Summary of every LSU WIN vs Notre Dame

LINK

LSU 28, Notre Dame 8 (1971)

The No. 14-ranked Tigers avenged the previous year's loss with a rousing performance in prime time on ABC in Tiger Stadium. After the game, LSU coach Charles McClendon said, "Gentlemen, there has never been a bigger victory in Tiger Stadium."

This is the game that launched Bert Jones to stardom as McClendon made Jones the surprise starter after he had split time with senior starter Paul Lyons. Jones threw just nine passes but completed seven for 143 yards and scoring throws of 36 and 32 yards to his cousin, Andy Hamilton. Jones also ran 5 yards for another score as the Tigers built a 21-0 lead. Hamilton caught seven passes for 153 yards and three touchdowns.

The Tiger defense was an even bigger star with three goal-line stands. LSU halted the No. 7-ranked Irish on fourth and inches at the LSU 1-yard line. Safety Lloyd Frye stopped another drive by breaking up a pass with a big hit. Later, safety Norm Hodgins dropped quarterback Cliff Brown for a 3-yard loss on another fourth down play at LSU's 10-yard line.

All-America linebacker Warren Capone picked off two passes and Tommy Casanova made a sensational diving interception in the end zone in front of All America receiver Tom Gatewood to thwart another Notre Dame scoring opportunity. Jones would go on to start the next 14 games for the Tigers and wound up the Baltimore Colts' No. 1 draft choice after a trade with the Saints.

LSU 10, Notre Dame 7 (1985)

No. 17 LSU helped usher out Gerry Faust in his second-to-last game as the Irish coach with this defensive battle. Ron Brown's 18-yard run started the scoring and gave Notre Dame a lead that held up until the fourth quarter. Matt DeFrank kicked a 27-yard field goal on the final play of the first half to cut into the lead. Notre Dame went on the march in the third quarter but Henry Thomas snuffed the Irish when he blocked a 23-yard field goal attempt, one of two blocks for Thomas along with nine tackles.

Jeff Wickersham then drove the Tigers 52 yards for the winning points on Garry James' 2-yard run with 3:26 remaining. LSU's defense still had to make two stops. But interceptions by Ron Sancho and Steve Rehage finished off the home team, which finished 5-6 and hired Lou Holtz to replace Faust. Wickersham completed 31 of 42 passes for 294 yards and LSU went 9-2-1 with a loss to Baylor in the Liberty Bowl.

LSU 21, Notre Dame 19 (1986)

The No. 8 Tigers held Notre Dame's offense without a touchdown until the final minutes but still had to hang on for dear life. LSU's defense stopped Notre Dame on downs with a goal-line stand in the fourth quarter. With 3:32 left, Terry Andrysiak threw a 14-yard TD pass to Hiawatha Francisco but Andrysiak's two-point conversion pass intended for Joel Williams was just out of his reach. LSU freshman quarterback Tommy Hodson's 13-yard touchdown pass to Wendell Davis gave LSU an early 7-0 lead that didn't last long. Eventual Heisman Trophy winner Tim Brown took the ensuing kickoff back 96 yards to knot the score.

Back came the Tigers as Hodson drove the team and capped the march with a 4-yard scoring toss to Rogie Magee. Two John Carney field goals trimmed LSU's margin to one before Hodson threw his third scoring pass, a 4-yarder to tight end Brian Kinchen with 7:45 left. Davis caught seven passes for 121 yards and established a new record for receiving yards in a season (1,161) to break Eric Martin's mark (1,064) set in 1983. Notre Dame finished 5-6 for the second straight season, the first under Lou Holtz, but would win the national championship three years later. LSU went on to win the SEC title and finish 9-3 with a Sugar Bowl loss to Nebraska.

LSU 27, Notre Dame 9 (1997 Independence Bowl)

LSU stayed on Louisiana soil playing in the Independence Bowl for the second time in two seasons under coach Gerry DiNardo, a former Notre Dame All American. The Tigers donned gold jerseys and white helmets for the first time in LSU history. Star running back Kevin Faulk was injured early in the game but Rondell Mealey stepped into the breach and rushed for 222 yards and two touchdowns, both in the fourth quarter, to break open a tight game. Notre Dame led 6-3 at the half on field goals of 33 and 21 yards by Scott Ceniga.

Wade Richey hit from 37 yards in the first half and then tied the game with a 42-yarder in the third quarter. LSU took the lead for good when Herb Tyler connected with Abram Booty for a 12-yard score and then Mealey took over. He broke off a 78-yard run to set up his first touchdown, a 2-yard run on the next play, and iced the game and the MVP Award with a 1-yard TD run later. The game marked the debut of infamous LSU defensive coordinator Lou Tepper, who replaced Carl Reese, fired at the end of the regular season. Tepper's defensive performed poorly the next two seasons, leading to Gerry DiNardo's ouster.

LSU 41, Notre Dame 14 (2007 Sugar Bowl)

This game followed the 2006 season and the day marked another milestone for LSU fans. Casting a shadow on the big LSU victory was the announcement hours before kickoff that Nick Saban had indeed taken the Alabama head-coaching job. It's arguable which item was foremost in LSU fans' minds.

Quarterback JaMarcus Russell made them forget, at least momentarily, with 332 yards passing and two touchdown passes. He also ran for a third touchdown and completed 21 of 34 throws. Keiland Williams scored on runs of 3 and 20 yards, the first on the Tigers second play from scrimmage. Russell's 11-yard pass to Dwayne Bowe made it 14-0. Notre Dame tied the game with a pair of scores but the Tigers took the lead for good on Russell's 5-yard TD run, set up by his 58-yard completion to Early Doucet.

It was all LSU in the second half. Russell threw a 58-yard scoring strike to Brandon LaFell, Colt David kicked two field goals and Williams ran 20 yards for the capper. Notre Dame quarterback Brady Quinn finished 15 of 35 and threw two interceptions. The Tigers finished 11-2 and ranked No. 3 in the nation with a finish that spring-boarded them to the BCS title in 2007.

Russell went on to become the overall No. 1 pick in the 2007 NFL Draft to the Oakland Raiders, although he flamed out quickly. Offensive coordinator Jimbo Fisher also moved on to become coach-in-waiting at Florida State.