The University of Notre Dame football program announced Tuesday afternoon that its partnership with Under Armour will this year include donning a throwback uniform versus Boston College on Nov. 23 that is dedicated to both the 1988 Fighting Irish national champions and the 150th season of college football.
Notre Dame and Boston College are two of the 23 Football Bowl Subdivision teams that use Under Armour apparel. Others include Auburn and South Carolina in the SEC, UCLA in the Pac 12, Maryland, Northwestern and Wisconsin from the Big Ten, plus Navy.
To commemorate the 150th anniversary of College Football, which debuted in 1869 when Princeton faced Rutgers, Under Armour has designed throwback uniforms for each of its 2019 partner programs that references a key moment in team history.
For Notre Dame that reference point is its most recent national title in 1988. This will include all-black cleats, mesh jersey numbers and grey gloves to go with the traditional gold and blue school colors. There will also be a “150” logo on the right shoulder and an interlocking ND on the left thigh, plus on the side of each shoulder.
The 1988 Fighting Irish football team was the first at the school to reach 12 wins while remaining 12-0. During the regular season it defeated eventual Rose Bowl champion Michigan (19-17) and No. 1 Miami (31-30), thereby ending the reigning national champions’ 36-game regular season winning streak, and 10-0 and No. 2 USC (27-10) in the regular season finale at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
It then defeated 11-0 and No. 3 West Virginia (34-21) in the Fiesta Bowl to clinch the national title with a 12-0 ledger. That Notre Dame unit became, at the time, the fourth team in college football since the start of the Associated Press poll in 1936 to defeat four teams that finished in the AP top 10.
“To celebrate college football’s 150th anniversary and to give nod to one of the greatest teams ever to take the field, this year’s heritage uniform honors Notre Dame’s undefeated 1988 season,” said Nick Billiris, senior design director of team sports at Under Armour. “With a perfect 12-0 mark and a national championship, the 1988 Fighting Irish team epitomizes what every team strives for each season – perfection.”
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