Yesterday we talked about some of the lead up for today's game with the beginning of Trumpets in the Dome. Be sure to re-read yesterday's post as we have added a first hand account of how Trumpets in the Dome started, as well as set the stage for the hype of this game. NBC put together one of the best game intros ever in preparation for this game:

#2 Notre Dame and #1 Florida State both had 16-game winning streaks coming into the game. This would be the ninth #1-#2 game Notre Dame played in and they had a 4-2-2 record in the previous eight. A record number 810 press credentials were given out as a media blitz swarmed to South Bend. ESPN set up College Gameday (view the broadcast in Part I and Part II) for the first time ever in the Joyce Center and NBC added Bob Costas to its staff along with another sideline reporter, O.J. Simpson.

Behind future Heisman winner Charlie Ward, Florida State got the first touchdown. Notre Dame would answer right away capped by a thirty two yard touchdown run by Adrian Jarrell and the score was tied at 7-7. Notre Dame would intercept Ward at the 23 which set up a short field for another touchdown. By halftime, Notre Dame was leading 21-7 and they would never look back. Florida State came in with the number two offense and number one defense. In the first half they only had seven points and gave up twenty one points, trailing at halftime for the first time in twenty-three games. In the third quarter, the Irish would extend their lead to 24-7 on a career long 47 yard field goal by Kevin Pendergast. Florida State would close to 24-17 but Notre Dame wasn't done yet with scoring another touchdown with under seven minutes to go.

Notre Dame now led 31-17 as Florida State got the ball back. Following a 20 yard touchdown pass by Ward, his longest play of the day, Notre Dame now led 31-24. Notre Dame recovered the onside kick but quickly went three and out and Florida State had one last chance. The clock showed 0:51 and Florida State needed to go 63 yards. Ward moved the offense 49 yards to the Irish 14 with ten seconds left. The first pass fell incomplete and three seconds remained for the final play. Shawn Wooden, who had recovered the onside kick earlier, batted the pass to the ground as time expired and Notre Dame held on to win 31-24.

            1  2  3  4     
Florida St  7  0  7 10 - 24
Notre Dame  7 14  3  7 - 31

The next week Notre Dame would be the number one ranked team only to face Boston College and we know how that went. Jim Flanigan would appear on Sports Illustrated the following week.