Hoos Excited To Face Iconic Notre Dame

In just 25 minutes, the tickets for Virginia football’s home opener against Notre Dame completely sold out. After a 34-16 loss against UCLA at the Rose Bowl last weekend, it’s no secret that this is a huge game for the Cavaliers.

With National Championship hopes, Notre Dame undoubtedly will be ready to play after defeating Texas 38-3 in its season opener last weekend. The Fighting Irish will bring their mystique with them. Although they have not won a National Championship title since 1988, the Irish have been an icon in the world of college football for decades. That’s why tickets sold out fast and students painted Beta Bridge with a special message:

The players, meanwhile, have been looking forward to the game for years since the contest was announced as a future date on the schedule.

“They’re Notre Dame. Everyone just knows who they are,” UVa’s Kelvin Rainey said during a press conference on Monday.

Notre Dame is one of just three schools that compete independently at the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision level. The Fighting Irish also have their own TV deal with NBC. Cavalier quarterback Matt Johns commented on Notre Dame’s independence by stating that he believes that this has helped Notre Dame maintain their status as a football powerhouse because of their schedule.

“They’re playing big-time programs every week and they’re consistently winning,” Johns said. “That’s just the kind of program that they are. There’s a lot of history behind them. I think them facing big-time opponents week after week after week is just a testament where there program is.”

Still, Johns said that although there is a lot of hype around a team like Notre Dame, it’s important to treat this game just like any other. Vincent Croce, co-captain and fullback for Virginia, agreed. He said that when playing against big teams like UCLA or Notre Dame he tries to “not let the venue or crowd effect me – it’s just noise.”

While ND returned some tickets from its allotment on Thursday, the fan base still travels well and there are quite a few Irish fans expected in town for the weekend. Johns expects Scott Stadium to be full similar to recent contests against the likes of Penn State.

“Notre Dame is a team that travels well,” Johns said. “They have fans all over the country. It’s going to be a packed house. That’s why we came here to play in front of big crowds. We’re really excited for the opportunity ahead of us.”

Although Croce does his best to tune out all of the excess noise and who is in the crowd to focus on the game, he admits he loves looking out into a sea of orange and blue: “I’m a selfish player. I wanna see our fans out there.”