When you think of the pageantry of the sport of college football there are not many schools that do it better than Notre Dame. I am not talking about the tailgating scene, or specific cases where there is an elevated energy in the air such as a top-five matchups or rivalry games, I am talking about the aspects of the gameday experience that should not be about football, but somehow are. Notre Dame makes a gameday on campus feel like the history of the school is just as prevalent as the football game that will happen that day. There is something about the school that pulls you into its history in a quiet way that leaves you excited for what is about to come. As my roommate Brandon who joined me on this day trip said to me as we were leaving, you don’t see a campus draw you in like that really anywhere else.
Notre Dame is one of the most historic programs in the sport. 11 national championships, 7 Heisman Trophy winners, and a fanbase that extends far beyond its alumni base. They are one of the only Independent FBS schools which means they are not affiliated with a conference. The reason why is because of two things. One, in the early 1900s they tried to join the Big 10 but were denied essentially due to anti-Catholic prejudice at the time. Then they started playing a schedule against teams in all areas of the country to the point where their fanbase spread even more and they no longer needed a conference to get big games, which was the second reason. Their independence has become a current topic of debate, but that is a story for a different time.
I have wanted to go to a game for a long time, but living in Texas, the logistics just did not make sense. Now, living in Chicago, it is only a short hour and a half away. When deciding on a game, we penciled in the Week 2 game where they played Rice, as we both have some other obligations later in the fall. We bought the tickets and then the excitement started to build.
Getting to south bend
My morning started bright and early and required a 5:15 AM alarm to be set. I was at my parent’s house in my childhood home in Grayslake, IL, and drove an hour down to Chicago to pick up my roommate. After a quick stop at Chick-Fil-A for some breakfast, we were on our way to South Bend. It was an easy drive with minimal traffic, and our first stop was Notre Dame’s Warren Golf Course.
I wanted to check it out and get a polo with their swinging leprechaun logo as I think it is one of the coolest university golf logos. The course itself looked so pure, and I hope to go play it sometime. We ended up parking two minutes from the golf course, which was directly east of campus.
Campus
After parking, we made our way over to the bookstore for our first stop on campus. Walking through campus, everything was so put together. I have been to many college campuses, and this campus just felt more like a groomed thought-out expansion from its first iteration, instead of the school mass-expanding for the size of the student body. This sign was up since Notre Dame was playing Rice, aka Carbs.
Limestone and wood work dominate the structure of almost all the buildings and combined with the well-kept grass and landscaping, it made the campus feel like it was meticulously put together. The bookstore might have been the biggest bookstore I have ever seen. It was absolutely massive and it rivaled the busyness of a Black Friday shopping experience. I saw every brand imaginable. Brandon and I picked up shirts and we finally looked like we fit the part in the sea of navy, gold, and Irish green.
Walking north, we saw The Golden Dome, which the brightness of it in the sun made it cut through everything else in sight, it mimicked a shining star. I understand why Notre Dame dons their bright gold helmets. Very close west of The Golden Dome was the Basilica of the Sacred Heart, which is the on-campus parish for Notre Dame. The inside was absolutely stunning, and by far the most beautiful church I have seen in person.
It was an open style church with the side we were on being the larger side for general masses, and the opposite side of the altar, there was a smaller chapel. Being a Catholic I said a quick prayer, and our next stop was the grotto, another historic spot on the campus. The grotto is a smaller replica of the sanctuary in Lourdes, France. It is a place meant for prayer and reflection for Catholics. There was around a 400 person line to light a candle. We walked around the backside of the Basilica, and saw a crowd form around the chapel entrance and we got curious as to what was happening. I saw a NBC cameraman near the door, and about 10 seconds later, led by head coach Marcus Freeman, the football team walked into the chapel for a pregame mass. We did not plan to be there at that time and it was completely random, but I am really happy we were able to see that.
After they all walked in, the crowd moved another door which I can only assume was the door they left through. We walked down the path in between the crowd towards Touchdown Jesus. Walking through campus felt so surreal. I have not had a campus draw me in to the degree Notre Dame did. I loved it.
Pregame
After walking around campus, we walked back south to a bar called O’Rourke’s Public House for some drinks and food. We put in our name for a table, and grabbed a beer. 10 minutes later our table was ready. Somehow inside was hotter than outside, but it was a cool atmosphere. We invited two other guys visiting South Bend to our table to join us since the place was full, and we had two extra spots. Sam and Tyler were from Green Bay, WI, and Minneapolis, MN. We talked some trash about our respective NFC North teams (Go Bears), shared some stories and drinks, and then we walked over to the game.
Notre Dame Stadium
Notre Dame Stadium was really cool. I prefer bowl stadiums to stacked ones, and this one was beautiful. From the chandeliers in the concourse to the banners celebrating both current players and legends of the team, like everything on campus, it was also very well put together. I am a sucker for Yeti branded tumblers. Maybe it is because my dog is named Yeti, but anytime I see a souvenir Yeti, I buy it. Now what was really cool is the Yeti showed the top of the Basilica, the Dome, and Touchdown Jesus over the stadium. And when we got to our seats, it was our exact view.
The Game Atmosphere
Notre Dame was playing Rice, who were 44.5 underdogs. Rice was never in this game, 4 minutes and 30 seconds in, it was 14-0 Notre Dame, however this crowd never once stopped cheering. Fast forward to 52-0 in the third quarter, the student section was still full, and everyone was still cheering. Maybe it was the section we were in, but the people around us knew all the players, even the backups. They were talking about how X player is a freshman and is going to be great next year when he starts, and how Y player is developing. They wanted this score run up, they were clearly still very bitter being left out of the playoffs last year. Many people were wearing shirts that said “Leave No Doubt” obviously referencing last season’s absence. These fans wanted the playoff committee and AP Poll to see that Notre Dame was and would continue to dominate every aspect of the game. This is not a team overview or prediction, but if this bitter crowd continues through all their home games, incoming teams are going to have a difficult time here.
My Final Thoughts
I had a fantastic time here. Being in my mid-twenties, when I go to a football game I am used to tailgating, going to bars, having drinks, and pregaming. But that was not the case here, and honestly, I preferred that. This fanbase shows up because they love the team and the sport. Although there is a great tailgating scene (from what we saw), it is not used solely as an excuse to party. Driving back, all we could talk about was how cool of an experience it was. We saw true passion for the team, and Notre Dame fans catch a lot of heat for many not going to Notre Dame, but after being here, it is hard to not cheer for them. I hope to be back soon.
Slawek on Saturdays 
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