Joe Montana

Position:
Quarterback, Notre Dame
Hometown:
Monongahela, Pennsylvania
Height:
6-2
Weight:
191
Classic Memories:
1978 Classic: Notre Dame 38, Texas 10 1979; Classic: Notre Dame 35, Houston 34

Notre Dame's "Comeback Kid" proved he had the stuff that legends are made of with two incredible Cotton Bowl Classic performances. In 1978, Joe Montana led the Irish to a stunning 38-10 upset of top-ranked Texas, a win that vaulted Notre Dame from fifth in the regular-season rankings to the national championship. A year later, facing miserable weather conditions and needing a dose of chicken noodle soup at halftime to erase a below-normal body temperature, Montana guided the Irish to an incredible finish against Houston. In the last eight minutes of the fourth quarter, he chipped away at what appeared to be an insurmountable 22-point deficit. The game clincher was an eight-yard scoring pass to split end Kris Haines as the clock hit 0:00. The ensuing PAT on the game’s final play gave the Irish an amazing 35-34 victory.