SOUTH BEND, Ind. — Early Saturday morning, amid a campus glowing with fall foliage, Notre Dame fans gathered around the “ESPN College GameDay” set.
They brought with them numerous signs for the network’s roving cameras.
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But a sign emerged from the rest. This particular post didn’t take umbrage with today’s opponent, the Miami Hurricanes, nor did it bother ESPN for something it aired. He didn’t attack GameDay’s central character, Pat McAfee, or any other college football team in the country.
With arms outstretched above her head, a woman held aloft a whiteboard on which a few stencilled letters were stuck.
Catholics against the Committee!
Hours later, as an autumn chill swept across a majestic scene here in northern Indiana, Notre Dame fans, donning their green hoodies, ski caps and long johns, flooded the field in frenzied celebration as the 1980s hit “Rocked You Like A Hurricane” blared over the stadium speakers.
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At the very end of the season, while the national championship is decided on the evening of January 25 in the fabulous Las Vegas, Notre Dame 31, Miami 24 may be an insignificant result. Maybe none of these teams advance to the national championship game (as each did once in both years). Maybe neither makes the playoffs (although that seems unlikely).
But for one fleeting night, it meant everything to this place, to these people, the ones who were most hurt — angry, mad, frustrated, even dismayed — by the College Football Playoff committee’s decision to rank the Irish, in the top five in every other major poll, at 11th.
Number 11?!
Yes, #11.
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Like the Eleventh Hour, a biblical parable signifying the last possible moment. Or what some call the Master Number 11, because it symbolizes high frequency energy. In fact, did you know that 11:11 – two digits 11! – is considered an “angelic number” and is widely interpreted as a spiritual awakening or wake-up call?
Don’t tell them that here.
There will be no more No. 11, not after this exhibition.
“Our job was to leave no doubt today,” Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman said, “and we did that.”
Notre Dame’s Luke Talich celebrates after an interception during the Irish’s victory over Miami on Saturday.
(Sportswire Icon via Getty Images)
The Irish (8-1) took a 21-point lead in the third quarter and managed to stave off Miami’s second-half rally by using both the gun of their starting quarterback (CJ Carr threw for 319 yards and three scores) and the right paw of defensive back Luke Talich (the swat was heard around the college football world, you might say).
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As Miami tight end Elija Lofton gathered what appeared to be a fourth-down, game-tying touchdown in the final minutes, Talich — draped over his back — swung his powerful right hand over Lofton’s shoulder, releasing the ball as the player collapsed out of bounds.
Officials examined the room.
Incomplete pass.
Note the Dame ball.
After a few tense moments during the Hurricanes’ final practice, celebration erupted here, so much so that Talich himself half-joked that he suffered a mild concussion during the on-field assault scene – a rarity from Irish fans.
For that reason and many others, this one – this one right here – seemed different. Even Freeman recognizes this.
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“It’s a special moment. It’s a great moment. I’m not going to say it’s like the others,” he said. “It’s as good a victory as I’ve ever been a part of.”
Maybe it’s because of the legendary rivalry between these two college football blue bloods. Perhaps because it is the hatred that swells in each person for the other. Maybe it’s because of last year, when the committee — yes, them again! – chose the Hurricanes and not the Irish to become the final at-large selection among the 12 teams.
Oh, they haven’t forgotten.
“We left it to the judges last year and we knew we couldn’t do it this year,” Talich said afterward.
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The judges were surely watching from their luxurious meeting room in the Dallas suburb of Grapevine.
They saw a Notre Dame team blow a 24-3 lead against a Miami team without its best player, wide receiver Malachi Toney (out for at least 4-6 weeks with an ankle injury). They saw them take on one of the best quarterbacks in the country, Darian Mensah, leading the Hurricanes (8-1) to a strong comeback – him and his former Duke teammate, Cooper Barkate. They saw a defense, early on, stop Miami on five snaps from inside the 5-yard line – an exciting scoring position that only resulted in a field goal. And then, on fourth-and-6 from the 18-yard line with less than four minutes left in a one-score game, they saw Talich’s right paw come thundering over Lofton’s shoulder in the eleventh hour.
Crush!
“When I turned around, it was a fade back,” Talich said, reliving the play. “We are taught to fight through play. I was able to get my hands on it.”
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“We made a big statement,” defensive end Boubacar Traore said. “Tonight we showed what we are capable of.”
The game lived up to its top spot. It was noisy in here and it was moving.
There were also reminders of history.
At halftime, the school recognized former coach Lou Holtz. Members of the group formed an on-field message spelling out “ND (hearts) Lou,” and the video board reminded everyone of the famous former Irish coach who won the national title in 1988. That season, Holtz’s team beat — guess who? — Miami, ranked No. 1, 31-30, here in South Bend in a duel familiarly commemorated as “Catholics versus Convicts.”
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Maybe this one will take a different nickname?
Catholics against the Committee.
Several Notre Dame fans watching on television even suggested to this reporter that longtime school partner NBC should be ashamed of itself for using the Irish’s CFP ranking in its scoring bug – 11! — instead of the AP poll figure: n°4.
In fact, inside Notre Dame Stadium, 11 was hard to find. Next to Notre Dame’s name on the stadium scoreboard was none other than the number 4.
“It doesn’t matter where we are ranked,” Freeman said, trying to downplay the situation. “We learned that last year. It doesn’t matter. We don’t need to focus on it or talk about it.
“What a night. What a time,” he said. “It’s hard to describe.”
However you describe it, just don’t mention the number 11.
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