Throwback Thursday: Notre Dame Fighting Irish VS North Carolina Tar Heels, 1949

This week the Notre Dame Preventing Irish face the College of North Carolina Tar Heels on the street. The 2 groups have confronted one another 22 instances, with Notre Dame successful 20 instances, and North Carolina successful as soon as (their second win was vacated in 2008). The longest win streak is held by Notre Dame (10) from 1949-1959. The present win streak can be held by Notre Dame (4) 2014-2021. Notre Dame’s largest margin of victory is 42-6 in 1949, and North Carolina’s largest margin of victory is 12-7 in 1960.

Notre Dame’s all time document is 0.729 (930-333-42), and North Carolina’s all time document is 0.559 (715-559-54). Notre Dame has performed 38 bowl video games and has a bowl document of 0.474 (18-20-0), and UNC has performed 36 bowl video games and has a bowl document of 0.417 (15-21-0). Notre Dame has had 105 consensus All-People, to UNC’s 15. Notre Dame has had 522 NFL draft picks, to UNC’s 247. And Notre Dame has spent 851 weeks within the AP Ballot, to UNC’s 262.

This week I’m going to flash again to the 1949 assembly between the Irish and the Tar Heels. The next excerpt is from the December 9, 1949 difficulty of the Notre Dame Scholastic.

New York Sees 42- 6 ND Victory

By BILL RILEY

New York Metropolis, Nov. 12.—For 3 quarters this afternoon an impressed North Carolina crew pulled off heroics that equaled the efforts of the little Dutch boy who held again the ocean along with his thumb within the dike. However the 67,000 individuals who had jammed mammoth Yankee Stadium noticed the dike lastly break within the third quarter as Bob Williams & Co. rushed down the sector in an 85-yard march after which swamped the Carolinians within the closing interval to win, 42-6.

The Justice-less Tar Heels primed their protection to cease Williams’ lethal passes, they usually succeeded for half the sport. However Billy Barrett, Leon Hart and Frank Spaniel shook wearying Carolina defenders within the third and closing quarter; the Irish passing assault appeared as awesomely environment friendly as within the Michigan State sport.

Earlier than Williams, Barrett, et al., placed on their present, North Carolina challenged the Irish extra vigorously than had some other crew to date this season. Whereas the stadium was nonetheless partially unfilled, with lower than three minutes of the sport gone, Tar Heel finish Kenny Powell crashed the Notre Dame line and smothered Williams’ tried kick from the Irish ten-yard line. Dick Bunting, an amazing tailback who shouldn’t be taking part in second string to anybody, carried twice for 5 yards a time, and a rating.

Notre Dame got here again, however solely to midfield or so, and Carolina once more took over. A penalty nullified a second Tar Heel rating, and the fireworks started. Frank Spaniel took off from his personal 22 and, with sensible blocking, went all the best way, 78 yards for the primary Notre Dame landing. The Tar Heels blocked their second kick in fifteen minutes and the rating remained 6-6 on the half.

By halfway within the third quarter a galaxy of stars vivid sufficient to light up this grey November day had pounced on a break and turned it into the primary of 5 second half scores. Notre Dame acquired an amazing break when a fourth down roughing-the-kicker penalty gave them a free first down. The Irish started to march. The landing got here when Williams handed to Leon Hart who, whereas carrying a half-dozen Carolinians on his again, lateraled the ball to pint-sized Billy Barrett. The quick Chicagoan dashed the remainder of the best way to a rating.

“Notre Dame was extra unbelievable than ever whereas fulfilling its-commitment with a king-size stomping of North Carolina yesterday afternoon.” — Lewis Burton, New York Journal-American.”

Notre Dame picked up two extra factors as Hart grabbed after which muffed a fumble by Bunting and recovered within the North Carolina finish zone.

It was the fourth quarter which noticed the complete flood of Irish energy wash over the Tar Heels. Williams threw 11 yards to Spaniel for the primary fourth interval landing. And Williams threw 29 yards to Barrett for the second. Within the interval Williams accomplished at the least three passes extra to fireside the Irish march.

Mike Swistowicz, not designed for damaged area operating, went straight down the sidelines for a rating after intercepting a Tar Heel cross on his personal 15. Irish blockers knocked off potential tacklers who blocked Swistowicz’ approach with the calmness and precision of expert skeet shooters selecting off clay pigeons.

Barrett scored the ultimate landing of the sport on a catch of an 18-yard cross from Johnny Mazur, Williams’ substitute at quarterback. Steve Oracko arrange the rating by recovering a Carolina fumble on the Tar Heel 23.

Bunting, Billy Hayes, Iru Holdash, Powell and Artwork Weiner all performed impressed ball for Carolina. For many of the first half the Tar Heel line was over and thru the Irish ahead wall. However the second half advised the story—North Carolina had a web minus of 5 yards on the bottom. Altogether the statistics aren’t sufficient to reward the valiant battle that the Tar Heels waged with out the assistance of their ace, Charlie Justice. Nevertheless, they confirmed as soon as once more the mighty energy of Frank Leahy’s nice Inexperienced machine.

Do you suppose Coach Freeman will be capable of lead his squad to victory this weekend in opposition to North Carolina? Or will the boys fall on the street to the Tar Heels? What say you?

Cheers & GO IRISH!