Tall Grass Game Explained

1928 Notre Dame vs. Wisconsin football game
"Tall Grass Game"
Football Season:1928
Visitor Name Short:Notre Dame
Visitor Nickname:Fighting Irish
Visitor School:Notre Dame Fighting Irish football
Home Name Short:Wisconsin
Home Nickname:Badgers
Home School:Wisconsin Badgers football
Visitor Record:1–0[1]
Home Record:0–0[2]
Visitor Coach:Knute Rockne
Home Coach:Glenn Thistlethwaite
Visitor 1Q:0
Visitor 2Q:6
Visitor 3Q:0
Visitor 4Q:0
Home 1Q:2
Home 2Q:0
Home 3Q:13
Home 4Q:7
Date:October 6, 1928
Stadium:Camp Randall Stadium
City:Madison, Wisconsin
Attendance:40,000

The Tall Grass Game was the 1928 Notre Dame vs. Wisconsin football game played on October 6, 1928, between the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and Wisconsin Badgers. Notre Dame, coached by Knute Rockne, arrived in Madison, Wisconsin, only to find that the grass on the football field at Camp Randall Stadium had not been mowed in a week. Rumor was that Wisconsin coach Glenn Thistlethwaite wanted to slow down the speedy Notre Dame Irish players. Rockne demanded the field be trimmed and Thistlethwaite refused.

The game was considered to be one of the premier non-conference games of the time. Before the game began, a stadium-record 40,000 fans were expected to attend the game,[3] an attendance mark that was achieved.[4]

The Badgers upset the Irish 22–6,[5] [6] and Wisconsin fans still refer to the game as "The Victory In The Tall Grass."[7] It was called the first win by a Big Ten Conference team over Notre Dame in over a decade,[8] [9] although the Fighting Irish had actually lost to the Iowa Hawkeyes only seven years prior to the game. The Badgers broke the Irish's 14-game streak against Big ten opponents and became only the second team to defeat them since their blackballing from the league was rescinded in 1917.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Coaching Records Game-by-Game (1928) Knute Rockne. College Football Data Warehouse. David. DeLassus. October 29, 2013.
  2. Web site: Coaching Records Game-by-Game (1928) Glenn F. Thistlethwaite. College Football Data Warehouse. David. DeLassus. October 29, 2013.
  3. Web site: 40,000 Fans to See Game in Madison. The Milwaukee Journal. October 1, 1928. October 30, 2013.
  4. Web site: Notre Dame Routed by Wisconsin. New York Times. October 29, 2013. October 6, 1928.
  5. Web site: Losses by Irish, Michigan Big Upsets, Says Warner. Rochester Evening Journal. October 8, 1928. Glenn S.. Warner. Glenn Scobey Warner. October 29, 2013.
  6. Web site: Official Football Review - University of Notre Dame 1928.
  7. Oliver Koechle and Jim Mott, "On Wisconsin: Badger Football", pages 111-113 (c) 1977.
  8. Web site: Middie's, Irish Provide Days Heavy Upsets. Milwaukee Sentinel. October 29, 2013. Glenn S.. Warner. Glenn Scobey Warner. October 8, 1928.
  9. Web site: Wisconsin Had Courage, Says Zuppke of Victory. Milwaukee Journal. October 29, 2013. October 8, 1928. Robert C.. Zuppke. Robert Zuppke.