2005 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team

2005 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football
Fiesta Bowl, L 20–34 vs. Ohio State
Conference	Independent
Ranking
Coaches	No. 11
AP	No. 9
2005 record	9–3
Head coach	Charlie Weis (1st year)
Offensive coordinator	Michael Haywood (1st year)
Offensive scheme	Pro-style
Defensive coordinator	Rick Minter (1st year of 2nd stint, 3rd overall year)
Base defense	4-3 Multiple
Captain	Brady Quinn
Captain	Brandon Hoyte
Home stadium	Notre Dame Stadium (c. 80,795, grass)
Seasons ← 2004 2006 →

2005 Division I-A independents football records
	Conf							Overall
Team		W		L					W		L
#9 Notre Dame  %			–						9	–	2
Navy			–						8	–	4
Army			–						4	–	7
Temple			–						0	–	11
% – BCS at-large representative Rankings from AP Poll

Notre Dame at #23 Pittsburgh

1 2 3 4 Total • Notre Dame 7 28 7 0 42 Pittsburgh 10 3 0 8 21 Date: September 3 Location: Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, PA Game start: 8:00 p.m. EST Elapsed time: 3:25 Game attendance: 66,451 Game weather: Clear; 73°F; wind 7 NW Referee: Dennis Lipski Television network: ABC

Scoring summary Q1 10:58 PITT Lee 39 yard pass from Palko (Cummings kick) PITT 7–0 Q1 8:19 ND Walker 51 yard pass from Quinn (Fitzpatrick kick) Tie 7–7 Q1 1:40 PITT Cummings 49 yard field goal PITT 10–7 Q2 13:07 ND Walker 2 yard run (Fitzpatrick kick) ND 14–10 Q2 6:59 ND Powers-Neal 2 yard run (Fitzpatrick kick) ND 21–10 Q2 6:03 ND Samardzija 19 yard pass from Quinn (Fitzpatrick kick) ND 28–10 Q2 4:20 PITT Cummings 23 yard field goal ND 28–13 Q2 1:39 ND Powers-Neal 9 yard run (Fitzpatrick kick) ND 35–13 Q3 7:59 ND Powers-Neal 4 yard run (Fitzpatrick kick) ND 42–13 Q4 12:55 PITT Palko 4 yard run (Murphy run) ND 42–21

Scoring summary
Q1	10:58	PITT	Lee 39 yard pass from Palko (Cummings kick)	PITT 7–0
Q1	8:19	ND	Walker 51 yard pass from Quinn (Fitzpatrick kick)	Tie 7–7
Q1	1:40	PITT	Cummings 49 yard field goal	PITT 10–7
Q2	13:07	ND	Walker 2 yard run (Fitzpatrick kick)	ND 14–10
Q2	6:59	ND	Powers-Neal 2 yard run (Fitzpatrick kick)	ND 21–10
Q2	6:03	ND	Samardzija 19 yard pass from Quinn (Fitzpatrick kick)	ND 28–10
Q2	4:20	PITT	Cummings 23 yard field goal	ND 28–13
Q2	1:39	ND	Powers-Neal 9 yard run (Fitzpatrick kick)	ND 35–13
Q3	7:59	ND	Powers-Neal 4 yard run (Fitzpatrick kick)	ND 42–13
Q4	12:55	PITT	Palko 4 yard run (Murphy run)	ND 42–21

#23 Notre Dame at #3 Michigan

1 2 3 4 Total • Notre Dame 7 7 0 3 17 Michigan 0 3 0 7 10 Date: September 10 Location: Michigan Stadium, Ann Arbor, MI Game start: 12:00 p.m. EST Elapsed time: 3:30 Game attendance: 111,386 Game weather: Sunny; 85°F; wind 10–15 SE Referee: B. LeMonnier

Scoring summary Q1 12:02 ND McKnight 5 yard pass from Quinn (Fitzpatrick kick) ND 7–0 Q2 14:04 MICH Rivas 38 yard field goal ND 7–3 Q2 4:24 ND Samardzija 5 yard pass from Quinn (Fitzpatrick kick) ND 14–3 Q4 14:11 ND Fitzpatrick 43 yard field goal ND 17–3 Q4 3:47 MICH Manningham 25 yard pass from Henne (Rivas kick) ND 17–10

Scoring summary
Q1	12:02	ND	McKnight 5 yard pass from Quinn (Fitzpatrick kick)	ND 7–0
Q2	14:04	MICH	Rivas 38 yard field goal	ND 7–3
Q2	4:24	ND	Samardzija 5 yard pass from Quinn (Fitzpatrick kick)	ND 14–3
Q4	14:11	ND	Fitzpatrick 43 yard field goal	ND 17–3
Q4	3:47	MICH	Manningham 25 yard pass from Henne (Rivas kick)	ND 17–10

