Some sights and sounds from a victory in South Bend

SOUTH BEND, IN - With another season of men’s and women’s basketball to look forward to, UConn sports fans certainly have much to be thankful for - but none more so than those hardy football fans who journeyed to South Bend this past weekend and were rewarded with what head coach Randy Edsall labeled during an ESPN interview “the biggest win we’ve ever had.”

UConn junior Marcus Lynam couldn’t agree more.

“The win over Notre Dame was huge for the program, the team and coaches, the university and the entire UConn community,” said the communications-journalism double major from South Carolina.

“After everything that has happened with the team this year, it was so awesome to see the Huskies pull out such an amazing win on national TV against Notre Dame with all their tradition and prestige.”

Marcus, filming the game for UCTV, the UConn student TV station, used his seniority to successfully bid for the assignment partly, of course, because of its sporting implications but also because he had originally applied to Notre Dame but, in his words, he “got wait-listed” at Notre Dame so he decided to go to UConn.

Steve Litzenberger, a season ticket holder at Rentschler Field, said the trip to the Notre Dame campus was an exhilarating experience, exceeding the excitement of simply watching a college football game.

“It was my most incredible sports experience ever” he said. “The pomp and circumstance, history, and everything that is Notre Dame football. And to top it off, we won in OT! To think that just 10 years ago, UConn was playing UMass on almost the same date. If anyone had told me this would happen even 5 years ago, I would have told them they were crazy. Unbelievable, simply unbelievable!”

Hundreds of Husky fans decided to go to Notre Dame for this big, big game, most flying in, some driving and a few arriving via train, including UConn professor Michael Braunstein, a UConn alum whose daughter currently attends Notre Dame.

He said he was “conflicted” about which team to root for in this game, and compromised by wearing an ND cap and a UConn jacket.

By kickoff, however, Braunstein had found a way to inner peace - at least for four football quarters: “I have resolved my conflict,” he said. “Since a father can’t root against a daughter, I have no choice but to root for Notre Dame. However, as a trombonist in the UConn Marching Band during my four years at school, I will naturally be rooting for the UConn band to provide the better halftime show. Ah, peace at last. No longer conflicted.”

I ran into Braunstein when we both arrived at the South Bend depot the day before the game.

We trekked in 900 miles from the east, unlike many fans and the UConn contingent headed by school president Michael Hogan who flew into Chicago, slept there and then hopscotched in from the west aboard a special train to South Bend on game day.

I found the train ride from Connecticut a soothing way to get away from it all for 18 hours.

I thought I had done something to upset the conductor when he placed a tag above my seat which read “SOB” but turns out it’s just Amtrak shorthand for South Bend, the destination for that seat.

A few random observations about the Notre Dame campus: It’s impressive and inspiring, the buildings, even the newer ones, built in an old-time architectural style. The great circle, a u-turn for vehicles, affords a striking view of the golden dome.

Since adding a tier of seating, “Touchdown Jesus” - the artwork that adorns one side of the university library - is no longer visible from most seats in the stadium.

The school bands stand right along the sidelines throughout the game. That’s either because (if you’re being altruistic) school officials want to allow as many fans as possible to see the game or (if you’re inclined to be cynical) the bands don’t pay for their seats, fans do.

Right next to the UConn bench there were a dozen ND students, all about 6-foot-2, wearing colorful outfits, including kilts, an apparel usually associated with the Scots rather than the Irish; one of the young men said they are members of the Irish Guard.

After the game, the Notre Dame band played several songs and one elicited much booing from the crowd as they filed out, miffed by the loss. I didn’t recognize the song but a student informed me it is traditionally played to honor the Notre Dame head coach. ‘Nuf said about the boos.

But there were nothing but cheers for coach Edsall and his gallant warriors who wore down their bigger opponent, ultimately taking all the fight out of the Fightin’ Irish.

After such a singular win over Notre Dame, is there any chance the Huskies will face a letdown when they host Syracuse this Saturday [Nov. 28] (noontime start), even though a win would make UConn bowl eligible?

Not if senior tailback Andre Dixon - author of the game-winning TD - has anything to say about it.

“I’m going to be pushing everybody this week,” he said Tuesday. “That Notre Dame game is gone; it’s time to come out and work.”

And while the team will be sweating hard Saturday afternoon to display their bowl worthiness, UConn fans hope to be having as much fun as they did a week ago - although  it will be hard to top that historic 33-30 double overtime instant classic in South Bend.

Posted Nov. 26, 2009

Some related links to video clips by Vito J. Leo from the UConn vs Notre Dame game

Notre Dame band plays uconn and irish fight songs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pRAHCpbuSds

Coach Randy Edsall says win over Notre Dame was not an upset

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uameKELF9WI

Notre Dame Coach Charlie Weis on Zach Frazer’s return

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FPjDAA5xsaE

Crowd noise delays UConn offense on crucial late-game play

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y7pJTx5GBoE