First Down Moses

What do you get when you take a statue of Moses pointing one finger toward the sky and place him on the football-mad campus of the University of Notre Dame?

You get “First Down Moses,” of course.

Outside the Hesburgh Library, there is a 17-foot-tall bronze statue of Moses. With one hand, he is holding the Ten Commandments, and with the other, he is pointing toward the heavens with his index finger extended. Perhaps he is suggesting Notre Dame is number one in college football or that a first down has just been made. The name “First Down Moses” was given to him by the student body when the sculpture was placed on campus. The sculpture was created by Josip Turkalj in 1962.

A first down is earned when the offensive team advances the ball 10 or more yards in four plays or fewer. If they do this, a new first down is awarded, and another 10 or more yards must be gained in the next four plays.