 14 |
| • Purdue | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 28 |

### Michigan State

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Michigan St. | 0 | 14 | 7 | 7 | 28 |
| • Notre Dame | 7 | 14 | 14 | 7 | 42 |

### Army

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| • Notre Dame | 10 | 14 | 14 | 7 | 45 |
| Army | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |

### USC

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| USC | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 14 |
| Notre Dame | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 14 |

### Tulane

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| • Notre Dame | 7 | 17 | 7 | 6 | 37 |
| Tulane | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |

### Navy

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Navy | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| • Notre Dame | 7 | 26 | 14 | 0 | 47 |

### Pittsburgh

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| • Notre Dame | 14 | 21 | 14 | 0 | 49 |
| Pittsburgh | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 |

### Georgia Tech

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| • Notre Dame | 21 | 10 | 7 | 0 | 38 |
| Georgia Tech | 0 | 6 | 0 | 14 | 20 |

### Air Force

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Air Force | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 6 |
| • Notre Dame | 7 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 13 |

### Vs. Texas (Cotton Bowl)

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Fighting Irish | 3 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 17 |
| • Longhorns | 0 | 7 | 0 | 14 | 21 |

## 1970 NFL Draft

| Player | Position | Round | Pick | Franchise |
| Mike McCoy | Guard | 1 | 2 | Green Bay Packers |
| Jim Reilly | Guard | 3 | 57 | Buffalo Bills |
| Bob Olson | Linebacker | 5 | 107 | Boston Patriots |
| Mike Oriard | Center | 5 | 130 | Kansas City Chiefs |
| Terry Brennan | Tackle | 7 | 158 | Philadelphia Eagles |