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MIAMI- "I feel so washed out," said Ara Parseghian, his emotional
Notre Dame coaching career at a sad- but happy- end after 11 pressure
seasons (video).
"He (Parseghian) was a senior to us and playing his last game just like
the rest of the seniors," said halfback Eric Penick.
And, said Alabama's Bear Bryant, another coaching immortal, "I don't
feel jinxed in bowls."
Notre Dame's 13-11 Orange Bowl triumph over first or second-ranked
Alabama (depending on what poll you prefer) Wednesday night was more a
tale of two coaches than two teams.
To some extent, it was similar to Notre Dame's thrilling 24-23 national
championship Sugar Bowl shootout over Alabama last season. This time,
the twice-beaten Irish came in with no hope of repeating as the nation's
No. 1 team.
Nonetheless, they shattered Alabama's national championship dreams for
the second consecutive season, extended the Crimson Tide bowl jinx- what
else can you call it?- to eight years and presented Parseghian with a
going-away present he'll always cherish.
The victory by ninth-ranked Notre Dame, an 11 1/2-point underdog,
virtually assured the Associated Press writers' college national
championship to the Oklahoma Sooners, who completed their season with an
11-0 mark- the only perfect record among the nation's 128 major college
teams- but were ineligible for a bowl game because they are on probation
for recruiting violations.
But the United Press International board of college coaches poll didn't
recognize the Sooners because of their violations, raising some doubt as
to who they, will vote No. 1 in their final poll early next week.
"This game ranks right up there among the greatest of my career," said
an emotionally drained Parseghian. "I wish you could have been in here
after the game was over. You would have seen there's no truth to the
story out of San Francisco about disunity on this team.
"I didn't overburden the team with this being my last game. I thanked
them as profoundly as I could after the game because this is something
I'll always remember. But before the game, I just asked them to play
like men and go out like men."
Parseghian, who announced his resignation earlier this month and now
turns the famed Notre Dame coaching reins over to Dan Devine, wound up
as the second winningest Irish coach with a 95-17-4 record. He trails
the legendary Knute Rockne by 10 victories.
"I told them before the game they owed this game to themselves and the
people who follow Notre Dame," said Parseghian: Parseghian's words
worked well. The Irish defense, much maligned after a late-season 55-24
loss to USC played superbly as they forced five fumbles and intercepted
two passes while constantly bottling up Alabama's Wishbone attack.
"I knew our offensive front four could not contain their defensive
front," said Alabama coach Bear Bryant, "but our offensive line has not
been consistent all year. Our team was ready to play."
Wayne Bullock, playing his final game for Notre Dame, came off a sick
bed to carry the brunt of the offensive attack and score the game's
first touchdown on a four yard run, and sophomore' Mark McLane added the
other score on a nine yard sprint.
 But
it was the aggressive play of the Irish defense, especially that of
tackle Steve Niehaus and linebackers John Dubenetzki and Reggie Barnett,
that curbed the Tide and once again ruined the start of the New Year for
Bear Bryant.
The Irish had only one defensive lapse all game and that came with only
3:13 remaining when Richard Todd completed a 48-yard touchdown pass to
Russ Schamun on a fourth down and five situation.
That play was made possible when defensive back Randy Payne slipped and
fell on the artificial turf and when Alabama successfully made a two
point conversion there was still time for the Tide to pull the contest
out.
They got their chance with 1:39 to go when Notre Dame was forced to give
up the ball on a punt taking the ball on their own 38. Todd moved the
team to the Notre Dame 38 on two quick passes and was moving the team
into field goal range when Barnett pulled the defensive play of the game
for the Irish by intercepting an intended pass for Randy Billingsly (video).
That was one of several mistakes which proved costly to the Crimson
Tide.
The first occured early in the first quarter when Shelby fumbled a punt
on the Alabama 16 and Notre Dame's Al Samuel recovered.
Five plays later Bullock, who emerged as the game's leading rusher with
83 yards, scored from the four.
Later in the period Notre Dame recovered an errant pitchout by Todd but
failed to capitalize when Dave Reeve missed a field goal attempt.
The Irish got another break early in the second period when Washington
was called for offsides as Reeve was lining up to try a kick from the
45. Notre Dame was given a first down and they scored four plays later
when McLane burst off left tackle for a nine yard touchdown.
Reeve, however, missed the extra point and that almost proved fatal when
Alabama pulled within two points late in the fourth quarter.
Alabama could muster virtually no offense against Notre Dame as the Tide
managed only 285 yards total offense.
Their only other score came on a 20 yard field goal by Danny Ridgeway in
the second period after a drive had boggled on the Notre Dame four.
"I'm happy Ara went out on a winning note, but I'm not happy it was at
our expense," said Bryant.
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Attendance- 71,801
Scoring Summary
First Quarter
ND- Bullock 4 run (Reeve kick)
Second Quarter
ND- McLane 9 run (kick failed)
ALA- FG Ridgeway 21
Fourth Quarter
ALA- Schamun pass 48 from Todd (Pugh PAT pass from Todd)
Individual Statistics
Rushing
UA- Culliver 11-60, Shelby 5-25
ND- Bullock 24-83, Samuel 10-39, McLane 8-30, Clements 11-26
Passing
UA- Todd 13-24-194
ND- Clements 4-7-19
Receiving
UA- Newsome 6-68, Schamun 5-126, Billingsley 3-17
ND- Demmerle 2-12
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