Countdown to kickoff: Notre Dame vs. Ohio State is only 44 days away

To preview one of the most anticipated games for Notre Dame this century and the official start of the Marcus Freeman era, BlueandGold.com is counting down the days until the matchup against Ohio State on Sept. 3.

This daily series of 99 stories celebrates by the numbers some of the most notable names, dates, moments and memories related to the past and present of Notre Dame football.

With 44 days remaining until kickoff, we look back at the 44th interception of Steve Beuerlein‘s career and how he overcame it to win the final game of his career.

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The first time Lou Holtz met Steve Beuerlein as the head coach at Notre Dame, he made the Fighting Irish quarterback a guarantee. Beuerlein was going to be Notre Dame’s starter.

Holtz made him a second guarantee for good measure.

“Beuerlein, you will not throw more than six interceptions the entire season,” Holtz said according to Jerry Barca‘s book “Unbeatable,” an in-depth chronicle of Notre Dame’s 1988 national championship season. “I know this because it just won’t happen.”

Beuerlein was bewildered. He’d never had a coach tell him anything of the sort. Plus, he threw 37 interceptions in his first three seasons at Notre Dame. He wasn’t exactly the best protector of the football to that point.

“Coach, this is unbelievable,” Beuerlein said per “Unbeatable.” “I can’t believe all these good things. But how do you know I’m not going to throw more than six interceptions?”

Holtz responded in a way only Holtz could.

“Well, if you need to know, as soon as you throw number six your a** is going to be on the bench behind me.”

Notre Dame was in the midst of a rebuilding process during Holtz’s first season. The Irish were competitive. They weren’t the same guys who lost to Miami 58-7 in the 1985 season finale. Five of Notre Dame’s six losses came by a total of 14 points. Beuerlein was a major reason why the Irish were a play here and a play there away from having an entirely different season.

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Beuerlein only threw six interceptions through Notre Dame’s first 10 games. The 11th and final matchup came against No. 17 USC on the road. Holtz let Beuerlein know the stakes going in.

“If you throw and interception tomorrow, I’m going to take you out,” he said. “I’ve already given you the benefit of the doubt here. I’ve told you, you would not throw more than six, and you’ve thrown six.”

Beuerlein tossed a pick-six in the second quarter. USC took the lead, 10-6.

Holtz and Beuerlein have different accounts of how long the benching lasted and how it went down. Holtz said Beuerlein begged him to get back in. Beuerlein said he did not. Either way, Holtz backed off. He put Beuerlein on the field after the 44th interception of his career.

Notre Dame trailed by as many as 18 and faced a 37-20 deficit with 12 minutes left. Then Beuerlein threw a 42-yard touchdown strike to Milt Jackson. The Notre Dame defense forced a turnover on downs with USC looking for a put-away score inside the Irish five-yard line. Beuerlein connected with Tim Brown for 49 yards and ultimately found Braxston Banks for a touchdown. A successful two-point conversion made it USC 37, Notre Dame 35.

Brown returned an ensuing USC punt 56 yards into the Trojan red zone. Notre Dame won the game, 38-37, on a last second field goal. The win has been described as a turning point for the program.

“That’s when everybody really believed,” former Notre Dame director of athletics Gene Corrigan said.

Beuerlein finished his career with 27 touchdown passes and 44 interceptions, the most ever by a Notre Dame quarterback, but he had his best collegiate season in the one year he played for Holtz. He threw for 2,211 yards with 13 touchdowns and seven interceptions.