Twenty-five years on from the Game of the Century, Brian Kelly’s Fighting Irish rolled to a 42-13 victory over a Florida State Seminoles team with more problems than a trailer park in hurricane season. Gone were the bulky pads and dark blue uniforms of yore. In their place were Field Turf, a Jumbo Tron, and twenty thousand extra fans housed within a new stadium edifice.
Despite the years, the games shared a meaningful connection. Both were won by a starting backup quarterback. In 1993, Kevin McDougal had been destined to finish his senior year backing up the freshman wunderkind, Ron Powlus.