Notre Dame Football Legacy: Shaping Christian College Sports
Notre Dame Fighting Irish faces Penn State Nittany Lions in the Orange Bowl, a college football playoff semifinal. This game is a testament to Notre Dame’s rich football history, spanning 138 years. With 109 All-Americans, seven Heisman trophy winners, 45 bowl wins, and 11 national championships, Notre Dame seeks its 12th title since 1988 with a victory over Penn State.
Other private Christian colleges like Brigham Young University, Baylor University, and Liberty University have taken cues from Notre Dame’s success. They aim to lead their religious communities, with football playing a significant role in shaping their identities and evangelizing to non-believers.
Notre Dame’s football success in the early 20th century helped American Catholics integrate into mainstream society by participating in a game favored by American elites. Under Coach Knute Rockne, Notre Dame rose from a regional program to a national powerhouse, winning four national championships and enhancing the school’s Catholic identity.
Similarly, Brigham Young University resurrected its football program in 1919 to align with American norms and prove its Americanness. The hiring of G. Ott Romney led to BYU’s first winning seasons, marking a step towards mainstream acceptance.
Baylor University, inspired by Notre Dame, aimed to assert its regional and religious supremacy through football. The 1925 game against Notre Dame, despite a 41-0 defeat, highlighted Baylor’s aspirations to carve a place for itself in American culture.
While Notre Dame remained a benchmark for Christian college football, schools like Liberty University, founded by Jerry Falwell, looked to emulate Notre Dame’s success. Falwell viewed a strong football program as crucial to shaping a religious identity and generating revenue for the institution.
In the 2024 college football season, Notre Dame’s influence continues to shine, inspiring its followers to excel on the field. While other Christian colleges have made strides in football, Notre Dame’s longstanding legacy exemplifies how faith and football can unify communities and evangelize non-believers.
Hunter M. Hampton, an assistant professor of history at Stephen F. Austin State University, authored The Gridiron Gospel: Faith and College Football in 20th-Century America, set to release with the University of Illinois Press soon.
Explore more historical insights with Made by History articles from professional historians. Discover more at TIME here. Opinions expressed are not reflective of TIME editors’ views.