2012 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team

2012 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football
BCS National Championship Game, L 14–42 vs. Alabama
Conference	Independent
Ranking
Coaches	No. 3
AP	No. 4
2012 record	12–1
Head coach	Brian Kelly (3rd year)
Offensive coordinator	Chuck Martin (1st as OC, 3rd overall year)
Offensive scheme	Spread
Defensive coordinator	Bob Diaco (3rd year)
Co-defensive coordinator	Kerry Cooks (3rd year)
Base defense	3–4
Captain	Tyler Eifert Kapron Lewis-Moore Zack Martin Manti Te'o
Home stadium	Notre Dame Stadium (Capacity: 80,795)
Seasons « 2011 2013 »

2012 Division I FBS independents football records
	Conf							Overall
Team		W		L					W		L
#4 Notre Dame  %			–						0	–	1
BYU			–						8	–	5
Navy			–						8	–	5
Army			–						2	–	10
% – BCS at-large representative As of January 7, 2013; Rankings from AP Poll

Emerald Isle Classic

1 2 3 4 Total • #22 Fighting Irish 13 14 13 10 50 Midshipmen 0 3 7 0 10 Date: September 1 Location: Aviva Stadium Dublin, Ireland Game start: 2:06pm (9:06am) Elapsed time: 3:19 Game attendance: 48,820 Game weather: Temp: 66 • Wind: WSW 19 • Weather: Mostly cloudy Referee: John McDaid TV announcers (CBS): Verne Lundquist, Gary Danielson, Tracy Wolfson & David Feherty

Scoring summary 1 9:12 ND Theo Riddick 11-yard run (kick failed) Notre Dame 6-0 1 3:02 ND George Atkinson III 56-yard run (Nick Tausch kick) Notre Dame 13-0 2 11:20 ND Tyler Eifert 5-yard pass from Everett Golson (Nick Tausch kick) Notre Dame 20-0 2 2:12 ND Stephon Tuitt 77-yard fumble return (Nick Tausch kick) Notre Dame 27-0 2 :00 NAVY Nick Sloan 26-yard field goal Notre Dame 27-3 3 14:03 NAVY Shawn Lynch 25-yard pass from Trey Miller (Nick Sloan kick) Notre Dame 27-10 3 8:45 ND George Atkinson III 3-yard run (run failed) Notre Dame 33-10 3 4:06 ND Theo Riddick 3-yard run (Nick Tausch kick) Notre Dame 40-10 4 5:54 ND Nick Tausch 34-yard field goal Notre Dame 43-10 4 :39 ND Robby Toma 9-yard run (Nick Tausch kick) Notre Dame 50-10

Scoring summary
1	9:12	ND	Theo Riddick 11-yard run (kick failed)	Notre Dame 6-0
1	3:02	ND	George Atkinson III 56-yard run (Nick Tausch kick)	Notre Dame 13-0
2	11:20	ND	Tyler Eifert 5-yard pass from Everett Golson (Nick Tausch kick)	Notre Dame 20-0
2	2:12	ND	Stephon Tuitt 77-yard fumble return (Nick Tausch kick)	Notre Dame 27-0
2	:00	NAVY	Nick Sloan 26-yard field goal	Notre Dame 27-3
3	14:03	NAVY	Shawn Lynch 25-yard pass from Trey Miller (Nick Sloan kick)	Notre Dame 27-10
3	8:45	ND	George Atkinson III 3-yard run (run failed)	Notre Dame 33-10
3	4:06	ND	Theo Riddick 3-yard run (Nick Tausch kick)	Notre Dame 40-10
4	5:54	ND	Nick Tausch 34-yard field goal	Notre Dame 43-10
4	:39	ND	Robby Toma 9-yard run (Nick Tausch kick)	Notre Dame 50-10

Shillelagh Trophy

1 2 3 4 Total Boilermakers 0 7 0 10 17 • #19 Fighting Irish 0 7 10 3 20 Date: September 8 Location: Notre Dame Stadium South Bend, IN Game start: 3:40pm Elapsed time: 3:33 Game attendance: 80,795 Game weather: Temp: 67 • Wind: NW 14 • Weather: Partly sunny Referee: John O'Neil TV announcers (NBC): Tom Hammond, Mike Mayock & Alex Flanagan

Scoring summary 2 3:45 ND Everett Golson 3-yard run (Kyle Brindza kick) Notre Dame 7-0 2 :09 PUR Antavian Edison 2-yard pass from Robert Marve (Sam McCartney kick) Tie 7-7 3 10:46 ND T. J. Jones 3-yard pass from Everett Golson (Kyle Brindza kick) Notre Dame 14-7 3 9:02 ND Kyle Brindza 30-yard field goal Notre Dame 17-7 4 14:57 PUR Sam McCartney 33-yard field goal Notre Dame 17-10 4 2:12 PUR Antavian Edison 15-yard pass from Caleb TerBush (Sam McCartney kick) Tie 17-17 4 :07 ND Kyle Brindza 27-yard field goal Notre Dame 20-17

