They had a much tougher regular season than the '73 team

Their season-ending stretch was particularly harsh -- Georgia Tech and LSU were both ranked (LSU nearly beat Nebraska in the Orange Bowl), and Southern Cal had tied Nebraska, which ended up unbeaten and No. 1. Plus, we had to play SC at the Coliseum in a monsoon, and turnovers cost us the game. The 1973 team earned its championship by beating Alabama to end a perfect season, but there was a reason it was a substantial underdog going into the Sugar Bowl. The only ranked team ND played in the regular season was Southern Cal, and that was in South Bend. Pitt was No. 20 when we beat them 31-10 on the road, but they never rose above that and ended unranked.