The 1968 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team represented the University of Notre Dame as an independent during the 1968 NCAA University Division football season. Led by fifth-year head coach Ara Parseghian, the Fighting Irish compiled a record of 7–2–1. In their final game of the season, they played No. 2 USC to a 21–21 tie.[1]
Schedule
| Date | Time | Opponent | Rank | Site | TV | Result | Attendance | Source |
|---|
| September 21 | 2:30 p.m. | No. 5 Oklahoma | No. 3 | | | W 45–21 | 59,075 | [2] |
| September 28 | 2:00 p.m. | No. 1 Purdue | No. 2 | - Notre Dame Stadium
- South Bend, IN (rivalry)
| ABC | L 22–37 | 59,075 | [3] |
| October 5 | 2:30 p.m. | at Iowa | No. 5 | | | W 51–28 | 58,043 | [4] |
| October 12 | 2:30 p.m. | Northwestern | No. 5 | - Notre Dame Stadium
- South Bend, IN (rivalry)
| | W 27–7 | 59,075 | [5] |
| October 19 | 2:30 p.m. | Illinois | No. 6 | - Notre Dame Stadium
- Notre Dame, IN
| | W 58–8 | 59,075 | [6] |
| October 26 | 1:30 p.m. | at Michigan State | No. 5 | | ABC | L 17–21 | 77,339 | [7] |
| November 2 | 1:30 p.m. | vs. Navy | No. 12 | | | W 45–14 | 63,738 | [8] |
| November 9 | 2:30 p.m. | Pittsburgh | No. 12 | - Notre Dame Stadium
- Notre Dame, IN (rivalry)
| | W 56–7 | 59,075 | [9] |
| November 16 | 2:30 p.m. | Georgia Tech | No. 9 | - Notre Dame Stadium
- Notre Dame, IN (rivalry)
| | W 34–6 | 59,075 | [10] |
| November 30 | 4:30 p.m. | at No. 2 USC | No. 9 | | ABC | T 21–21 | 82,659 | [11] |
|
[12][13]
Game summaries
Oklahoma
[14]
| Team |
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Oklahoma |
14 |
0 | 0 | 7 |
21 |
| • Notre Dame |
7 |
14 | 14 | 10 |
45 |
Scoring summary |
| 1 | | ND | Bob Gladieux 1-yard run (Scott Hempel kick) | ND 7-0 |
|
| 1 | | OU | Eddie Hinton 72-yard pass from Bob Warmack (Bruce Derr kick) | Tied 7-7 |
|
| 1 | | OU | Steve Zabel 16-yard pass from Bob Warmack (Bruce Derr kick) | OU 14-7 |
|
| 2 | | ND | Jim Seymour 10-yard pass from Terry Hanratty (Scott Hempel kick) | Tied 14-14 |
|
| 2 | | ND | Jim Seymour 7-yard pass from Terry Hanratty (Scott Hempel kick) | ND 21-14 |
|
| 3 | | ND | Bob Gladieux 1-yard run (Scott Hempel kick) | ND 28-14 |
|
| 3 | | ND | Bob Gladieux 1-yard run (Scott Hempel kick) | ND 35-14 |
|
| 4 | | ND | Scott Hempel 31-yard field goal | ND 38-14 |
|
| 4 | | OU | Steve Zabel 11-yard pass from Bob Warmack (Bruce Derr kick) | ND 38-21 |
|
| 4 | | ND | Chuck Landolfi 5-yard run (Scott Hempel kick) | ND 45-21 |
Purdue
| Team |
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| • Purdue |
3 |
20 | 0 | 14 |
37 |
| Notre Dame |
0 |
14 | 0 | 8 |
22 |
- Date: September 28
- Location: Notre Dame Stadium, South Bend, IN
- Game start: 1:00 p.m. CDT
- Game attendance: 59,075
- Referee: Gene Calhoun
- TV announcers (ABC): Chris Schenkel, Bud Wilkinson
Scoring summary| {{{Time}}} | {{{Team}}} | {{{Event}}} | {{{Score}}} |
| {{{Time}}} | {{{Team}}} | {{{Event}}} | {{{Score}}} |
Iowa
| Team |
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| • Notre Dame |
21 |
10 | 6 | 14 |
51 |
| Iowa |
14 |
0 | 7 | 7 |
28 |
Scoring summary| {{{Time}}} | {{{Team}}} | {{{Event}}} | {{{Score}}} |
| {{{Time}}} | {{{Team}}} | {{{Event}}} | {{{Score}}} |
Northwestern
| Team |
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Northwestern |
0 |
0 | 0 | 7 |
7 |
| • Notre Dame |
7 |
0 | 6 | 14 |
27 |
- Date: October 12
- Location: Notre Dame Stadium, South Bend, IN
- Game start: 1:30 pm CDT
- Game attendance: 59,075
Scoring summary| {{{Time}}} | {{{Team}}} | {{{Event}}} | {{{Score}}} |
| {{{Time}}} | {{{Team}}} | {{{Event}}} | {{{Score}}} |
Illinois
| Team |
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Illinois |
0 |
0 | 8 | 0 |
8 |
| • Notre Dame |
14 |
10 | 27 | 7 |
58 |
- Date: October 19
- Location: Notre Dame Stadium, South Bend, IN
- Game start: 1:30 p.m. CDT
- Game attendance: 59,075
