Notre Dame-Texas, Part IV: 'Foul Ball' Becomes Walk-Off Hit

One of the most amazing data about Notre Dame’s 9-2 series advantage versus Texas — including 4-0 in Austin — is the average margin of victory for the Fighting Irish has been 21.2 points. Eight of the nine wins were by double-digit margins, with six of them by at least 21 points.

The one narrow victory occurred 20 years ago, Sept. 21, 1996, on a dramatic fourth-quarter rally in Notre Dame’s most recent trip to Austin. In what turned out to be the last of his 11 seasons at Notre Dame, head coach Lou Holtz made the game personal. He was 0‑3 in the city as the Arkansas boss from 1977‑83, and his No. 9 Irish were the underdogs to No. 6 Texas.

A year earlier, in the first regular season meeting between the two schools in 41 years, Notre Dame exploded at home with 28 fourth-quarter points to post a 55-27 victory versus the Longhorns — the lone defeat for the Southwest Conference champions that regular season en route to a 10-1-1 ledger.

The Irish relied heavily on quarterback Ron Powlus’ passing — 16-of-28 for 273 yards and two scores — in that victory before putting the game away in the fourth quarter with 131 yards rushing during those final 15 minutes.

A year later in the afternoon game at Austin, current Notre Dame director of player development Powlus recalled the game being so hot that the Irish abandoned their normal Pro socks and donned thin white ones to try to help keep the lower legs a little cooler. With the Longhorns having designs on a national title, they led Notre Dame 24‑17 and had possession at their 36 with about six minutes left.

“We ain’t losing this game!” vowed third-year Irish defensive coordinator Bob Davie to Holtz on the sideline.

Seconds later, linebacker Kory Minor tipped a James Brown pass that Lyron Cobbins intercepted. Seven plays later, Notre Dame faced fourth-and-goal from the Texas six against 1990-91 Irish defensive coordinator Gary Darnell’s unit. Powlus had barely passed for 100 yards that day while the Irish would rack up 292 yards rushing — so he didn’t flinch when Holtz called for the option.

“Not at all,” said Powlus, whose forte wasn’t necessarily the option. “The option worked well for us at different times in that game and throughout the year. It was not a surprise for Coach Holtz to call it in a critical down and distance. That was his style.”

Flanker Emmett Mosley was sent in motion left to attract the defense, but on the snap Powlus did a reverse spin to his right, read the outside linebacker’s beeline toward him and instantly flipped the pitch to sophomore Autry Denson — the current Irish running backs coach and the school’s all-time leading rusher — who caught it near his 13 before making a cutback move and diving in for the score.

“The defender stepped out on me and it played out perfectly,” Powlus said. “When you can get it to Autry in space, that’s a pretty good option to have.”

The audacity of that play call and its successful execution carried over, with the Irish defense forcing a punt on the next series that was shanked for only 20 yards. Powlus & Co. took possession at their 43 with 59 seconds left.

On second-and-10, Denson ran a draw for 23 yards, his longest gain on a day when he carried 24 times for 158 yards. Still, with 14 seconds left Notre Dame faced 3rd-and-nine from the Texas 33 when Powlus calmly found Malcom Johnson for an 11-yard strike to the 22, setting up a makeable 39-yard field goal attempt on the final play by freshman Jim Sanson.

Of course, “makeable” was a relative word. Sanson had been awful in such situations in practices before promptly drilling the kick perfectly through the uprights for the 27‑24 win and instant elation again at the expense of the Longhorns.

“I say this affectionately, but I’ve nicknamed him — and the kids called him this all week — ‘Foul Ball,’ ” Holtz said afterwards of Sanson. “I told him he’s kicked more foul balls than any placekicker in the history of the game.”

Prior to the game, Holtz said the law of averages would be with him.

“God didn’t put me on this earth to lose four times there,” he said. “The odds are in our favor.”

Texas might be feeling the same way about its current 0‑4 mark at home versus Notre Dame.

----

• Talk about it inside Rockne's Roundtable

• Subscribe to our podcast on iTunes

• Learn more about our print and digital publication, Blue & Gold Illustrated.

• Follow us on Twitter: @BGINews, @BGI_LouSomogyi, @BGI_CoachD,

@BGI_MattJones, @BGI_DMcKinney and @BGI_CoreyBodden.

• Like us on Facebook