Football Notre Dame 2011

[Brad]

"The 75 Worst Losses in ND History" continues with #60-56 & ND-USF 2011's SIX HOURS of pain: http://t.co/WyGode4nfy pic.twitter.com/xHJ2PEOLBn

— One Foot Down (@OneFootDown)

May 29, 2014

#56 2011, South Florida (23-20 L) Image__14__medium Number 56 on the countdown certainly lays claim to one of the strangest games in Notre Dame history, loss or not. First of all, it was one of the hottest home games in Notre Dame Stadium history with the mercury hitting 93 degrees at kickoff. Then it took 6 hours to finish the game. The first half couldn't have been scripted any worse for Notre Dame. A goal line fumble was taken back for a touchdown on the opening series. Harrison Smith committed back-to-back facemask penalties that gifted USF a field goal. Dayne Crist threw an interception in the end zone after a Cierre Wood touchdown was called back due to holding. Theo Riddick fumbled a punt return that gave the ball to the Bulls on the Irish 20-yard line. Seemingly before anyone could blink the Irish had gained 171 yards but were being shutout 16-0 at halftime. Then the thunderstorms came and dealyed the game for 2 hours and 10 minutes. When the game started back up the Irish switched to Tommy Rees at quarterback but the voodoo remained. Following a USF punt, the first drive went down to the USF 5-yard line where a Rees pass deflected off T.J. Jones' helmet for an interception. A touchdown by Michael Floyd closed the gap but a missed field goal on the following series took more air out of the ND sails. The teams traded touchdowns early in the 4th quarter to make it 23-13 and shortly after the game was post-poned again for 45 minutes. The very first play after the break was another Rees interception. A last gasp 10-play 99 yard touchdown drive got the Irish within 3 points but the onside kick failed with 21 seconds left and a promising start to the season went up in flames. The box score still captures some of the cruelty of the loss. 508 yards for Notre Dame to 254 for USF. 5 turnovers for the Irish and zero for the Bulls. South Florida converted just 2 third downs while Notre Dame went 2 for 6 in red zone scoring opportunities. The Bulls--thought to be one of the 2011 favorites in the Big East--would go on to have a miserable 5-7 season only making this loss that much worse.

[Triple B]

Wow,  thought it would have been a lot higher ... I like the picture caption, "Aliens invaded South Bend on September 3, 2011."

[The Great 8]

We would've fared better were it not for that **** storm.

[Bull Matrix]

It was all bittersweet. USF beat ND. LRS passed away during that time. After that, USF has never been the same. RIP LRS. Hopefully, USF football can bounce back soon. 

[Vroomy]

I was there. I had a great time.

 

Thanks for being so awful Notre Dame!

[KB]

Funny how it doesn't mention Holtz.

[charsibb]

Funny how it doesn't mention Holtz.

 

His daddy's statue cried real tears that day.

[raptorcj]

 

Funny how it doesn't mention Holtz.

 

His daddy's statue cried real tears that day.

Yet his daddy picked USF to win, which was all the more fulfilling:

 

“If somebody said you’re picking an upset, I’d say, that’s not an upset, an upset is what his mother would be if I picked against her son,†Lou said last week at a fundraiser in South Florida. “There’s no way in the world I’d cheer against my son. Make no mistake, I want the world to know, I am for the South Florida Bulls.â€

[BULLZ]

Our team played with heart. Dang miss those days

[thekidnapper]

Michael Floyd was unstoppable though.