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1999 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team

1999 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football
Notre Dame Fighting Irish logo.svg
Conference Independent
1999 record 5–7
Head coach Bob Davie (3rd year)
Offensive coordinator Kevin Rogers (1st year)
Offensive scheme Option
Defensive coordinator Greg Mattison (3rd year)
Base defense 4–3
Home stadium Notre Dame Stadium (c. 80,012, grass)
Seasons
← 1998
2000 →
1999 Division I-A independents football records
Conf     Overall
Team   W   L         W   L  
Louisiana Tech   –         8 – 3  
Louisiana–Monroe   –         5 – 6  
Navy   –         5 – 7  
Notre Dame   –         5 – 7  
UCF   –         4 – 7  
Middle Tennessee   –         3 – 8  
Louisiana–Lafayette   –         2 – 9  
Rankings from AP Poll
1 2 3 4 Total
Oklahoma 7 16 7 0 30
• Notre Dame 7 7 14 6 34
  • Date: October 2
  • Location: Notre Dame Stadium, South Bend, IN
  • Game start: 1:37 p.m. local
  • Elapsed time: 3:38
  • Game attendance: 80,012
  • Game weather: Light Rain, 50 F, N 7
  • Referee: Tom Ahlers
  • Television network: NBC

The 1999 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team represented the University of Notre Dame in the 1999 NCAA Division I-A football season. The team was coached by Bob Davie and played its home games at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, Indiana.

The 1999 season began on a positive note for Davie, who, after signing 21 recruits, was given a contract extension to coach until 2003. Though there were high hopes that the Irish could finally get another national championship, there were also many questions facing the team, top among those would be whether Jackson could lead a young Irish team. With some controversy surrounding a verbal agreement between Notre Dame and Michigan to not schedule a game before their September 4 matchup, the Irish instead opened the season in the Eddie Robinson Classic against Kansas. Though Jackson didn't answer all the questions in the game (throwing three interceptions), the Irish still dominated the Jayhawks in the 48–13 win. With the Irish ranked 16th they went next to face the seventh-ranked Wolverines. Watched by a, then NCAA record, crowd of 111,523, the Wolverines took the lead late in the game on an Anthony Thomas touchdown run. With under two minutes remaining, Jackson led the Irish down the field with three quick passes, however, the time ran out as he completed his fourth of the drive. Though the Irish lost, 26–22, they would remain at 16th in the national polls until stumbling against Purdue the next week. With Davie blaming poor communication on the loss, the Irish dropped from the rankings for the first time in two years.

With a 10-game home winning streak, the Irish hoped to get back on track with a win against Michigan State. With the game tied 7–7 starting the fourth quarter, it looked to be headed for another last-minute decision, however, with five minutes left in the game, with the score tied again at 13–13, Spartans quarterback Bill Burke threw a quick pass to Gari Scott who ran for an 80-yard touchdown. Though the Irish had a chance and drove to the 50-yard line, Davie elected to punt the ball on fourth down with three minutes left in the game. The Spartans added a field goal to put them up 23–13 and win the game. After a week off, the Irish faced the 23rd-ranked Oklahoma Sooners. Down 30–14 mid-way through the third quarter, Jackson led the Irish on two scoring drives to bring them within two points. With the ball at their own 2-yard line, Jackson led a 98-yard drive that gave the Irish the winning touchdown. The Irish continued at home, blowing out Arizona State, coming from behind by 21 points to defeat USC, and scoring a last minute touchdown to beat Navy, to move back into the rankings.


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