In commemorating Notre Dame’s 125 years of football history in 2012, Blue & Gold Illustrated’s Football Preview that summer compiled a top 50 countdown of the most iconic moments in Fighting Irish football lore.

The criteria to make the list included a phenomenal individual effort, how clutch a play it was, and its impact in Irish football lore or nationally, especially if it meant winning a national title.

For a younger audience, it might be impossible to fathom that the opponent represented the most was not USC (which was in the countdown six times), Michigan or Michigan State (four apiece), or even Purdue (three).

Rather, it was … Army, which Notre Dame has played only 14 times since 1965. No single university that plays football has had a more profound impact in the Fighting Irish achieving prominence and a brand name in the sport.

Furthermore, the Black Knights were in three of the top five all-time iconic moments, and five of the top 17. Here were those eight versus Army as they rated in our countdown:

No. 41: Block Party — Dec. 2, 1933

All 9-0 Army needed to do to clinch the national title was defeat 2-5-1 Notre Dame, which had scored 19 points the entire season under maligned third-year head coach Hunk Anderson.

The Black Knights led 12-0 when late in the third quarter, Irish senior lineman Ed “Moose” Krause — who earlier had blocked a point after try — blocked a quick kick that would set up an eight-play touchdown drive to close the gap to 12-7, after a drop kick by Buddy Bonar for the point after.

Minutes later, Army was forced to punt from the end zone. Notre Dame end Wayne Millner blocked it and fell on the ball past the goal line in a stunning 13-12 victory that would be Anderson’s final game.

As Knute Rockne used to say, “When in doubt, punt.”

No. 40: Ivory Towers — Oct. 14, 1995

With 39 seconds left, an Army touchdown cut its deficit to 28-27 versus No. 17 Notre Dame. Because the overtime rule wouldn’t be enacted until the following year in the NCAA, the Cadets lined up for the potential game winning two-pointer.

Quarterback Ron McAda found 6-3, 240-pound tight end Ron Leshinski at the 1-yard line when 5-9, 159-pound cornerback Ivory Covington executed perfect leverage and dropped Leshinski a couple of inches short of the goal line.

Covington’s stop was later known as “The $8-Million Tackle,” referring to the payoff 9-2 Notre Dame received by going to the Orange Bowl. It was made possible with this textbook tackle.

No. 21: Apocalypse Now — Oct. 18, 1924

On the same day “The Galloping Ghost” runs into immortality when Illinois’ Red Grange scores four touchdowns in the first 12 minutes against Michigan, Notre Dame’s “Four Horsemen” are born thanks to the prose of famed New York writer Grantland Rice referring to Notre Dame’s backfield.

The Irish win 13-7 at the Polo Grounds, but the top “play” comes from the press box.

No. 17: And It Came To Pass — Nov. 1, 1913

In its 17 other football games in 1913-14, Army was 17-0 and outscored its opponents 459-42, including a 20-7 victory over Notre Dame in 1914. In not one of those games did Army yield more than nine points — but on this day Notre Dame head coach Jesse Harper’s unit tallied 35. From 1894-1940, no team scored more points against the Cadets.

Rough statistics from this contest had Irish quarterback Gus Dorais completing 14 of 17 passes for 243 yards, with a 25-yard TD pass to Rockne opening the scoring. The New York Times reported that the Army players “were hopelessly confused and chagrined” by the unique and newly unveiled passing attack.

This game was the embryonic stage of Notre Dame becoming a national team.

No. 13: March(y) To A Title — Nov. 29, 1930

In front of 110,000 fans at Chicago’s Soldier Field in horrid weather conditions versus 8-0-1 Army, which had become Notre Dame’s archrival, a scoreless tie was broken on Irish halfback Marchy Schwartz’ dazzling 54-yard touchdown run with 3:30 left. Frank Carideo’s point after made it 7-0 and would prove to be crucial.

Army would block an Irish punt to score in the closing minute, but the drop kick for the point after was blocked, preserving a 7-6 victory — thereby aiding a third (and last) consensus national title under Rockne.

No. 5: Respect Your Elder — Nov. 30, 1929

In the second quarter of the season finale and with the national title on the line for the Irish, Army faced third-and-eight from the Notre Dame 11.

Star halfback Chris Cagle scrambled with the ball to his right before throwing across the field to intended receiver Carl Carlmark for an apparent score —until Jack Elder cut in front of him, grabbed the toss, eluded several tacklers with his Olympic-caliber speed, and raced down the sideline for the game’s lone touchdown in the 7-0 victory.

Last game, national title on the line, and a 100-yard touchdown return. How many such plays has Notre Dame had of greater impact in its history?

No. 4: Johnny On The Spot — Nov. 9, 1946

Johnny Lujack’s third-quarter game-saving tackle against 1945 Heisman Trophy winner Felix “Doc” Blanchard in that decade’s “Game of the Century” in Yankee Stadium — and featured in this week’s edition in the Anniversaries section — helped elevate Notre Dame to the national title despite the scoreless result.

Because Notre Dame trounced Navy 28-0 earlier in the year and Army barely survived a 21-18 verdict against the 1-8 Midshipmen in the season finale — time ran out on Navy when it had the ball on the Army 4-yard line — voters in the Associated Press poll gave the 1946 national title nod to the Irish over two-time defending champ Army.

No. 3: “One For The Gipper” — Nov. 10, 1928

One year after getting pounded 18-0 by Army for its lone defeat in 1927, a reeling 4-2 Notre Dame team returned to New York’s Yankee Stadium to face the Cadets, who were riding an 11-game winning streak and ready to clinch a national title.

Irish head coach Rockne implored a deathbed request from 1920 All-American halfback George Gipp to “Win One For The Gipper” when the odds are stacked against them.

With the score tied 6-6 late in the fourth quarter and the Irish facing fourth-and-26 from the Army 33. John “Butch” Niemiec dropped into punt formation but instead found track man Johnny “One Play” O’Brien for a touchdown in a 12-6 victory —which ended with an Irish goal-line stand — that remains immortalized in American athletics lore.

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