The Fighting Irish have played Texas just 11 times in the 100-year history of the series, but three of those matchups came in the Cotton Bowl in the 1970s, forming the basis for an epic rivalry with national implications.
During this time, Notre Dame and Texas were both powerhouses in college football. In an era when the run game dominated football, Texas had perfected the wishbone offense, from which the quarterback would take the snap with three running backs behind him; he would lateral to any of the three backs or keep it himself.
In all three Cotton Bowls, Notre Dame entered the game with one loss, while Texas was always undefeated and ranked number one in the country.