Another classic confrontation at Notre Dame Stadium
As we gear up for this week’s College Football Playoff semi-final showdown against Penn State, it’s impossible not to reflect on one of the most iconic matchups in Notre Dame football history: the 1992 “Snow Bowl.” That frigid November day, with snowflakes swirling around Notre Dame Stadium, provided the perfect backdrop for a dramatic battle between two storied programs. It was a game of redemption for the Irish seniors, including quarterback Rick Mirer and running back Reggie Brooks, who delivered a thrilling 17-16 victory in their final home appearance. This Throwback Thursday, we look back at that unforgettable game and how its grit, determination, and triumph resonate as the Irish prepare to take on the Nittany Lions once again, this time on the grand stage of the playoffs.
The below snipped is from the 1992 Football Review, in the Scholastic: Notre Dame’s Student Magazine, Vol 134, No. 13, written by Peg Ward.
Why They Play The Game
Another classic confrontation at Notre Dame Stadium
by Peg Ward
With the temperatures dropping and the snow falling, the Day of Reckoning – November 14, 1992 – had arrived. “The cold, the snow, black shoes, plain uniforms and a traditional rival. This is what football is all about. This is why we play the game,” proclaimed Notre Dame linebacker Demetrius DuBose.
DuBose and the other Fighting Irish football seniors would be making their final appearances in the House that Rockne Built, and they were determined to capture a victory that had eluded them for the past two seasons – a win over Penn State. In their two previous games against Penn State, the Irish had lost by scores of 35-13 and 24-21.
Coach Lou Holtz, commenting on these two games, said, “We didn’t play well against Penn State in the second half two years ago in our stadium, and we did not play well at all last year at Penn State. I think our players feel the need to redeem themselves for that.”
The question still remained: Would Lou Holtz and the Notre Dame football team send the Nittany Lions back to Happy Valley with their tails between their legs, or would the Irish once again be denied a win over Joe Paterno’s charges?
The Irish players took to heart Holtz’s call for redemption and beat Penn State, 17-16. With the score staying close throughout the game, the contest went down to the wire. Notre Dame, down 16-9 with a little under five minutes left in the game, orchestrated a drive down the field that was capped off by quarterback Rick Mirer’s 3-yard touchdown pass to Jerome Bettis. This set up a spectacular two point conversion catch by Reggie Brooks, the senior running back who truly emerged this season as the “go-to man” for the Irish. The victory was the most thrilling in recent memory. As the final gun sounded, the crowd rushed the field, transforming it into a sea of cheering students and fans, all reveling in an incredible victory.
The game opened with the Irish offense taking the field. Senior quarterback Rick Mirer and company wasted little time in marching into Lion territory. The drive was keyed by two receptions by senior tight end Irv Smith. Mirer hit Smith for a 19-yard pickup, and two plays later, as the Penn State defense blitzed, the offensive line held strong and Mirer was able to find Smith along the sideline for a 14-yard gain that brought the Irish to the Penn State 15-yard line. Then, the Lion defense buckled down. Faced with fourth down and four yards to go from the 9-yard line, Holtz opted to call in the kicking unit. Senior placekicker Craig Hentrich converted the 26-yard field goal attempt and put the Irish on the scoreboard early, 3-0.
The teams would trade interceptions on the following two possessions. The Notre Dame defense spoiled Penn State’s offensive debut by playing with a vengeance. With Penn State still on its own 45-yardline, Irish linemen Karmeleeyah McGill and Bryant Young brought down Lion quarterback Kerry Collins in the backfield for a 5- yard loss. Two plays later Notre Dame regained possession of the ball when free safety John Covington picked off Collins’ first pass attempt of the game. Collins intended receiver was tight end Ryan Grube, but as the ball arrived, cornerback Tom Carter put a severe hit on the Penn State player, causing the ball to be deflected into the hands of Covington.
