Notre Dame and USC… Under the Lights
For the first time in 21 years, a game in Notre Dame home game will kick-off under the lights of Notre Dame Stadium when rival USC travels to South Bend for the October 22nd showdown.
Notre Dame fans have been longing for a night game in Notre Dame Stadium for years with the last such event taking place in 1990 when Notre Dame hosted Michigan – a game in which Rick Mirer made his collegiate debut.
It will be interesting to see what the crowd is like for the first night game in over two decades. For too long the crowds inside Notre Dame Stadium have gotten quieter and quieter. Part of the reason for that has been the on-field product. With a night game and a team that could challenge for a BCS berth, there won’t be any excuse for there being anything other than a raucous atmosphere.
Will the crowd be as intense as it was when Michigan came to town in 1988 and the Irish were given a penalty because the crowd was too loud? That might be wishful thinking, but hopefully there will at least be a little bit more of an edge in the air that night.
Notre Dame and USC have played some great games in South Bend over the last few years (if you take out the clunker in 2007). There was the 2005 epic that will always be remembered for the Bush Push and then there was the 2009 game in which the Irish stormed back in the second half only to come up a few yards and a play short of forcing overtime.
Hopefully the 2011 game will deliver just as entertaining a contest although hopefully the outcome is a little better this time around. Based on where both programs ended 2010, that is certainly a possibility. After breaking USC’s 9 game win streak in the series last year in Los Angeles, Notre Dame will be looking to take down the Trojans at home for the first time since 1999.
Wednesday’s news is also another sign that athletic director Jack Swarbrick is doing all he can to put this program back in the spotlight. A prime time game with a high profile opponent such as USC is sure to draw a lot of attention – something I’m sure the folks over at NBC are appreciative of. Add that to the series he has set up with programs like Texas and Miami and it’s hard not to give him some credit.
Frank Vitovitch has been Co-Owner and Editor in Chief of UHND.com since joining forces with Kyle Flavin in 1999. Since that time, he has written over 2,000 articles covering Notre Dame football, recruiting, and basketball. He also works with all staff and external writers on all articles published on UHND.com. Frank's love for Notre Dame football started at a young age watching Rocket Ismail give opposing coaches ulcers in the late 1980's. By day Frank works in marketing and holds a degree in Digital Media from Drexel University. Frank's work has been cited by online/print editions of NBC Sports, ESPN, and Sports Illustrated and has been quoted on air by ESPN's Collin Cowherd. He's conducted interviews with Notre Dame legends Rocket Ismail, Randy Kinder, Lee Becton, Reggie Brooks, Michael Stonebreaker, and Ned Bolcar among others over his 20+ years of covering Notre Dame football. He's also been published in the print edition of USA Today Sports Weekly and the USA Today College Football Preview multiple times. Other Published Works/Citations for Frank Three Reasons Notre Dame Will Beat Alabama - USA Today Notre Dame Suspends WR Kevin Stepherson, RB C.J. Holmes Indefinitely - Bleacher Report Notre Dame / Ohio State Fiesta Bowl Preview - Eleven Warriors Brace Yourself: The Fighting Irish are Relevant Again - Sports on Earth Interviews with the Enemy: A Q&A with Frank Vitovitch of UHND - Yahoo! Sports Five Good Minutes: Notre Dame Football Preview With UHND.com - BC Interruption Vicious Electronic Questioning with UHND - MGO Blog
I have been a ND fan as long as I can remember! I wanted to play for them so bad but was not good enough!!!!I shall remain a fan till I die but hope they can return to the glory days!!!!The only times I missed a game on tv or radio I was serving in the army during the korean war!!!!I believe we have the best coach for our tam Go irish
Just think of the atmosphere of hte second half of hte 2005 game…but for the entire game. Players described it as being to loud they couldnt even hear themselves think. This is awesome
Ron,
Amen to that! I was able to pick up ND radio broadcasts in the Northwest (near Seattle) in the 1960’s and I will never forget Lindsey Nelson’s voice, or his play by play, which, as you mentioned, often included Hanratty throwing to Seymour. My heart goes out to the Seymour family.
RIP Jim Seymour
Ditto on that SFR. I spent many a Saturday afternoon making pretend I was him catching passes from my brother. A guy I work with is neighbors with the family up in Highland Park and he spent a lot of time with him on the golf course in previous years. The last year was very tough.
I will never forget Lindsey Nelson saying Hanratty to Seymour over and over again. RIP
A correction is required, but Rick Mirer was the 1988 QB of the National Championship, how then was he debuting in 1990.
Irish Faithful: Rick Mirer was not the QB on the 88 team, that was Tony Rice. Mirer’s first start (if I remember) was that night game against Michigan. Mirer came to ND in 1989, played sparingly as a backup. In 1990 he took over as the starter until 1992.
The QB on the ’88 championship team was Tony Rice.
i can’t think of anything more satisfying than destroying usc under the lights. kiffin’s face after the loss last year was priceless.
Been waiting along time to see the IRISH play under the lights at NOTRE DAME stadium not a better team to do it against then the hated trojans.
Lights! Camera! Action! Here come the Irish! For the naysayers, doubters,
sourpusses and draconian preachers who were DEAD WRONG last year after the Tulsa game; KISS MY LIGHTS BABY!
Go………………………..Irish!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
USC 7 ND 28! ZERO BUSH PUSH!
Hope they fix the lights. They are not very bright. This game will also be COLD