BYU at #12 Notre Dame

1 2 3 4 Total BYU 10 0 13 0 23 • Notre Dame 7 14 21 7 49 Date: October 22 Location: Notre Dame Stadium, South Bend, IN Game start: 2:30 p.m. EST Television network: NBC

Scoring summary 1 9:51 BYU Jared McLaughlin 44-yard field goal BYU 3-0 1 7:12 ND Maurice Stovall 10-yard pass from Brady Quinn (D.J. Fitzpatrick kick) ND 7-3 1 2:48 BYU Jonny Harline 12-yard pass from John Beck (Jared McLaughlin kick) BYU 10-7 2 10:33 ND Jeff Samardzija 14-yard pass from Brady Quinn (D.J. Fitzpatrick kick) ND 14-10 2 4:18 ND Maurice Stovall 15-yard pass from Brady Quinn (D.J. Fitzpatrick kick) ND 21-10 3 12:50 ND Jeff Ssmardzija 21-yard pass from Brady Quinn (D.J. Fitzpatrick kick) ND 28-10 3 9:11 BYU John Beck 10-yard run (Jared McLaughlin kick) ND 28-17 3 5:38 BYU Todd Watkins 10-yard pass from John Beck (pass failed) ND 28-23 3 4:47 ND Maurice Stovall 36-yard pass from Brady Quinn (D.J. Fitzpatrick kick) ND 35-23 3 2:16 ND Maurice Stovall 24-yard pass from Brady Quinn (D.J. Fitzpatrick kick) ND 42-23 4 9:24 ND Tom Zbikowski 83-yard interception return (D.J. Fitzpatrick kick) ND 49-23

Scoring summary
1	9:51	BYU	Jared McLaughlin 44-yard field goal	BYU 3-0
1	7:12	ND	Maurice Stovall 10-yard pass from Brady Quinn (D.J. Fitzpatrick kick)	ND 7-3
1	2:48	BYU	Jonny Harline 12-yard pass from John Beck (Jared McLaughlin kick)	BYU 10-7
2	10:33	ND	Jeff Samardzija 14-yard pass from Brady Quinn (D.J. Fitzpatrick kick)	ND 14-10
2	4:18	ND	Maurice Stovall 15-yard pass from Brady Quinn (D.J. Fitzpatrick kick)	ND 21-10
3	12:50	ND	Jeff Ssmardzija 21-yard pass from Brady Quinn (D.J. Fitzpatrick kick)	ND 28-10
3	9:11	BYU	John Beck 10-yard run (Jared McLaughlin kick)	ND 28-17
3	5:38	BYU	Todd Watkins 10-yard pass from John Beck (pass failed)	ND 28-23
3	4:47	ND	Maurice Stovall 36-yard pass from Brady Quinn (D.J. Fitzpatrick kick)	ND 35-23
3	2:16	ND	Maurice Stovall 24-yard pass from Brady Quinn (D.J. Fitzpatrick kick)	ND 42-23
4	9:24	ND	Tom Zbikowski 83-yard interception return (D.J. Fitzpatrick kick)	ND 49-23

The 2005 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team represented the University of Notre Dame in the 2005 NCAA Division I-A football season. The team was coached by Charlie Weis and played its home games at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, Indiana. The Irish completed the season with a record of 9–3, culminating in an appearance in the Fiesta Bowl and a number 9 ranking in the nation.

After finishing the 2004 season with a record of 6-6, Notre Dame officials, in a controversial move, fired head coach Tyrone Willingham. The Irish initially hoped to hire Utah head coach Urban Meyer, who had led the Utes to an undefeated season, as Meyer had been an assistant coach for the Irish for five years and had a clause in his contract stating he could leave Utah without penalty if Notre Dame offered him a job. When Meyer instead took the head coaching job at Florida, Notre Dame hired Charlie Weis, the New England Patriots offensive coordinator, making him the first Notre Dame alumnus to coach the team since 1963.

The Irish lost a number of players on defense including four former starting defensive backs, three players on the defensive line, including defensive end Justin Tuck, and two former starting linebackers, including honorable mention All-American Derek Curry, to graduation. On the offensive side of the ball the only key losses for the Irish were running back Ryan Grant and former quarterback and wide receiver Carlyle Holiday. The Irish returned ten starters on offense and four on defense.

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