Notre Dame regained control of the football at its own 49-yard line, but like Penn State, it too would have a difficult time holding onto the ball. Under heavy pressure on the Lions’ 27-yard line, Mirer missed target Dean Lytle on a throw over the middle, and the pass was intercepted by Lion safety Lee Rubin. It was once again Penn State’s turn to show some offensive firepower. This time the Lions took full advantage of the opportunity. Penn State drive 72 yards down the field and, despite a strong goal-line defensive effort by the Irish, running back Richie Anderson leapt up and over into the end zone to put Penn State on top, 6-3.
Both teams lined up for the usually routine extra point, but Notre Dame free safety Bobby Taylor had other intentions. In what would become the key defensive play of the game, the freshman phenom blocked Penn State kicker V.J. Muscillo’s point-after attempt. ‘’That’s something I take pride in,” said Taylor. “I tipped one earlier this season against Michigan State. I just went as high as I could. Fortunately, I timed it right.” This outstanding defensive effort wound up giving the Irish the one point cushion needed for the victory.
Penn State’s touchdown came with 1:26 left in the first quarter, and neither team would put any more points on the board until the final ten seconds of the first half. Throughout the remainder of the first quarter and continuing well into the second, the Irish and Lion defenses held the opposing offenses in check. The second quarter would see four consecutive punts and a turnover by each team. Finally; with 4:14 left in the half, Notre Dame regained possession of the ball, and, led by the rushing tandem of Reggie Brooks and Jerome Bettis, the Irish ground attack came alive.
Collectively referred to by coach Holtz as “Thunder and Lightening,” this dynamic duo blasted through Penn State’s defensive line, forcing the ball down to the Penn State 6-yard line. Bettis carried the ball 15 times for 89 yards during the game, despite being sidelined with a sprained ankle for the opening quarter of the game. Brooks, meanwhile, set a career high of 23 rushing attempts accumulating 88 yards.
Highlighting this drive was freshman wide receiver Derrick Mayes’ 12-yard reception. Mayes prevented a possible interception when he wrested the ball away from Lion linebacker Brian Gelzheiser on the play. The Irish still could not put the ball into the end zone, however. Earlier in the quarter Mirer overthrew Irv Smith in the end zone on a fourth-and-one play from the 5- yard line. This time, Holtz opted to take the three points. With time running out in the half, Hentrich put the ball through the uprights, and the score was tied, 6-6.
Continue reading about the second half here on page 35 of the 1992 Notre Dame Football Review.
As I wrote my first book, I had the chance to hear Reggie’s thoughts on this incredible game. “We always practiced the two-point conversion in practice. It was nothing new to us. Holtz had us on the sideline, told us what the formation was, and we never had any doubt in our mind that we could successfully run the play. The funny thing about that play was I was not even the intended receiver. Irv Smith was supposed to run a pivot route and I was supposed to distract the safety so that he could make the catch. We had never practiced this particular formation before, we just knew that we needed to go out and execute it. We had so much confidence in ourselves. Aaron Taylor likes to say that he was the reason I caught the pass because he missed the block that caused Rick Mirer to have to roll right and throw to me.”
Rick Mirer also shared with me his memories of the Snow Bowl. “My all-time best football memory, however, has to be the 1992 Penn State game. There was so much drama at the end of that game … going for two points to win the game, playing our last game in Notre Dame Stadium. We ended our time at Notre Dame on a huge highlight. The one we got to sleep on was the Penn State game, and we could not have asked for a better ending . After the Michigan game ending in a tie, and being left with such a weird feeling after that game, I just felt that we had to go for it. We’re either going to win this thing, or not.”
The memories of the 1992 Notre Dame vs. Penn State game remind us why we love this sport and what makes Notre Dame football so special: resilience, tradition, and the ability to rise to the occasion. As the Irish face the Nittany Lions this week in the College Football Playoff semi-final, the stakes are even higher, but the spirit of games like the “Snow Bowl” remains alive. The echoes of Rick Mirer, Reggie Brooks, and that two-point conversion still inspire today’s team as they seek their own place in Notre Dame lore. Here’s to another classic confrontation, and may the Irish once again emerge victorious!
Cheers & GO IRISH!