Sport: Champions’ Champion

Before the 1952 football season began, Notre Dame’s Coach Frank Leahy, a pluperfect pessimist, glumly predicted an “awful rough season” for his green team, made up mainly of sophomores. As it turned out, Notre Dame managed to make it even rougher on the opposition.

First the Fighting Irish tied Pennsylvania, the Ivy League champions. Then they licked Texas, Southwest Conference titleholders. Purdue, co-holder of the Big Ten title, was the next victim. Along the route, Leahy’s green youngsters, seasoning up under one of the toughest schedules in the country, upset Oklahoma, the Big Seven champions. Last week, facing unbeaten Southern California, the nation’s No. 2 team and Pacific Conference titleholder, the underdog Irish pulled off the biggest upset of the season. At the final whistle, thanks to five pass interceptions and three recovered fumbles, Notre Dame was ahead, 9-0.

In all, Notre Dame, doing pretty well in a “rough season” (7-2-1), whipped or tied five conference champions.