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1972 Notre Dame

8–⁠3, coached by Ara Parseghian, finished No. 14 in the AP poll.

Schedule and results

Notre Dame in 1972, game by game: won at Northwestern 37–0; won vs. Purdue 35–14; won at Michigan State 16–0; won vs. Pittsburgh 42–16; lost vs. Missouri 26–30; won vs. TCU 21–0; won vs. Navy 42–23; won at Air Force 21–7; won vs. Miami 20–17; lost at No. 1 USC 23–45; lost vs. No. 9 Nebraska 6–40+37−34Won 37–0 at Northwestern+37NorthwesternWon 35–14 vs. Purdue+21PurdueWon 16–0 at Michigan State+16Michigan StateWon 42–16 vs. Pittsburgh+26PittsburghLost 26–30 vs. Missouri-4MissouriWon 21–0 vs. TCU+21TCUWon 42–23 vs. Navy+19NavyWon 21–7 at Air Force+14Air ForceWon 20–17 vs. Miami+3MiamiLost 23–45 at No. 1 USC-22No. 1 USCLost 6–40 vs. No. 9 Nebraska-34No. 9 Nebraska
Each game’s margin, wins above the line and losses below.
DateOpponentResultElo
Sep 23atNorthwesternW 37–⁠054%
Sep 30vsPurdueW 35–⁠1484%
Oct 7atMichigan StateW 16–⁠062%
Oct 14vsPittsburghW 42–⁠1691%
Oct 21vsMissouriL 26–⁠3089%
Oct 28vsTCUW 21–⁠074%
Nov 4vsNavyW 42–⁠2380%
Nov 11atAir ForceW 21–⁠754%
Nov 18vsMiamiW 20–⁠1784%
Dec 2at1USCL 23–⁠4532%
Jan 1Bowls & playoffvs9NebraskaOrange BowlL 6–⁠4035%

Elo: a pregame chance from scores alone.

How it ended: Lost to Nebraska 40–⁠6 in the Orange Bowl; No. 14 in the final AP poll.

In program history: The tied 68th-best season in program history by end-of-season Elo (of 131 on file).

AP poll, week by week

  1. Wk 1: 13
  2. Wk 2: 14
  3. Wk 3: 13
  4. Wk 4: 10
  5. Wk 5: 7
  6. Wk 6: 7
  7. Wk 7: 8
  8. Wk 8: 13
  9. Wk 9: 12
  10. Wk 10: 12
  11. Wk 11: 10
  12. Wk 12: 11
  13. Wk 13: 10
  14. Wk 14: 12
  15. Final: 14

Players on this team

Before 2004 our records hold honors and the draft; these are the players whose college years here, from their Wikipedia articles or their honors, include 1972.

Consensus All-AmericanGreg Marx, DT

Record
8–⁠3
Conference
—
AP final
No. 14 peak No. 7
Points
289–⁠192
Coach
Ara Parseghian
Elo
1667 +46 this season
SP+ rating
19.8 No. 12 of 121; offense No. 15, defense No. 24
SRS
18.0 No. 13 of 127 major-college teams
Recruiting class
—
Captains
John Dampeer and Greg Marx

Drafted in 1973

The 1973 draft
Rd 2Greg Marx DTAtlanta Falcons
Rd 6Mike Creaney CChicago Bears