FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, May 21st, 2020

“SNOW BOWL” VS. PENN STATE AND BACK-TO-BACK ORANGE BOWLS IN 1990 & 1991 HEADLINE CLASSIC NOTRE DAME FOOTBALL GAMES TONIGHT AT 7 P.M. ET ON NBCSN

Enhanced Broadcast to Include Special Commentary from Rocket Ismail, Reggie Brooks, Eric Bieniemy, Rick Mirer and Chris Zorich; All Featured in Tonight’s Games

NBC Sports’ Liam McHugh Anchors Coverage on NBCSN

30 Hours of Classic Sports Moments from Notre Dame Football, the Orange Bowl, MLB Classics, PGA TOUR & Ryder Cup Presented the Remainder of the Week

STAMFORD, Conn. – May 21, 2020 – A trio of classic Notre Dame football games, including the “Snow Bowl” in 1992 and back-to-back Orange Bowls against the Colorado Buffaloes in 1990 and 1991, are featured tonight on NBC Sports From the Vault beginning at 7 p.m. ET on NBCSN. Interviews with college football greats Rocket Ismail, Reggie Brooks, Eric Bieniemy, Rick Mirer and Chris Zorich are included in tonight’s enhanced broadcast.

Throughout the remainder of the week, NBC Sports will be presenting 30 hours of classic sports events from the past three decades, featuring Notre Dame football, the Orange Bowl, MLB classics, PGA TOUR and Ryder Cup.

NBC Sports’ Liam McHugh will anchor coverage, starting tonight at 7 p.m. ET. Match presentations will include a specialized ticker featuring live tweets. Fans can tweet #NBCSNVault for the chance to see their tweets live on air.

Programming will also stream on NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app.

TONIGHT, THURSDAY, MAY 21 – NOTRE DAME FOOTBALL

EVENT TIME (ET) NETWORK
No. 8 Notre Dame vs. No. 22 Penn State (1992 “Snow Bowl”) 7 p.m. NBCSN
No. 4 Notre Dame vs. No. 1 Colorado (1990 Orange Bowl) 9:30 p.m. NBCSN
No. 5 Notre Dame vs. No. 1 Colorado (1991 Orange Bowl) Midnight NBCSN

NO. 8 NOTRE DAME VS. NO. 22 PENN STATE (1992 “SNOW BOWL”) AT 7 P.M. ET

Thursday kicks off with one of the most memorable games in Notre Dame football history: No. 8 Notre Dame hosting No. 22 Penn State on Senior Day in a November 1992 snowy thriller, known as the “Snow Bowl.” Trailing 16-9 with 25 seconds remaining, Notre Dame quarterback Rick Mirer threw a touchdown pass to running back Jerome Bettis to pull the Fighting Irish within one point. Head coach Lou Holtz elected to go for the win and attempt a two-point conversion. Mirer connected with running back Reggie Brooks on his two-point conversion pass to propel Notre Dame to a one-point 17-16 victory over Penn State.

During the broadcast, McHugh speaks with former Notre Dame All-American running back Reggie Brooks and former Fighting Irish quarterback and No. 2 overall pick in the 1993 NFL Draft Rick Mirer.

Tom Hammond (play-by-play), Cris Collinsworth (analyst) and John Dockery (reporter) called the matchup at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, Ind.

NO. 4 NOTRE DAME VS. NO. 1 COLORADO (1990 ORANGE BOWL) AT 9:30 P.M. ET

In the first of back-to-back Orange Bowls featuring Notre Dame and Colorado, the Fighting Irish faced the top-ranked and undefeated Buffaloes in the 56th edition of the Orange Bowl. The Fighting Irish, led by wide receiver Rocket Ismail and their stout defense, defeated the Buffs, 21-6, spoiling Colorado’s championship hopes. Ismail earned game MVP honors.

NBC has aired each of the five most-watched Orange Bowls on record since 1988. The 1990 Orange Bowl is the second-most watched edition of the annual game with 30.1 million viewers.

McHugh will interview All-Americans Rocket Ismail and Chris Zorich throughout the 1990 Orange Bowl broadcast. Zorich will also host a watch-along with over a dozen of his Notre Dame teammates during the game, which will be available on the NBC Sports Facebook page.

Dick Enberg (play-by-play) and Bill Walsh (analyst) called the matchup at the Orange Bowl in Miami, Fla.

NO. 5 NOTRE DAME VS. NO. 1 COLORADO (1991 ORANGE BOWL) AT MIDNIGHT

The 1991 Orange Bowl featured two top-five teams facing off in a rematch of the previous seasons’ Orange Bowl. The Notre Dame defense held the explosive Colorado offense, led by Heisman Trophy finalist running back Eric Bieniemy, to only 10 points. The 10 points turned out to be enough for the win, as the Fighting Irish were able to only muster nine points of their own. The matchup featured a controversial ending when Rocket Ismail returned a punt for a potential game-winning Notre Dame touchdown with less than a minute remaining, but was called back on a penalty, which all but secured the Buffaloes victory.

Colorado earned its first, and to date, only national championship, while exacting revenge on the Fighting Irish for their Orange Bowl defeat the prior season.

The enhanced 1991 Orange Bowl broadcast will feature McHugh interviewing former Buffaloes All-American running back and current Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy. Colorado football will also host a watch-along with members of the 1991 Orange Bowl team that will be available on NBC Sports’ social accounts.

Dick Enberg (play-by-play) and Bill Walsh (analyst) called the matchup at the Orange Bowl.

Below is each night’s highlighted content throughout the week:

  • Thursday, May 21: Notre Dame Football
  • Friday, May 22: MLB Classics
  • Saturday, May 23: PGA TOUR (Arnold Palmer Invitational) and Ryder Cup
  • Sunday, May 24: PGA TOUR (THE PLAYERS Championship) and Ryder Cup

–NBC SPORTS–