Far too little attention has been given to Notre Dame 's bid for a bowl record of historical magnitude. The Fighting Irish prep for the Sugar Bowl game with LSU having lost eight bowl games in succession. They currently share the record for most consecutive bowl losses in college football history with South Carolina. But the Irish attained in only 12 years what the '[censored] needed the better part of half a century to accomplish.
Some of my favorite bowl memories are included in this run. Who can possibly forget the merciless thrashing at the hands of the Oregon State Beavers, 41-9, on that 1st of January, 2001? What a grand and glorious way to welcome in the new millennium! And the game was not nearly as close as the final score would indicate. Oh, you just know that the Irish were bent on revenge when matched again with Oregon State following the 2004 season. But alas, another butt-kicking (slapping?) by the Beavers was in store, this time by a 38-21 score.
Notre Dame has come within two touchdowns in only two of the eight losses. The last of those came in the Gator Bowl on New Year's Day, 1999, in a 35-28 loss to Georgia Tech. Since then, the Fighting Irish have lost four bowl games by
an average score of 35-14, the closest of those, last year's 34-20 drubbing by Ohio State.
Yes, yes, Irish fans, we know that under current rules of engagement (BCS, your own network, etc.), the only reason you don't hold the record outright is that you somehow failed to get into a bowl game following the 1999, 2001 and 2003 seasons. Just one more victory somewhere in there, and certainly the record would be yours, alone.
But, take heart and consider the opportunity that lies ahead in New Orleans. Many knowledgeable fans think there are few teams, very few, in college football with as many big, strong, fast and agile athetes as the LSU Tigers. I think you have an excellent chance to march right into the history books. If you should happen to stumble in this quest, we will all know and agree that you richly deserved it, but fate intervened.
Cheers, Notre Dame.