With Notre Dame football concluding its 2012 regular season with a perfect 12-0 record and the No. 1 BCS ranking, NBC will take a special look back at the Fighting Irish’s season and look ahead to the team’s upcoming appearance in the BCS National Championship game against Alabama, Jan. 7 on ESPN. Undefeated: 2012 Notre Dame Football Season in Review premieres on NBC this Saturday, Dec. 22, at 2pm ET.
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Liam McHugh hosts Undefeated, which will feature an in-depth and behind-the-scenes look at Notre Dame football’s first undefeated regular season since 1988. The special will include interviews with head coach Brian Kelly and numerous players, and will also feature a look back at the career of Heisman Trophy candidate and team captain, linebacker Manti Te’o. Footage from the Notre Dame Football awards show will also air in Undefeated.
Not surprisingly given its historic season, Notre Dame Football scored its most-watched season in seven years for NBC. The network says that the Fighting Irish averaged 4.4 million viewers and a 2.8 household rating for its seven games on NBC, up 69% and 67%, respectively, versus last year (2.6 million viewers and a 1.7 household rating).
Can ratings lightning strike twice? NBC hopes so, as it will be re-airing several of the 2012 Notre Dame football games on New Year’s Day on the NBC Sports Network, including the team’s Sept. 22, 13-6 win against rival Michigan; the 20-13 overtime victory against Stanford; the triple overtime victory, 29-26, over Pittsburgh; and the 38-0 shutout over Wake Forest on Senior Day. In addition to these games, NBC Sports Network will re-air Undefeated, as well as the special Onward Notre Dame: South Bend to Soldier Field, which features the team as it prepares to face Miami at Soldier Field, home of the Chicago Bears, a game Notre Dame eventually won, 41-3.
Undefeated: 2012 Notre Dame Football Season in Review premieres Dec. 22 at 2pm ET on NBC.
The New Year’s Day Notre Dame Football schedule on NBC Sports Network airs as follows:
Jan. 1, NBC Sports Network
12pm: Michigan at Notre Dame Re-Air
2pm: Onward Notre Dame: South Bend to Soldier Field Re-Air
3pm: Stanford at Notre Dame Re-Air
5pm: Pittsburgh at Notre Dame Re-Air
7pm: Wake Forest at Notre Dame Re-Air
9pm: Undefeated: Notre Dame Football Season in Review Re-Air
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