Scoring summary
2	3:45	ND	Everett Golson 3-yard run (Kyle Brindza kick)	Notre Dame 7-0
2	:09	PUR	Antavian Edison 2-yard pass from Robert Marve (Sam McCartney kick)	Tie 7-7
3	10:46	ND	T. J. Jones 3-yard pass from Everett Golson (Kyle Brindza kick)	Notre Dame 14-7
3	9:02	ND	Kyle Brindza 30-yard field goal	Notre Dame 17-7
4	14:57	PUR	Sam McCartney 33-yard field goal	Notre Dame 17-10
4	2:12	PUR	Antavian Edison 15-yard pass from Caleb TerBush (Sam McCartney kick)	Tie 17-17
4	:07	ND	Kyle Brindza 27-yard field goal	Notre Dame 20-17

Megaphone Trophy

1 2 3 4 Total • #17 Fighting Irish 7 7 0 6 20 #10 Spartans 0 3 0 0 3 Date: September 15 Location: Spartan Stadium East Lansing, MI Game start: 8:12pm Elapsed time: 3:21 Game attendance: 79,219 Game weather: Temp: 68 • Wind: NE 2 • Weather: Clear Referee: Dennis Hennigan TV announcers (ABC): Brent Musburger, Kirk Herbstreit & Heather Cox

Rivalry Game

1 2 3 4 Total #17 Wolverines 0 0 0 6 6 • #11 Fighting Irish 0 10 0 3 13 Date: September 22 Location: Notre Dame Stadium South Bend, IN Game start: 7:40pm Elapsed time: 3:10 Game attendance: 80,795 Game weather: Temp: 53 • Wind: W 7 • Weather: Partly cloudy Referee: Bill LeMonnier TV announcers (NBC): Tom Hammond, Mike Mayock & Alex Flanagan

Scoring summary 2 10:09 ND Kyle Brindza 33-yard field goal Notre Dame 3-0 2 1:21 ND Tommy Rees 1-yard run (Kyle Brindza kick) Notre Dame 10-0 4 13:10 MICH Brendan Gibbons 33-yard field goal Notre Dame 10-3 4 6:46 ND Kyle Brindza 39-yard field goal Notre Dame 13-3 4 3:27 MICH Brendan Gibbons 31-yard field goal Notre Dame 13-6

Scoring summary
2	10:09	ND	Kyle Brindza 33-yard field goal	Notre Dame 3-0
2	1:21	ND	Tommy Rees 1-yard run (Kyle Brindza kick)	Notre Dame 10-0
4	13:10	MICH	Brendan Gibbons 33-yard field goal	Notre Dame 10-3
4	6:46	ND	Kyle Brindza 39-yard field goal	Notre Dame 13-3
4	3:27	MICH	Brendan Gibbons 31-yard field goal	Notre Dame 13-6

Shamrock Series

1 2 3 4 Total Hurricanes 3 0 0 0 3 • #10 Fighting Irish 7 6 21 7 41 Date: October 6 Location: Soldier Field Chicago, IL Game start: 6:39pm (7:39pm) Elapsed time: 3:14 Game attendance: 62,871 Game weather: Temp: 44 • Wind: NW 5 • Weather: Cloudy Referee: Jeff Flanagan TV announcers (NBC): Tom Hammond, Mike Mayock & Alex Flanagan

Scoring summary 1 9:28 ND Theo Riddick 1-yard run (Kyle Brindza kick) Notre Dame 7-0 1 5:32 MIA Jake Wieclaw 28-yard field goal Notre Dame 7-3 2 14:10 ND Kyle Brindza 22-yard field goal Notre Dame 10-3 2 5:07 ND Kyle Brindza 32-yard field goal Notre Dame 13-3 3 11:57 ND Cierre Wood 2-yard run (Kyle Brindza kick) Notre Dame 20-3 3 2:53 ND Cierre Wood 3-yard run (Kyle Brindza kick) Notre Dame 27-3 3 :23 ND George Atkinson III 55-yard run (Kyle Brindza kick) Notre Dame 34-3 4 1:06 ND Cam McDaniel 1-yard run (Kyle Brindza kick) Notre Dame 41-3

The 2012 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team represented the University of Notre Dame in the 2012 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team was coached by Brian Kelly and played its home games at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, Indiana. They competed as an independent.

Despite starting the season unranked, the Fighting Irish ended the regular season with a 12-0 record, finishing number one in all major polls. Led by Heisman Trophy finalist and Butkus Award winner Manti Te'o, the Irish finished with the number one defense in the country, giving up just 10.3 points per game. They played in the BCS National Championship Game with a chance to win their first national title since 1988 but were defeated by the Alabama Crimson Tide. As of November 2016, the NCAA has ordered Notre Dame to vacate all wins from the 2011-2012 and 2012-2013 seasons due to academic violations.

Notre Dame had 4 players selected in the 2012 NFL Draft. In the 1st round, the Arizona Cardinals selected Michael Floyd and the Minnesota Vikings selected Harrison Smith. In the 5th round, the Vikings selected Robert Blanton and the San Francisco 49ers selected Darius Fleming.

Senior quarterback Dayne Crist was granted a release from the team by Brian Kelly to explore transfer options in December 2011. He decided to join his former Notre Dame head coach, Charlie Weis, at the University of Kansas.Aaron Lynch also transferred out of the program to USF. Cornerback Tee Shepherd left the school less than two months after his early enrollment. Jordan Prestwood, an offensive tackle who transferred from FSU, sat out the 2011 season, and was also eligible to play in 2012, departed the team. Brad Carrico also departed the team after a foot injury and was granted a medical hardship after failing to recover from a foot surgery.

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