The Shocking Loss That Turned Notre Dame Into a Contender

THE GREATEST MOMENTS in Notre Dame Fighting Irish history are the stuff of college football legend. There's Joe Montana's last-second heroics in the "Chicken Soup Game." There's the fumble recovery that sealed the "Catholics vs. Convicts" showdown against the Miami Hurricanes. And there's Knute Rockne inspiring his players to "win one for the Gipper" in a 1928 upset of Army.

- LAINE HIGGINS

No one expected kicker Mitch Jeter to add a new chapter to Notre Dame's football lore when he strode onto the field to attempt a field goal in a September showdown against lowly Northern Illinois. Even fewer expected it when his 62-yard attempt was blocked, consigning the Fighting Irish to one of the more embarrassing defeats since they first took the field in 1887.

But four months on, it turns out that a botched field goal against a no-name opponent in a forgettable early-season loss may one day occupy its own spot in the annals of this team's storied history. According to Notre Dame players, coaches and administrators, that inauspicious miss actually represents the single most important episode in a memorable season that could soon deliver Notre Dame its first national championship in a generation.

"Culture is revealed in tough moments," coach Marcus Freeman said.