Notre Dame Football Films, Documentaries Available To Stream

Ordinarily, today is sacred for sports fans across the United States — a day where a large portion of the population cuts class, calls off work or finds another way to consume as much of the opening round of the NCAA Tournament as possible.

Due to the spread of novel coronavirus (COVID-19), nearly the entire world is taking the necessary precautions to stay safe and protect those who are most vulnerable if infected by the virus, which means the cancelations of almost all sporting events, including March Madness.

But is it possible to still get your sports fix if you so desire?

For Fighting Irish football fans, the answer is yes. Thanks to a century of on-the-field history and success and major pop culture references, films, documentaries and classic games related to or about Notre Dame can all be streamed at a moment's notice.

Many of the films and documentaries mentioned below require certain subscriptions or must be rented for a small fee, but there are a few available at no cost on YouTube or by signing up for a free trial.

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Over the year, the legend of the former Notre Dame walk-on Rudy Ruettiger has grown more and more controversial, with ESPN pointing out last fall the lore is "almost too good to be true."

Either way, the feature film released in the fall of 1993 Rudy is considered an all-time classic, at least as far as sports movies are concerned. It stars actor Sean Astin as Rudy, a significantly undersized defensive lineman who makes up for his lack of athletic ability with heart and grit.

Unfortunately, none of the major streaming services are currently showing the film but (assuming you don't already own it), Rudy can be rented on Amazon Prime and YouTube for a couple of dollars.

If you want a more accurate and updated picture of the famed Fighting Irish walk-on,
Rudy Ruettiger: The Walk On can be streamed for free.

In need of a laugh? This Saturday Night Live parody of Rudy might do the trick. It features Houston Texans standout J.J. Watt as one or Rudy's teammates.

For as much as the world-wide leader enjoys questions how relevant Notre Dame is to modern college football, ESPN sure has produced a number of documentaries about the Fighting Irish.

By BlueandGold.com's count, there are at least three different documentaries about significant moments in the history of Notre Dame football released in the last decade.

This includes the 30 for 30 short Student/Athlete about a different undersized former Notre Dame walk-on in kicker Reggie Ho, an integral part of the program's most recent national championship in the 1988 season.

"I have nothing against Rudy," said Tony Rice in Student/Athlete, the starting quarterback in 1988. "He's a fellow Notre Dame guy, but Reggie Ho deserves more than that. Reggie is a better story."

The best part? This mini-doc also features BlueandGold.com's Lou Somogyi. It can be watched through Facebook or rented on YouTube.

The other ESPN Documentaries include the 30 for 30 Catholics vs. Convicts and The American Game - Notre Dame. Both can be streamed with a subscription to ESPN+.

Want something not produced by ESPN? The 2006 documentary Echoes of Glory is available on YouTube.

By renting the film via Xfinity or DirectTV, you can watch the 1940 feature film Knute Rockne, All American from the comfort of your couch or via your laptop.

The film stars Pat O'Brien as Rockne and Ronald Reagan (40 years before he would become president) as freshman halfback Georgie Gipp. The film follows Rockne turning Notre Dame into a national football powerhouse in the 1910s and 1920s and the impact the sudden illness of Gipp has on the team.

Watching requires a subscription to the premium television network Showtime, but a seven-day free trial is available if you're committed to binging the 14-episode season of A Season With Notre Dame Football.

The show follows the 2015 Notre Dame football team throughout the entire season. Though the Fighting Irish went 10-3 that year, this might the most talented collection of players in South Bend in the modern recruiting era.

Following that season, 10 different players were invited to the 2016 NFL Scouting Combine and a number of starters on that would go on to be high draft picks, including three that were top-10 overall picks.

This is a good rewatch, just try not to get to upset when you see former defensive coordinator Brian VanGorder on the sidelines.

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