2012 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team
The 2012 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team represented the University of Notre Dame in the 2012 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team was coached by Brian Kelly and played its home games at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, Indiana. They competed as an independent.
| 2012 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football | |
|---|---|
National champion (Colley) | |
| Conference | Independent |
| Ranking | |
| Coaches | No. 3 |
| AP | No. 4 |
| Record | 0–0 (12 wins, 1 loss vacated) |
| Head coach |
|
| Offensive coordinator | Chuck Martin (1st season) |
| Offensive scheme | Spread |
| Defensive coordinator | Bob Diaco (3rd season) |
| Co-defensive coordinator | Kerry Cooks (3rd season) |
| Base defense | 3–4 |
| Captain | Tyler Eifert Kapron Lewis-Moore Zack Martin Manti Te'o |
| Home stadium | Notre Dame Stadium |
| Conf | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team | W | L | W | L | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| BYU | – | 8 | – | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Navy | – | 8 | – | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Army | – | 2 | – | 10 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 4 Notre Dame % | – | 0* | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Despite starting the season unranked, the Fighting Irish ended the regular season with a 12–0 record. Led by Heisman Trophy finalist and Butkus Award winner Manti Te'o, the Irish finished with the number one defense in the country, giving up just 10.3 points per game. They played in the BCS National Championship Game with a chance to win their first national title since 1988 but were defeated by the Alabama Crimson Tide.
All wins in the 2012 and 2013 seasons and its loss in the 2013 BCS National Championship Game were later vacated for use of ineligible players.