Two iconic programs. Two completely different identities. Two legendary coaches. National championships on the line. And a T-shirt that became one of the most recognizable pieces of college football history.
Miami versus Notre Dame.
Or, as the country came to know it in the late 1980s, Catholics vs. Convicts.
As the Hurricanes and Fighting Irish prepare to meet again, it’s worth remembering when this matchup was about much more than rankings and playoff positioning. It was personal.
And sometimes, it was downright nasty.
The Setup: Two Programs on the Rise
Miami and Notre Dame first met in 1955, with the Irish winning 14-0. For years, Notre Dame largely owned the series, winning 12 of the first 14 meetings.
But by the 1980s, the balance of power was changing.
Miami had become one of the most intimidating programs in the country. The Hurricanes won their first national championship in 1983 under Howard Schnellenberger and were developing a reputation for confidence, toughness and a little bit of attitude.
Then came Jimmy Johnson.
Johnson took over in 1984 and quickly turned Miami into a national powerhouse.
Meanwhile, Notre Dame was searching for its next great era. Lou Holtz arrived in 1986, bringing his own brand of intensity, discipline and championship expectations.
By the time the two programs collided in the late 1980s, there was plenty of history and even more bad blood.
1985: The 58-7 Beatdown
If there was a game that helped set the stage for everything that followed, it was November 30, 1985.
Miami hosted Notre Dame in the final game of the regular season and absolutely dismantled the Irish.
The Hurricanes won 58-7.
It was an embarrassing afternoon for Notre Dame, and the margin of victory became a source of enormous resentment among Irish fans.
Miami was sending a message to the college football world.
The Hurricanes weren’t just good. They were convinced they were better than everybody else.
And they weren’t particularly interested in being humble about it.
1987: Another Miami Shutout
Two years later, the programs met again in the 1987 Orange Bowl.
Miami entered as the defending national champion, while Notre Dame was trying to establish itself under Holtz.
The result was another painful afternoon for the Irish.
Miami won 24-0, dominating Notre Dame and eventually going on to claim another national championship.
The Hurricanes had now beaten Notre Dame by a combined score of 82-7 in their previous two meetings.
Something had to change in South Bend.
And in 1988, it did.
1988: Catholics vs. Convicts
By October 15, 1988, the rivalry had reached another level.
Miami arrived in South Bend ranked No. 1 in the country, carrying a 36-game regular-season winning streak and the confidence of the defending national champions.
Notre Dame was undefeated and ranked No. 4.
The atmosphere was enormous.
But before the game even kicked off, a slogan had taken on a life of its own.
Notre Dame students began selling T-shirts featuring the words:
CATHOLICS VS. CONVICTS.
The slogan captured the contrasting public images of the two programs. Notre Dame represented tradition, religion and its historic identity. Miami had developed a reputation as college football’s rebellious bad boys.
The phrase was provocative, controversial and guaranteed to get a reaction.
And it did.
Miami players took offense, particularly because the label painted an entire team with a broad brush. The Hurricanes had plenty of players who didn’t fit the stereotype at all.
But the marketing genius of the slogan was undeniable.
The game had become an event.
Then came the football.
Notre Dame jumped out to a 21-7 lead, but Miami fought back. The teams traded punches throughout the afternoon, and the Hurricanes eventually found themselves trailing 31-24 with time running out.
With less than a minute remaining, Miami quarterback Steve Walsh connected with Andre Brown for a touchdown.
The Hurricanes were down one.
Instead of kicking the extra point and sending the game toward a potential tie, Johnson decided to go for two.
It was a championship-level gamble.
Walsh took the snap and looked for a receiver in the end zone.
Notre Dame safety Pat Terrell got his hand on the pass.
Incomplete.
Game over.
Notre Dame 31. Miami 30.
The Irish had knocked off the nation’s No. 1 team, ended Miami’s winning streak and delivered one of the greatest victories in school history.
Notre Dame would finish the season undefeated and claim the national championship.
It was the kind of game that made college football feel larger than life.
1989: Miami Gets Its Revenge
Of course, the rivalry wasn’t finished.
The following November, Notre Dame traveled to Miami for another showdown between national championship contenders.
This time, the Hurricanes weren’t interested in a repeat of the previous year’s ending.
Miami won 27-10, handing Notre Dame its only loss of the season.
The Hurricanes would go on to win the national championship, giving the rivalry back-to-back seasons in which the winner of this matchup finished on top of college football.
Not bad for a game that started with a T-shirt.
1990: One Last Classic
The teams met again in October 1990, and Notre Dame delivered another memorable performance.
The Irish defeated the second-ranked Hurricanes 29-20 in South Bend.
It was the final meeting of the annual series for two decades.
By then, the rivalry had produced some of the most memorable games of the era, with national championships, controversial moments and enough personality to fill an entire season of television.
College football would be different without it.
The Rivalry Returns
After the 1990 meeting, the programs went their separate ways for 20 years.
They finally reunited in the 2010 Sun Bowl, where Notre Dame won 33-17.
The Irish also won the 2012 meeting in Chicago and edged Miami 30-27 in 2016.
But Miami reminded everyone that the old rivalry still had plenty of life in it.
In November 2017, the Hurricanes hosted Notre Dame in a matchup between two top-15 teams.
Miami absolutely overwhelmed the Irish, winning 41-8 in a game that featured a raucous home crowd and a defense that made life miserable for Notre Dame.
Then came the 2025 season opener.
Miami edged Notre Dame 27-24 in a game that would ultimately have enormous College Football Playoff implications. The Hurricanes went on to reach the national championship game, while Notre Dame was left outside the playoff field.
Once again, Miami had gotten the better of the Irish when it mattered.
November 7, 2026: Another Chapter
Now, the rivalry returns to South Bend.
Miami enters undefeated and ranked No. 1 in the country. Notre Dame enters with one loss and plenty of motivation after last season’s heartbreaking defeat.
The stakes are enormous. Sports Americana happens to be very high on both teams.
For the Hurricanes, it’s another opportunity to prove they belong among the nation’s elite.
For Notre Dame, it’s a chance to defend home turf and remind everyone that the Irish still have something to say in this rivalry.
Nobody needs to manufacture a storyline.
The history has already done that.
Some Rivalries Are Just Different
College football has plenty of great rivalries. Ohio State-Michigan. Alabama-Auburn. Army-Navy.
But Miami-Notre Dame in the late 1980s was something different.
It was a clash of personalities, traditions and football philosophies. It was Jimmy Johnson and Lou Holtz. It was the swagger of Miami against the history of Notre Dame.
And it gave us one of the greatest games in college football history.
The T-shirts may have faded, the uniforms have changed and the playoff system has transformed the sport.
But when Miami and Notre Dame meet, it’s hard not to think about that October afternoon in 1988.
Catholics vs. Convicts.
Somewhere, you have to imagine, somebody still has that T-shirt tucked away in a drawer.
And tomorrow night, a new chapter begins.
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