re: LSU vs Notre Dame 1971

If you think about it, it is amazing we were on TV at all. There was no ESPN, and ABC controlled much of college football. Big Ten football (translate this to Big 2+8) was the dominant force in the mind of the programmers then along with the PAC 2+8. If you weren't in Ohio, Michigan, Los Angeles, or South Bend, you were merely a pretender although they did pay homage to Tuscaloosa. The other thing was that college football schedules were made in advance, I think even before the season started. There was no hot game of the week as one team started to play above their heads with no defeats. In 1966 "the game of the century," #1 ND plays #2 Michagan State, was only on the radio. Since ND had used its one national appearance on TV, the game was blacked out. Public pressure got it repalyed on tape delay.
=====
Wikipedia
Interestingly enough, the game was not shown live on national TV. It was the first time in 20 years that a football game had been given the title of "game of the century" by the media. Each team was alloted one national television appearance and two regional television appearances each season. Notre Dame had used their national TV slot in the season opening game against Purdue. ABC executives did not even want to show the game anywhere but the regional area, but pressure from the West Coast and the South (to the tune of 50,000 letters) made ABC air the game on tape delay. The official attendance was announced at 80,011 (111% capacity) and was the most attended game in Michigan State football history at the time (the current record is 80,401 on Sept. 22, 1990 vs. Notre Dame).
=======

The LSU/ND game as I remember it, and yes I was there in south endzone, and yes I am old, was a disaster for ND fans. That meant the entire nation except for true ND haters. ND was coming down to hand our head to us in their mind. Their decision in 1969 to return to the bowl scene knocking #5 LSU out of a chance to play undefeated TExas, and their defeat of us in 1970 in South Bend started my lifelong distaste for ND. The 1970 game was on the radio, and a highly controversial pass interfernce call on us (Tommy Casanova I believe) got them in a position to keep moving and they get a field goal. ND fans at the game were convinced we would be killed. However, we played a great game. Running when we needed it, and passing when we needed it. They palyed very well; the only downside was that ND did score at the end of the game. EVERY fan in that stadium wanted a shutout. It ends up 26-8.

USC 1979 was louder.. I wasn't at the '71 ND game, but I didn't have to be. Nothing in sports has ever topped USC '79.

quote:

---

USC 1979 was louder

---

This would make a good thread hijack.............who on The Rant attended all three of these game?

Ole Miss 1970
Notre Dame 1971
USC 1979

Which of the three games was the loudest?

quote:

---

I was at that game!!!!

---

Then shouldn't they have been wearing leather helmets?

i was at all 3 games
79 USC was the loudest
71 N Dame was 2nd loudest
70 Ole miss was such a blowout that it wasn't as loud as the others
72 Ole Miss was also very loud

At halftime, Gov. McKeithen was chatting with ND President, Father Theodore Hesburgh. Big Jawn pointed out to the good Father all the French surnames on our roster, & advised him that there were more Catholics on LSU's team than on ND!

well there were about 12,000 more people at the '79 USC game ..

quote:

---

which game was louder , notre dame 1971 or usc 1979

---

I was at both. I'd have to say ND in '71. Of course I was drunker than 2 mules which probably amplified it a wee bit.