1989 Sunkist Fiesta Bowl: Notre Dame Clinches National Championship

The 1989 Sunkist Fiesta Bowl, played on January 2, 1989, at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Arizona, saw the undefeated Notre Dame Fighting Irish defeat the West Virginia Mountaineers 34-21 to claim the national championship. This marked Notre Dame’s first national championship since 1977.

A Battle of Unbeatens

Both Notre Dame and West Virginia entered the Fiesta Bowl with perfect 11-0 records. The game pitted two independent teams against each other for the national title, a scenario that had also occurred in the 1987 Fiesta Bowl. Notre Dame was favored by 5 points.

Game Highlights

Notre Dame dominated the first half, building a significant lead. Quarterback Tony Rice connected with Raghib Ismail for a 29-yard touchdown and rushing touchdowns from Anthony Johnson and Rodney Culver contributed to a 23-3 halftime advantage.

West Virginia’s quarterback, Major Harris, a Heisman Trophy finalist, suffered a separated shoulder early in the game, hindering his performance.

Game Statistics

Notre Dame amassed 455 total yards compared to West Virginia’s 282. Tony Rice was named the Offensive Player of the Game for Notre Dame. Frank Stams of Notre Dame also received MVP honors.

Broadcast and Attendance

The game was televised on NBC, with Dick Enberg and Merlin Olsen providing commentary. The broadcast achieved a Nielsen rating of 17.0. A crowd of 74,911 spectators attended the game at Sun Devil Stadium.

Significance

The 1989 Fiesta Bowl was the 18th edition of the Fiesta Bowl. It represented a significant moment for Notre Dame, securing their first national championship in over a decade and solidifying their position as a college football powerhouse.