[1] The team was coached by Bob Davie and played its home games at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, Indiana.

Despite having a new coach, the Irish had high expectations before the 1997 season,[2] and were ranked eleventh in the pre-season polls.

Led by fifth–year senior quarterback Ron Powlus, a running back crew of Autry Denson, Tony Driver, and Joey Goodspeed, a wide receiving corps of Joey Getherall, Bobby Brown, and Malcolm Johnson, and on defense by cornerback Allen Rossum, the Irish looked to have a good enough team to challenge to be in the top-10.

The Irish began the Davie era at home, playing Georgia Tech in the newly renovated Notre Dame Stadium.

He would leave Notre Dame with 20 individual records, including career passing yards, attempts, completions and touchdowns, all marks that would finally be eclipsed almost ten years later by future Irish quarterback Brady Quinn.

Allen Rossum knocked Pat McGrew out at the two-yard line on a Hail Mary pass to preserve Notre Dame's 34th straight win over Navy Roster Last update: 1997-10-09