Editor’s note: Syracuse lost to Notre Dame off the controversy of the 1961 season. Below is The Daily Orange’s game story re-published.

The ball game was over. Syracuse had beaten Notre Dame, 15-14, and 7,200 hoarse, weary, but extremely happy Orange fans were pulling on their coats in the Onondaga War Memorial. They had seen on closed-circuit television a fighting Piety football team surge from two touchdowns behind to edge in front of the equally spirited Irish by a single point.

And they had just witnessed the last play of the game, a futile 56-yard field goal attempt by Notre Dame’s Joe Perkowski.

But now headlinesman F. G. Skibbie was frantically signaling the game was still in progress. Declaring a roughing the holder penalty on Syracuse, the “victory ball” was snatched from Dick Easterly and returned to play.

Second Try Good

The fans in the memorial terminated dressing and watched in partial horror and partial disbelief as Perkowski got set to try again. This time he was on the 30. As the ones crunched together and the tired arms of the visiting linemen reached vainly for the ball, Perkowski booted. The pigskin was only halfway to the posts when the elation of the spectators in the end zone echoed the success of the effort.

So now it was over again, and this time for keeps. Notre Dame had the victory ball, and the necessary 17-15 winning margin to go with it.

The gridiron was covered with delirious Irish fans, swarming over the green turf and mobbing their heroes. But in Syracuse the fans shuffled quietly and sullenly from the War Memorial. They all seemed to be mulling the same adjective—“unbelievable.”

Bowl Hopes Smashed

And unbelievable it was, but it had happened. Time had run out, yet there was that ball sailing through the uprights and falling into the screaming throng. With it fell Syracuse’s Orange bowl hopes.

At first the long fuse which led to the explosive and disastrous climax began to wind its unmerciful path slowly. Notre Dame’s George Sefcik, who was the holder on the final play, and Syracuse’s John Snider matched their educated punting toes throughout the first period as the defensive units dominated play.

But Frank Budka, Notre Dame’s flashiy sophomore quarterback, finally found Angelo Daberio all alone in the Orange secondary and hit his little halfback with a 41-yard scoring aerial. Perkowski added the P.A.T., and the Irish fronted 7-0 as the half ended.

ND Strikes Again

At 3:51 of the third stanza Budka struck again. He connected with his favorite target, rangy end Les Traver, for a 25-yard scoring pitch, Perkowski converted again, and the Irish were riding high on the crest of a 14-0 lead.

The Orange were desperate, but not out of the game yet. With a fourth down a long one yard to go on their own 43, Dace Sarette played the gambler’s game. He faked the obvious, Davis off tackle, rolled out and threw a strike to big John Mackey.

Mackey, one of the outstanding players of the afternoon, galloped all the way into the end zone with his tear-away jersey flying in the face of a defensive halfback Sefcik. Sarette’s rollout flip to Easterly made it 14-8, Notre Dame.

Sarette remained in the ball game with the second unit, and early in the fourth period the “victory drive” was underway. From their own 47 the Orange marched steadily goal ward. Then the crowd was silenced as Sarette rolled left at about the Notre Dame 10, was hit and knocked unconscious. He had to be carried from the field.

But sophomore Bob Lelli hustled in to replace Dave, and to “get one” for him. A one-yard pass to Easterly did just that, Ericson toed the extra point, and now Syracuse had a 15-14 edge with 10:35 left to play.

An exchange of punts, an interception by Easterly, an interception by Snider, and with only 1:31 to go, Syracuse looked home free.

17 Seconds Left

The Orange ate up all but 17 seconds of the clock, but were finally forced to turn the ball over to the Irish on downs at the Notre Dame 30. Budka ran 20 yards to midfield. Then he hit Sefcik at the 39, which was the line of scrimmage for that play which will be one of the most controversial in Piety football history.

Davis had been tremendous. The defense had been extra-rugged. Sweeney, Sarette, Snider, Meggyesy—They all played hard. The 1,500 fans that greeted the “losers” at the airport knew it. And they will know it again in 1963 when Notre Dame faces the Orange in New York, with Mr. Skibbie remaining home.

Published on September 25, 2014 at 12:15 am