45 Years Since Miracle on Ice: Reliving 5 Iconic Notre Dame Football Miracles

"He's going in! Notre Dame has scored!"

Oct. 21, 2006; South Bend, IN, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish quarterback (10) Brady Quinn throws the ball to wide receiver (83) Jeff Samardzija for the game-winning score against the UCLA Bruins at Notre Dame Stadium. Notre Dame won 20-17. / Matt Cashore-Imagn Images

45 years ago Saturday was perhaps the greatest upset in sports history as the 1980 United States men's hockey team upset the Soviet Union in Lake Placid.

Everyone is already familiar with what happened that day in Lake Placid, New York, and to me it's the one sporting event I would choose to attend if I had a magic time machine and could let myself experience any specific game or moment as a fan.

In honor of the greatest miracle the sports world has ever seen, a quick look at five Notre Dame football miracles over the years. Some are upsets, some are wild finishes, all are forever memorable.

No. 5: Entire 1964 Season

Back before the transfer portal, quick turnarounds for programs weren't nearly as easy to pull off. Notre Dame however did exactly that in 1964. Coming off a 2-7 season in 1963, Ara Parseghian took over as Notre Dame's head coach and immediately changed fortunes. Led by Heisman Trophy winner John Huarte, running back Nick Eddy, and wide receiver Jack Snow, the Irish were within minutes of the most unlikely national championship of all-time before falling late in the season finale at USC.

No. 4: Quinn and Samardzija Saves Notre Dame's BCS Chances

Trailing UCLA 17-13 with 1:02 to play, Notre Dame took over at its own 20 yard line and a whole lot of green between it and an improbable win. Star quarterback Brady Quinn found Jeff Samardzija and David Grimes on back-to-back passes to set up Samardzija's incredible 45-yard touchdown to take the late lead and help keep its BCS dreams alive.

No. 3: Joe Montana's Cotton Bowl Comeback

On a frigid day in Dallas, Notre Dame found itself down 34-12 entering the Cotton Bowl's fourth quarter against Houston. Joe Montana, who was battling the flu, came back from the locker room to lead Notre Dame to 23-straight fourth quarter points and an all-time comeback win. Perhaps the biggest miracle of the day is that the Fighting Irish overcame four Montana interceptions to get it done.

No. 2: Harry Oliver's Heroics Beat Michigan

On a windy day at Notre Dame Stadium, kicker Harry Oliver delivered for the Fighting Irish. Oliver nailed an improbable 51-yard field goal into the wind as time expired in early September of 1980 to move the Irish to 2-0 on the young season. Oliver has lived on in Fighting Irish lore ever since.

No. 1: Notre Dame Ends Oklahoma's 47-Game Winning Streak

Notre Dame entered a mid-November game in 1957 at No. 2 Oklahoma having just lost two-straight. The unranked, 4-2 Fighting Irish held the Sooners scoreless and ended Oklahoma's 47-game winning streak in the process. Terry Brennan went just 32-18 in his five years as Notre Dame's head coach but one of those victories remains the greatest upset in the history of Fighting Irish football.

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