Key Highlights
- Something far, far away from icy windshields and frozen fingers. So for this week’s Throwback Thursday, I took a trip back to paradise — specifically, to Aloha Stadium, where Notre Dame traveled across the Pacific for what looked, on paper, like a tune-up game before the Sugar Bowl.
- What followed instead was anything but relaxing. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThis week’s throwback revisits a November night in Hawaii when the Irish escaped with a 48–42 win over the Rainbow Warriors — a game filled with explosive offense, defensive questions, special teams heroics, and just enough late drama to ensure no one truly slept easy, no matter the time zone. Grab a warm drink, imagine the palm trees, and let this one thaw you out. The following excerpt is from the 1991 Football Review, in The Scholastic Magazine, written by Chris Fillio. Trouble in ParadiseIn their last test before the Sugar Bowl, the Irish narrowly defeat an upstart Hawaii team 48-42By Chris FillioFor many of the thousands of Irish fans who travelled across the Pacific Ocean to witness Notre Dame escape Aloha Stadium with a narrow 48-42 victory, there are probably many fond memories of the tropical island paradise. For Notre Dame coach Lou Holtz, however, “Happiness is a poor memory!”So went his initial recollections of a game which saw the Irish sprint out to a halftime lead of 28-10 only to subsequently surrender 32 second-half points in barely averting a 20-minute collapse eerily reminiscent of the 35-34 loss to Tennessee just a month prior. Despite the pre-game spread, which favored Notre Dame over the Rainbows by as much as 24 points on some lines, closer analysis of the situation might warrant a reevaluation of the two teams. At game time, the Irish were lacking six starters, including defensive stopper Demetrius DuBose and the kicking game’s total package, placekicker and punter Craig Hentrich.
- In addition, the Rainbows hail from the Western Athletic Conference the wacky WAC — a conference known for its 90-point games decided by a last-second field goal, where pass plays and options are many and defensive battles are few and far between. The Rainbows were averaging just under 27 points per game while surrendering almost 31, including allowing 100 points combined in earlier losses to Iowa and San Diego State.
- Perhaps less noteworthy, the series history between the two schools was deadlocked at 0-0. But the visitors from South Bend were the proverbial wounded tigers.
- Still smarting from not one but two losses, in succession against Tennessee and Penn State, the Irish coaching staff was intent on not letting the squad feel this game would be just another day at the beach. With so many questions on defense throughout the season having gone unanswered, Holtz had concentrated much of his energies from previous weeks working with the defensive unit in hopes of instilling within them a “defensive attitude.” He felt it had paid off — to an extent.“For twenty minutes we were sharp, we were alert, doing what we needed,” said Holtz.