Menu

2002 college football season

2002 Notre Dame Football: The Willingham Era Begins With Promise

, , , , , ,

It was a fresh start for football in South Bend, as head coach Ty Willingham came over from Stanford to coach the 2002 Notre Dame football team. Willlingham had taken the Cardinal to a Rose Bowl in 1999, and a strong first year—including briefly sniffing a possible national championship—raised hopes that Notre Dame finally had the right man.

The Epic Miami-Ohio State Fiesta Bowl Battle

, , , , , ,

The 2002 college football season built to an epic conclusion, as the Miami Hurricanes looked to seal a repeat title and the latest installment of their dynastic run that had begun back in 1983. And though it’s hard to imagine the Ohio State Buckeyes in the role of plucky underdog, that’s what they were in 2002. These two teams played a Fiesta Bowl for the ages that decided the national championship.