Joe Cusack | |
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Born | |
Died | September 4, 1930 62) | (aged
Joseph E. Cusack (January 13, 1868 – September 4, 1930) was an American football player and an officer in the United States Army.
Cusack was born into a military family of Irish immigrants in New York City, but as an infant was moved to Fort Stockton, Texas and later to Fort Niobrara, Nebraska. In 1885, he enrolled at the University of Notre Dame and participated in their military cadet training program, achieving the rank of captain in Colonel William Hoynes' Light Guard, Company A.
Cusack played as a halfback in the first-ever football game to be played at the university—an 8–0 loss to Michigan on November 23, 1887. The following spring, Cusack moved to the quarterback position and played two additional games against Michigan on consecutive days in April. The first was a 26–6 loss at South Bend's Green Stocking Ball Park in front of 400 spectators; the second was a 10–4 loss at Notre Dame.
After becoming a member of the first graduating class out of Sorin Hall in 1889, Cusack enlisted in the Army and eventually achieved the rank of colonel. He died in San Antonio, Texas and is buried in Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery.
The Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team is the intercollegiate football team representing the University of Notre Dame in Notre Dame, Indiana, north of the city of South Bend, Indiana. The team plays its home games at the campus' Notre Dame Stadium, which has a capacity of 77,622. Notre Dame is one of seven schools that competes as an Independent at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) level; however, they play five games a year against opponents from the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC), of which Notre Dame is a member in all other sports except ice hockey.
The NCAA was without a playoff for the major college football teams in the University Division, later known as Division I-A, during the 20th century. The NCAA recognizes Division I-A national champions based on the final results of polls including the "wire service", FWAA and NFF. The 1964 AP poll continued to rank only ten teams, compiling the votes of 55 sportswriters, each of whom would give their opinion of the ten best. Under a point system of 10 points for first place, 9 for second, etc., the "overall" ranking was determined.
The phrase "Game of the Century" is a superlative that was applied to several college football contests played in the 20th century, the first full century of college football in the United States. It is a subjective term applied by sportswriters to describe the most notable games of the period.
Brian Keith Kelly is an American football coach who is currently the head football coach at Louisiana State University (LSU). Kelly previously served as the head football coach at Grand Valley State University (1991–2003), Central Michigan University (2004–2006), the University of Cincinnati (2006–2009), and the University of Notre Dame (2010–2021). He led the Grand Valley State Lakers to consecutive NCAA Division II Football Championships in 2002 and 2003. Kelly's 2012 Notre Dame team reached the 2013 BCS National Championship Game, while his 2018 and 2020 teams made appearances in the College Football Playoff (CFP).
The 1980 NCAA Division I-A football season saw a university from the state of Georgia take its first national title since 1942.
The 1971 NCAA University Division football season saw Coach Bob Devaney's Nebraska Cornhuskers repeat as national champions. Ranked a close second behind Notre Dame in the preseason poll, Nebraska moved up to first place the following week, remained there for the rest of 1971, and convincingly won the Orange Bowl 38–6 in a No. 1 vs. No. 2 game against Alabama.
The 1958 NCAA University Division football season was notable in that it was the first to feature the two-point conversion. On January 13, 1958, the eleven-man NCAA Rules Committee unanimously approved a resolution to allow teams to choose between kicking an extra point after a touchdown, or running or passing from the three-yard line for two points. University of Michigan athletic director Fritz Crisler said at the meeting in Fort Lauderdale, "It's a progressive step which will make football more interesting for the spectators," adding that the rule "will add drama to what has been the dullest, most stupid play in the game."
The 1974 NCAA Division I football season finished with two national champions. The Associated Press (AP) writers' poll ranked the University of Oklahoma, which was on probation and barred by the NCAA from postseason play, No. 1 at season's end. The United Press International (UPI) coaches' poll did not rank teams on probation, by unanimous agreement of the 25 member coaches' board. The UPI trophy went to the USC.
The 1927 college football season ended with the Illini of the University of Illinois (7–0–1) being recognized as champion under the Dickinson System. At season's end, the Rissler Cup was awarded to the team that finished first in the "Dickinson ratings", which considered strength of schedule, in that a win, loss or tie against a "strong" opponent was worth more than one against a lesser team, and the results were averaged.
The 1929 college football season saw a number of unbeaten and untied teams. Purdue, Tulane, Notre Dame and Pittsburgh all finished the regular season with wins over all their opponents. Notre Dame was recognized as national champion by two of three contemporary major selectors, while the third (Houlgate) named USC (10–2). Eight of nine retrospective selectors later also named Notre Dame and USC as No. 1 teams.
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The 1943 college football season was the 75th season of intercollegiate football in the United States. Competition included schools from the Big Ten Conference, the Pacific Coast Conference (PCC), the Southeastern Conference (SEC), the Big Six Conference, the Southwestern Conference, and numerous smaller conferences and independent programs. The season was played during World War II.