After two tune-up wins to start the season, Notre Dame’s first real test came in Austin against a fired-up, top-10 Texas Longhorns team hungry for revenge after a lopsided loss the year before. With sun-scorched turf beneath them and a deafening home crowd above them, the Irish found themselves in a back-and-forth heavyweight battle. Quarterback Ron Powlus showed resilience under pressure, Autry Denson broke out in a star-making performance, and the defense delivered when it mattered most. It was a game of gut checks and momentum shifts—a true test of poise, preparation, and belief.
The following article, “Grade A Comeback” by Peter Bergin, appeared in Volume 138, Number 10 of Scholastic Magazine, published on January 30, 1997 as part of the official 1996 Notre Dame Football Review.