Bishop McGuinness…
OU’s first bowl game was in 1939; Notre Dame did not get into the bowl business until in 1970. Notre Dame resisted playing an extra game in those days citing the school’s emphasis for academics. In 1949, Oklahoma’s Bishop McGuinness petitioned Notre Dame to consider making an exception to that rule and playing Oklahoma in a post season game.
John Cavanaugh, the Notre Dame President at that time turned down the Bishop’s request for a post season game with the Sooners, but it appears that this was not the end of the discussion. Archived documents suggest that in order to placate Bishop McGuinness, President Cavanaugh suggested that OU and Notre Dame contemplate a home and home for future years. In all likelihood that inquiry led to future OU/Notre Dame games in ’52, ’53, ’56 and of course ’57.
OU lost to the Irish in ’52 and ’53, but responded with a win in ’56. Then OU suffered its most notable loss of all time in 1957. Now, I love competition as much as the next fan, but this is one series I could have done without. Notre Dame became OU’s most hated opponent, not only due to the ’57 loss that snapped the “streak”, but also for the 1-9 rivalry record against the Irish prior to a Sooner win in 2013.
Putting this fact into perspective the Sooners only losses between October 1951 to November 1957 were to Notre Dame. That would be 64 games during this stretch with losses only to the Irish. Now we know why OU old timers hate Notre Dame Football so much. Now for page two.
Notre Dame owes us a game and OU has an opening in 2023, the 100th anniversary of Memorial Stadium. OU officials are allegedly looking to play a big name opponent that year. That would be a good time for the Sooners to extend the current winning streak over Notre Dame. Lincoln’s offense will chew up the Irish and spit them out. This game would give me two games on my bucket list… the 2020 game at West Point and the 2023 Notre Dame game.
I guess I’ll have to stick around a while longer and see how this turns out.
Boomer Sooner…