Notre Dame has n't won a national championship since 1988 . Comment: Coach/player duo Knute Rockne and George Gipp were immortalized in the 1940 film . With overwhelming losses to supposedly inferior foes on a consistent basis and underwhelming coaches from Bob Davie to Tyrone Willingham to Charlie Weis , `` Notre Dame '' has been `` mediocre '' or less during the last two decades . Today fans are inspired by Manti Te ' o , who played the day his girlfriend and grandmother died .
Notre Dame has n't won a national championship since 1988 . Comment: Coach/player duo Knute Rockne and George Gipp were immortalized in the 1940 film . Today fans are inspired by Manti Te ' o , who played the day his girlfriend and grandmother died .