Notre Dame just picked up the kind of victory that can change the direction of an entire season.

Beating previously undefeated No. 1 Miami 31-24 was a massive accomplishment for head coach Marcus Freeman and the Fighting Irish. It gave Notre Dame the signature win it desperately needed and put the program back in a strong position to compete for a College Football Playoff spot.

But another part of Notre Dame football history makes this week’s matchup against Boston College particularly interesting.

In 1993, the Irish defeated No. 1 Florida State in one of college football’s most memorable games. One week later, Boston College came to South Bend and delivered one of the most heartbreaking losses in Notre Dame history.

Now, more than three decades later, Notre Dame finds itself in a remarkably similar scheduling situation. The Irish just knocked off the No. 1 team in the country. Boston College is coming to Notre Dame Stadium the following week.

There is an opportunity for Freeman’s team to avoid a painful history lesson, and there is plenty riding on Saturday’s matchup.

The 1993 Florida State comparison is difficult to ignore

Notre Dame’s 1993 victory over Florida State remains one of the defining moments in the program’s history.

The Fighting Irish entered the November 13 matchup undefeated and ranked No. 2 nationally. Florida State, led by quarterback Charlie Ward, was also undefeated and sitting atop the national rankings. It was billed as the “Game of the Century,” and the two teams certainly delivered.

Notre Dame jumped out to a 21-7 halftime lead and eventually built a 31-17 advantage in the fourth quarter. Florida State made things interesting late, but the Irish held on for a 31-24 victory.

The win moved Notre Dame to 10-0 and put Lou Holtz’s team in the driver’s seat for a national championship. It was an enormous accomplishment, but the celebration didn’t last long.

Seven days later, Boston College arrived in South Bend.

The Eagles entered the matchup ranked No. 17, and Notre Dame was expected to handle business against an opponent it had dominated the previous season. Instead, Boston College delivered one of the biggest upsets in college football history.

Notre Dame fell behind 38-17 before putting together an incredible fourth-quarter comeback. The Irish scored 22 points in a little more than 10 minutes, eventually taking a 39-38 lead on a Kevin McDougal touchdown pass to Lake Dawson with 1:09 remaining.

It looked like Notre Dame had escaped.

However, Boston College quarterback Glenn Foley led the Eagles down the field, setting up David Gordon for a 41-yard field goal as time expired. Boston College won 41-39, handing Notre Dame its first loss of the season and knocking the Irish from the No. 1 spot in the polls.

Notre Dame eventually finished 11-1 after defeating Texas A&M in the Cotton Bowl, while Florida State claimed the national championship. It’s a loss that still resonates with Notre Dame fans, particularly because of what was at stake.

Beating Miami brings back memories of that Florida State victory

There are some pretty remarkable similarities between Notre Dame’s 1993 victory over Florida State and its win over Miami.

Both games featured Notre Dame taking on the nation’s No. 1 team at home. Both opponents entered the matchup undefeated, and both games finished with the Irish winning by the same score: 31-24.

There were also some similarities in how the games unfolded.

Against Florida State, Notre Dame built a comfortable advantage before the Seminoles made a late push. Against Miami, the Irish established a 21-point lead before the Hurricanes mounted a second-half comeback of their own.

CJ Carr delivered an outstanding performance against Miami, completing 29 of 40 passes for 319 yards and three touchdowns. Micah Gilbert was his favorite target, finishing with nine receptions for 98 yards and two touchdowns.

Luke Talich also played a significant role in the victory, recording an interception and breaking up a potential Miami touchdown late in the game. It was a signature performance for Freeman’s program.

There is one important difference between the two situations, though. Notre Dame entered the Florida State game undefeated in 1993. Freeman’s team already had a loss on its résumé before taking on Miami.

That makes the victory over the Hurricanes even more important from a playoff perspective. Notre Dame needed a statement win, and it got one.

Now comes the responsibility of following it up.

Notre Dame has already shown it can avoid a repeat of 1993

There is another historical comparison that should give Notre Dame fans some confidence.

In 2020, Brian Kelly’s Fighting Irish found themselves in a very similar situation.

Notre Dame defeated No. 1 Clemson 47-40 in double overtime on November 7. It was one of the biggest regular-season victories in program history and established the Irish as legitimate national championship contenders.

The following week, Notre Dame traveled to Chestnut Hill to face Boston College. This time, the Irish didn’t let the moment get away from them.

Notre Dame defeated the Eagles 45-31, improving to 9-0 and maintaining its position among the nation’s top teams.

Ian Book was outstanding, throwing for 283 yards and three touchdowns while adding 85 rushing yards and another score. Ben Skowronek also had a huge afternoon, catching three touchdown passes.

It wasn’t necessarily an easy afternoon. Boston College actually jumped out to a 10-3 lead before Notre Dame settled in and took control. But the Irish responded and ultimately handled their business.

That is the example Freeman should be pointing to this week.

Notre Dame has already experienced the disappointment of 1993. It has also demonstrated, as recently as 2020, that beating a No. 1 team doesn’t have to be followed by a disappointing performance against Boston College.

Why the Boston College game is so important

There is a lot more at stake Saturday than simply avoiding an embarrassing loss.

Notre Dame is now 8-1 following its victory over Miami, and the Irish have three regular-season games remaining. Boston College, SMU and Syracuse are the final obstacles standing between Notre Dame and the end of its regular season.

Winning out would put Freeman’s team in an excellent position to make the College Football Playoff.

The victory over Miami was a significant résumé boost, but the selection committee is going to look at the entire body of work. A loss to Boston College would take away a tremendous amount of the momentum Notre Dame just created.

It would also raise some legitimate questions about the team’s consistency. This is where the mental side of football becomes so important.

Notre Dame just played in one of the biggest games of the college football season. The atmosphere was electric, the stakes were enormous, and the Irish delivered.

There is naturally going to be some emotional letdown after a victory like that.

Freeman’s challenge is making sure his players understand that the Miami game doesn’t accomplish anything if they fail to take care of business against Boston College. The Irish need to approach this matchup with the same urgency they brought against the Hurricanes.

They cannot afford to overlook an opponent simply because it doesn’t have the same national reputation.

Freeman has an opportunity to make his own history

The 1993 Boston College loss is one of those games that will forever be part of Notre Dame football history. It is a reminder that beating the best team in the country doesn’t automatically guarantee anything the following week.

Notre Dame had a chance to put itself in an incredible position for a national championship that season. Instead, it allowed an opportunity to slip away against an opponent it was expected to beat.

Freeman now has a chance to make sure his team doesn’t experience something similar.

The circumstances aren’t identical, but the challenge is familiar. Notre Dame just took down the No. 1 team in the country, and now it needs to prove that it can maintain that level of focus against Boston College.

There is also an opportunity to build on what this program accomplished in 2020. That team beat No. 1 Clemson and followed it up with a victory over Boston College. Freeman’s group needs to do the same thing against the Eagles.

The Irish have put themselves back in the College Football Playoff conversation. They have the signature victory they needed, and the path to the postseason is there.

But none of that matters if they don’t take care of business Saturday. Nobody in South Bend wants to relive November 20, 1993.

Notre Dame has already accomplished the difficult part by beating Miami. Now it needs to handle the responsibility that comes with that victory.

Beating Miami was a statement. Beating Boston College is a necessity.