Notre Dame Football's All-Time Longest Losing Streak

With the Chicago White Sox losing 20-straight, we had to look it up

Jan 1, 2022; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Detailed view of a gold Notre Dame Fighting Irish helmet during the 2022 Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium / Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

There are those teams that come around in our lifetimes that we will never forget for as long as we live.

No, I'm not talking about the ones that hoist a trophy at the end of a season, I'm talking about the ones that are a chore to watch with any regularity.

The Chicago White Sox are having one of those years where they may actually have a chance to set the record for having the worst record in Major League Baseball's modern era.

The White Sox fell at Minnesota Sunday, 13-7 to the Twins. The loss was the 20th straight by the White Sox, a franchise record that continues to grow.

On the year the White Sox are now 27-87 (.237) and the worst news for White Sox rooters is that there are still almost two months of the season to go.

The White Sox current losing streak got me wondering about Notre Dame football, though.

I've sat through some bad seasons (2007, 2016 come to mind immediately) but nothing quite like what the White Sox are putting Chicago's Southside fans through this summer.

What about Notre Dame, though?


What is the longest losing streak Notre Dame football has ever had?

Notre Dame Football's All-Time Longest Losing Streak

To find the answer to that question you might not have to back quite as far as you may think.

In 1960, Notre Dame was a long way from the glory days of Frank Leahy which came just a decade before.

Joe Kuharich headed the Notre Dame football team following a 5-5 campaign in 1959.

1960 was a complete disaster, however.

Notre Dame started the year with a victory over California, 21-7, on Sept. 24. Notre Dame wouldn't win again for two more months when the Irish beat USC 17-0.

In between?

A school record eight-straight loses against Purdue, North Carolina, Michigan State, Northwestern, Navy, Pittsburgh, Miami (Fla.), and Iowa.

On the year, Notre Dame was outscored by opponents 188-111, which somehow doesn't sound as awful as you'd think when you hear 2-8 and an eight-game losing streak.

I've never seen a Notre Dame team lose that much in a row in my life (2007 challenged by starting 0-5, 1-9) and let's hope I never do.

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