Throwback Thursday: Notre Dame Fighting Irish VS Tennessee Volunteers 2004

[repeat] So I’m bringing back the Throwback Thursday’s a little early this year. I mean... if you consider February early in terms of the college football season. Legally, I think I’m supposed to say WAY TOO EARLY THROWBACK THURSDAY but I’ve always been somewhat of a rebel — so dangerous.

Mostly, I’m just going to post a video (full-game if possible) and offer a little bit of some commentary. You know, the reason God gave us bullet points.

2004: Notre Dame Fighting Irish 17, Tennessee Volunteers 13

It’s strange that such a bad season had a nice handful of great moments, but here we are. The Irish went down to Knoxville in November and beat the #9 team in the country.

• This was becoming PEAK Tennessee for me, and I wish this series would be played on a more regular basis.
• Yes... Notre Dame went on the road in November and beat a ranked team GASP!
• Mike Goolsby celebrated his INT return for TD about 10 yards too soon — but still managed.
• Anytime you can watch Justin Tuck in a Notre Dame uniform, you must AND you must say a small prayer.
• An actual Quinn vs Clausen battle. Well... Brady Quinn vs Rick Clausen.
• There is no way in hell that this game would have been better served at a neutral location.
• Carlyle Holiday returning punts.

It was a great game, albeit a little boring at times — but that’s SEC football in the early 2000s. It’s still strange to think Ty Willingham winning a big game, but that’s exactly what he did here.

Golf clap to Ty.

Enjoy one more time!