Here Come the Irish!

One of the things I look forward to each September is the start of another Notre Dame football season. One of my best memories is the first Notre Dame football game I ever attended.  I grew up loving football and still do. But, I never attended a Notre Dame game until I was a student.

I didn’t quite know what to expect that first Saturday in September 1993.  The Irish were set to face Northwestern.  I got to the game early and found my spot in the student section which was in the North end zone right in front of Touchdown Jesus.  It was a bright sunny day.  Notre Dame kicked off to start the game and the Northwestern returner took a knee in the end zone giving his team the ball at the 20 yard line.  On the very first play from scrimmage, a Notre Dame linebacker stepped in front of a Northwestern pass and returned it for a touchdown right in front of me.  Yep, the first play from scrimmage I ever saw was a Pick 6 run right back at me. I was instantly a Notre Dame football nut.

The following week, we were set to play highly ranked Michigan in Ann Arbor.  There were 200 tickets allotted for the entire Notre Dame student body.  You could sign up to enter the lottery and see if your name was one of the 100 lucky winners drawn entitling you and a friend to two of those 200 tickets.  Wouldn’t you know it? Out of 8,000 students, I was one of the lucky ones drawn.  I remember boarding the bus for Ann Arbor at 6:00 a.m. We rode the bus with great anticipation. I saw the Big House for the first time and witnessed what it was like to watch a football game with approximately 100,000 other people.  Notre Dame knocked off that Top 5 Michigan team and was on its way to marching through 10 consecutive wins culminating in a 31-24 win over top-ranked Florida State.

I look back fondly on my beginnings as a Notre Dame football fan.  I’m not sure that you could ask for two better memories to begin college life.  Since that time, I have had a lot of joy and heartache following the Irish.  In 2012, I got to watch Notre Dame beat Pitt in triple overtime to preserve an undefeated season.  Later that season, I had a great time in South Beach ruined by a crushing defeat at the hands of Alabama in the BCS National Championship game.

But, each September brings a new season and new hope.  Will this be the year that the Irish finally claim the first national title since before I was a student?  I hope so.  But, one thing is for sure.  I will enjoy the ups and downs that each Saturday brings.  And, I hope that everyone else enjoys this college football season too!

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