Scoring summary| {{{Time}}} | {{{Team}}} | {{{Event}}} | {{{Score}}} |
| {{{Time}}} | {{{Team}}} | {{{Event}}} | {{{Score}}} |
Michigan State
| Team |
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Notre Dame |
7 |
3 | 7 | 0 |
17 |
| • Michigan St. |
7 |
7 | 7 | 0 |
21 |
Navy
| Team |
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| • Notre Dame |
17 |
7 | 7 | 14 |
45 |
| Navy |
6 |
8 | 0 | 0 |
14 |
Scoring summary| {{{Time}}} | {{{Team}}} | {{{Event}}} | {{{Score}}} |
| {{{Time}}} | {{{Team}}} | {{{Event}}} | {{{Score}}} |
Pittsburgh
| Team |
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Pittsburgh |
0 |
0 | 7 | 0 |
7 |
| • Notre Dame |
23 |
26 | 0 | 7 |
56 |
- Date: November 9
- Location: Notre Dame Stadium, South Bend, IN
- Game start: 1:30 pm CST
Scoring summary| {{{Time}}} | {{{Team}}} | {{{Event}}} | {{{Score}}} |
| {{{Time}}} | {{{Team}}} | {{{Event}}} | {{{Score}}} |
Georgia Tech
| Team |
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Georgia Tech |
0 |
0 | 0 | 6 |
6 |
| • Notre Dame |
7 |
7 | 6 | 14 |
34 |
- Date: November 16
- Location: Notre Dame Stadium,
- Game start: 1:30 p.m. CST
Scoring summary| {{{Time}}} | {{{Team}}} | {{{Event}}} | {{{Score}}} |
| {{{Time}}} | {{{Team}}} | {{{Event}}} | {{{Score}}} |
USC
[15]
| Team |
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Notre Dame |
14 |
7 | 0 | 0 |
21 |
| USC |
7 |
0 | 7 | 7 |
21 |
Scoring summary| {{{Time}}} | {{{Team}}} | {{{Event}}} | {{{Score}}} |
| {{{Time}}} | {{{Team}}} | {{{Event}}} | {{{Score}}} |
Roster
| 1968 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team roster
|
| Players
|
Coaches
|
| Offense
|
Defense
|
Special teams
| Pos. |
# |
Name |
Class
|
| K
|
|
Scott Hempel
|
|
- Head coach
- Coordinators/assistant coaches
- Legend
- (C) Team captain
- (S) Suspended
- (I) Ineligible
|
References
- ^ "Football '68 - Settling the Score for '64" (PDF). Notre Dame Scholastic. December 12, 1968. pp. 20 & 21.
- ^ "Hanratty-sparkes irish sock it to Oklahoma, 45–21". The Des Moines Register. September 22, 1968. Retrieved October 25, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Boilermakers' blitz topples Irish, 37–22". The Abilene Reporter-News. September 29, 1968. Retrieved October 25, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Irish explode to bury Iowa". The Kansas City Star. October 6, 1968. Retrieved October 25, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Irish reward fans with late flourish". The Indianapolis Star. October 13, 1968. Retrieved October 25, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "ND rips Illinois, 58–8; Hanratty sets record". The Philadelphia Inquirer. October 20, 1968. Retrieved October 25, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Spartans surprise Notre Dame, 21–17". The Patriot-News. October 27, 1968. Retrieved October 25, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "63,738 see Navy sunk as Notre Dame rolls". The Philadelphia Inquirer. November 3, 1968. Retrieved October 25, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Irish blast Panthers, 56–7". Detroit Free Press. November 10, 1968. Retrieved October 25, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Irish wreck Georgia Tech". The Minneapolis Tribune. November 17, 1968. Retrieved July 24, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Notre Dame, USC tie 21–21". The Courier-Journal. December 1, 1968. Retrieved September 14, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "1968 Notre Dame Fighting Irish Schedule and Results".
- ^ "Schedule/Results (1968 Notre Dame)". NCAA Statistics. National Collegiate Athletic Association. Retrieved October 25, 2025.
- ^ Ocala Star-Banner. 1968 September 22.
- ^ Jenkins, Dan (December 9, 1968). "THE DAY THEY TIED UP O.J." Sports Illustrated. Retrieved August 25, 2019.
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National championship seasons in bold |