By Darin 
n the midst of World War II, the 1943 college football season was dramatically reshaped by the inclusion of powerful military service teams. The ultimate showdown, often dubbed the “Game of the Year,” pitted the unbeaten No. 1 Notre Dame Fighting Irish against the equally formidable No. 2 Iowa Pre-Flight Seahawks. The Seahawks, a service team boasting former professional players, provided the stiffest challenge to Frank Leahy’s elite squad. Played on November 20, 1943, this contest was a de facto national title game, destined to be decided by a single point and the clutch performance of a legendary Irish halfback.
The Game
The action at Notre Dame Stadium was a tense, defensive battle, knotted at 7-7 through the end of the third quarter. The powerful Seahawks surged ahead 13-7 in the final period after a touchdown. However, fate intervened when the Seahawks missed the crucial extra point, hitting the upright and leaving the margin at six points instead of seven.
This single missed conversion was the opening the Fighting Irish needed. Led by national rushing leader Creighton Miller and future Heisman winner Johnny Lujack (who had taken over quarterback duties earlier in the season), Notre Dame mounted a grinding, late-game drive. The march culminated when Miller, known for his explosive speed, plunged into the end zone from six yards out. The successful extra point put Notre Dame ahead 14-13, a lead they desperately clung to until the final whistle.
Article from Nov 21, 1943 The South Bend Tribune (South Bend, Indiana)
Conclusion
The 14-13 victory over Iowa Pre-Flight was the defining moment for Notre Dame’s 1943 campaign. The dramatic win over the nation’s No. 2 team, coupled with their dominance over five other ranked opponents, solidified their claim to the consensus 1943 National Championship. This dramatic contest stands as a symbol of football during the wartime era: a clash of titans decided by the thinnest of margins and the legendary resolve of players like Creighton Miller, whose game-winning touchdown remains one of the most critical plays in Fighting Irish history.