<P> The 1988 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team represented the University of Notre Dame during the 1988 NCAA Division I-A football season . The Irish , coached by Lou Holtz , ended the season with 12 wins and no losses , winning the national championship . The Fighting Irish won the title by defeating the previously unbeaten and No. 3 ranked West Virginia Mountaineers in the Sunkist Fiesta Bowl in Tempe , Arizona , by a score of a 34 -- 21 . The 1988 squad , one of 11 national title squads for the Irish , is considered to be one of the best undefeated teams in the history of college football . The Irish beat the teams which finished the season ranked # 2 , # 4 , # 5 , and # 7 in the AP Poll . They also won 10 of 12 games by double digits . The 1988 squad is best remembered for its 31 - 30 upset of No. 1 ranked Miami , ending their 36 - game regular season winning streak . The game is remembered to this day as one of the most memorable games in all of college football . </P>
<P> The 1988 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team represented the University of Notre Dame during the 1988 NCAA Division I-A football season . The Irish , coached by Lou Holtz , ended the season with 12 wins and no losses , winning the national championship . The Fighting Irish won the title by defeating the previously unbeaten and No. 3 ranked West Virginia Mountaineers in the Sunkist Fiesta Bowl in Tempe , Arizona , by a score of a 34 -- 21 . The 1988 squad , one of 11 national title squads for the Irish , is considered to be one of the best undefeated teams in the history of college football . The Irish beat the teams which finished the season ranked # 2 , # 4 , # 5 , and # 7 in the AP Poll . They also won 10 of 12 games by double digits . The 1988 squad is best remembered for its 31 - 30 upset of No. 1 ranked Miami , ending their 36 - game regular season winning streak . The game is remembered to this day as one of the most memorable games in all of college football . </P>
who did notre dame beat in 1988 national championship
who did notre dame beat in 1988 national championship
West Virginia Mountaineers
West Virginia Mountaineers