College Team Guide

Notre Dame Fighting Irish: History, National Titles & Facts

Notre Dame has played football since 1887 and claims 11 national championships, from 1924 to 1988. Its football team plays as an independent, while its basketball team joined the ACC in 2013.

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Quick facts

First football season1887
StadiumNotre Dame Stadium, South Bend, Indiana (opened 1930)
Football national titles11 claimed (1924–1988)
Heisman Trophy winners7 (1943, 1947, 1949, 1953, 1956, 1964, 1987)
ConferenceFootball independent; basketball in the ACC since 2013
Basketball arenaPurcell Pavilion at the Joyce Center

National championships

Notre Dame claims 11 football national championships, won under five coaches. It also played in the national title game after the 2012 and 2024 seasons.

  • 1924: Knute Rockne's team with the Four Horsemen backfield
  • 1929 and 1930: under Knute Rockne
  • 1943, 1946, 1947 and 1949: under Frank Leahy
  • 1966 and 1973: under Ara Parseghian
  • 1977: under Dan Devine
  • 1988: under Lou Holtz
  • 2024 season: lost the College Football Playoff final to Ohio State 34–23 (January 20, 2025)
  • Basketball: reached the Final Four in 1978

Program history

  • 1887: Played its first football game, an 8–0 loss to Michigan in South Bend.
  • 1924: Won its first claimed national title with the Four Horsemen backfield.
  • 1930: Opened Notre Dame Stadium.
  • 1943–1949: Won four national titles in seven seasons under Frank Leahy.
  • 1974: Basketball beat UCLA 71–70 on January 19, ending UCLA's NCAA-record 88-game winning streak.
  • 2013: Joined the ACC in most sports; football stayed independent.
  • 2025: Lost the College Football Playoff final to Ohio State 34–23 on January 20, finishing the 2024 season 14–2.

Program record holders

Passing yards (football)Brady Quinn, 11,762 (2003–2006)
Rushing yards (football)Autry Denson, 4,318 (1995–1998)
Points (basketball)Austin Carr, 2,560 (1968–1971)

College Football & Basketball Hall of Famers

Knute Rockne (coach), George Gipp, Harry Stuhldreher, Elmer Layden, Jim Crowley, Don Miller, Frank Leahy (coach), Angelo Bertelli, Johnny Lujack, Leon Hart, Johnny Lattner, Paul Hornung, John Huarte, Ara Parseghian (coach), Alan Page, Joe Theismann, Ross Browner, Tim Brown, Chris Zorich, Raghib Ismail, Lou Holtz (coach), George Keogan (basketball coach), Moose Krause (basketball).

Biggest rivalries

  • USC: first met in 1926; since 1952 the winner has taken the Jeweled Shillelagh.
  • Navy: played every year from 1927 to 2019, the longest uninterrupted intersectional series in college football; since 2011 the winner has taken the Rip Miller Trophy.
  • Michigan: Notre Dame's first football game, in 1887, was against Michigan.

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Notre Dame Fighting Irish FAQ

How many national championships has Notre Dame football won?

Notre Dame claims 11: 1924, 1929, 1930, 1943, 1946, 1947, 1949, 1966, 1973, 1977 and 1988.

How many Heisman Trophy winners has Notre Dame had?

Seven: Angelo Bertelli (1943), Johnny Lujack (1947), Leon Hart (1949), Johnny Lattner (1953), Paul Hornung (1956), John Huarte (1964) and Tim Brown (1987).

Is Notre Dame football in a conference?

No. Football competes as an independent. Most other Notre Dame sports, including basketball, joined the ACC on July 1, 2013.

Why does Notre Dame play Navy every year?

During World War II the Navy used Notre Dame as a training center, which kept the university solvent. Notre Dame has kept the series going as a debt of honor.

Who ended UCLA's 88-game basketball winning streak?

Notre Dame, 71–70, on January 19, 1974.

Sources

Facts checked September 23, 2026. Live figures above come from ESPN.