BYU vs. Willingham, Part III

It’s no secret that Washington coach Tyrone Willingham is under fire in Seattle. His teams have failed to record a winning season in his previous three years at the helm. Things got even worse for Willingham after his team’s dismal performance in an opening-season 44-10 loss at Oregon last weekend.
Still, this is not the first time BYU has faced Willingham under such circumstances.
The Cougars hosted Willingham-led Notre Dame in the 2004 season-opener while many Fighting Irish fans were calling for Willingham’s ouster. BYU knocked off Notre Dame, 20-17, and the Irish went on to post a 6-5 record. Willingham was fired in December of that year, the same day that then-BYU coach Gary Crowton was fired after the Cougars went 5-6.
The previous year, in 2003, BYU fell to Notre Dame and Willingham in South Bend, 33-14.