Bryant's strategy seemed ready to pay off when his defense stymied Notre Dame on two plays and forced 3rd and 10 on their 1-yard line. Coach Bear Bryant, knowing even a safety would win the game, decided to decline the penalty and try to stop Notre Dame who had to start on their own 1 yard line. In 1973, a personal foul wasn't an automatic first down in college football, so since it occurred on a 3rd and 20, accepting the penalty would have given Alabama a fourth and 5 on their own 45 yard line, only down one with mere minutes remaining. During the punt, the Alabama punter was run into and Notre Dame was flagged with a 15-yard roughing the kicker personal foul. Late in the fourth quarter, Alabama pinned Notre Dame back deep in Irish territory with a punt, hoping to get the ball back within easy range of a game-winning field goal. The Irish responded with a 19-yard field goal by Bob Thomas to take the lead 24–23 with 4:26 remaining in the game. After quarterback Richard Todd made a 25-yard touchdown reception from Mike Stock on a trick play, Davis missed the extra point to only put Alabama up 23–21. In the third quarter, the teams traded touchdowns with Alabama scoring first on a 5-yard Wilbur Jackson touchdown run and Notre Dame on a 12-yard Eric Penick touchdown run to make the score 21–17 entering the final period. The Tide cut the lead to 14–10 late in the quarter on a 39-yard Bill Davis field goal. The ensuing kickoff was returned 93-yards for a touchdown by Al Hunter.
In the second quarter, Alabama took the lead on a 6-yard Randy Billingsley touchdown run, only to see the Irish go up 14–7 on the following play. With a cold rain falling, Notre Dame opened the scoring with a Wayne Bullock 6-yard touchdown run, and after a missed extra point took an early 6–0 lead. The appearance marked the first for Notre Dame in the Sugar Bowl, and their fifth overall bowl game appearance. Following their victory over Miami, university officials announced they accepted an invitation to play in the Sugar Bowl. Notre Dame finished the regular season with a 10–0 record. See also: 1973 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team Underdog Notre Dame won 24–23 the game received a 25.3 Nielsen rating, making it one of the highest-rated college football games in history. The top-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide of the Southeastern Conference (SEC) met the independent Notre Dame Fighting Irish both teams were undefeated. The 1973 Sugar Bowl, part of the 1973 bowl game season, took place on December 31, 1973, at Tulane Stadium in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Chris Schenkel, Bud Wilkinson, and Howard Cosell
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