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2006 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team

2006 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football
NotreDameFightingIrish.svg
Sugar Bowl vs. LSU, L 41-14
Conference Independent
Ranking
Coaches No. 19
AP No. 17
2006 record 10–3
Head coach Charlie Weis (2nd year)
Offensive coordinator Michael Haywood (2nd year)
Offensive scheme Pro-style
Defensive coordinator Rick Minter (2nd year of 2nd stint, 4th overall year)
Base defense 4-3 Multiple
Captain Brady Quinn
Captain Travis Thomas
Captain Tom Zbikowski
Home stadium Notre Dame Stadium (c. 80,795, grass)
Seasons
← 2005
2007 →
2006 Division I FBS independents football records
Conf     Overall
Team   W   L         W   L  
#17 Notre Dame  %   –         10 – 3  
Navy   –         9 – 4  
Army   –         3 – 9  
Temple   –         1 – 11  
  • % – BCS at-large representative
Rankings from AP Poll
#2 Notre Dame at Georgia Tech
1 2 3 4 Total
• Notre Dame 0 7 7 0 14
Georgia Tech 7 3 0 0 10
#19 Penn State at #4 Notre Dame
1 2 3 4 Total
Penn St 0 0 3 14 17
• Notre Dame 3 17 14 7 41
#11 Michigan at #2 Notre Dame
1 2 3 4 Total
• Michigan 20 14 6 7 47
Notre Dame 7 7 0 7 21
  • Date: September 16
  • Location: Notre Dame Stadium, South Bend, IN
#12 Notre Dame at Michigan State
1 2 3 4 Total
• Notre Dame 0 14 7 19 40
Michigan St 17 14 6 0 37
Purdue at #12 Notre Dame
1 2 3 4 Total
Purdue 7 7 0 7 21
• Notre Dame 14 14 7 0 35
  • Date: September 30
  • Location: Notre Dame Stadium, South Bend, IN
Stanford at #12 Notre Dame
1 2 3 4 Total
Stanford 3 0 0 7 10
• Notre Dame 7 7 10 7 31
  • Date: October 7
  • Location: Notre Dame Stadium, South Bend, IN
UCLA at #10 Notre Dame
1 2 3 4 Total
UCLA 0 14 0 3 17
• Notre Dame 7 3 3 7 20
  • Date: October 21
  • Location: Notre Dame Stadium, South Bend, IN
Navy vs. #11 Notre Dame
1 2 3 4 Total
• Notre Dame 10 14 7 7 38
Navy 0 14 0 0 14

The 2006 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team represented the University of Notre Dame in the 2006 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team was coached by Charlie Weis and played its home games at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, Indiana. The team completed the season with a record of ten wins and three losses that culminated in a post-season appearance in the 2007 Sugar Bowl and a number 19 ranking in the nation.

After finishing 9-3 in 2005, Notre Dame began the 2006 season ranked No. 3 in the USA Today Coaches Poll and No. 2 in the Associated Press Poll. These were Notre Dame's highest preseason rankings since 1994, when they occupied the same positions in both polls.

The Irish lost nine former starters to graduation and the NFL after the 2005 season, including five offensive starters, three defensive, and placekicker D.J. Fitzpatrick. However, the Irish returned many key players such as quarterback Brady Quinn, wide receiver Jeff Samardzija, running back Darius Walker, and safety Tom Zbikowski from the previous year's squad, Notre Dame received much pre-season hype as a possible national championship contender.

In Weis' first full year of recruiting, the Irish signed 28 recruits. The top ten ranked recruiting class, included three five star recruits on offense and 14 four star recruits with eight on offense and six on defense.

Sources:

Quinn also entered the season as one of the favorites to win the coveted Heisman Trophy. Along with Quinn, the following Fighting Irish football players were named to national award watchlists for the 2006 season:

Notre Dame's three players on the Maxwell Award watchlist tied Miami, Michigan, Ohio State, and USC for most nominees.


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