Forgotten history: How Arkansas and Lou Holtz helped ND win a Nattie.
In his first season at Arkansas, Holtz led them to a berth in the 1978 Orange Bowl against the Oklahoma Sooners, then coached by Barry Switzer. The Sooners were in position to win their third national championship in four seasons after top-ranked Texas lost earlier in the day to fifth-ranked Notre Dame in the Cotton Bowl Classic. Arkansas' chances looked slim after the team lost several key personnel just before the game. In one of his last practices, All-American guard, Leotis Harris suffered a season-ending injury, and only a couple of days later Holtz suspended both starting running backs, Ben Cowins and Michael Forrest, and top receiver, Donny Bobo, for disciplinary reasons. However, behind an Orange Bowl record of 205 yards rushing from reserve running back Roland Sales the Hogs defeated the Sooners, 31–6.
Replies to: Forgotten history: How Arkansas and Lou Holtz helped ND win a Nattie.
The 77/78 bowl games were the perfect storm for an Irish title.
Of course, #6 Arkansas crushed #2 Sooners in the Orange. #4 Michigan lost in the Rose. #3 and once beaten Bama destroyed Woody and #9 OSU in the Sugar and once beaten #5 Irish crushed #1 Earl Campbell and Texas in the Cotton. The pollsters felt that ND destroying #1 Texas was worth more than Bama doing the same to #9 OSU so Irish was voted national Champs. Tide fans at the time were livid out of their minds. It all would have been resolved without any doubt if ND beats Ole Miss.
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nt0FIIEqP5A
Those were the days when we got the break because we almost always played the top ranked team.
Somehow the dominoes always fell in place.