Favorite and least favorite on-campus road game that you've gone to?

[forkbeard3777]

Given that we're in that dreaded down period until August, I thought this could be an interesting topic for discussion.

What has been your favorite on-campus road game that you've gone to? The reasons can be entirely personal and up to you - i.e., a great game and big Notre Dame win, great campus and stadium, great tailgating and welcoming opposing fans, and so forth. Again, I'd like to limit it to on-campus games as opposed to neutral site games or bowl games.

Alternatively, what has been your least favorite on-campus road game that you've attended? Like above, the reasons are entirely up to you - i.e., miserable weather, bad loss, overly hostile or asshole fans, crummy stadium, no tailgating, terrible college town, etc.

Just thought this could be an interesting topic to kill some time.

 

[NDPhilly]

Game was a heartbreaker but ND at Texas was a fun weekend. Austin was great and the UT campus was cool.

 

[notredomer23]

Favorite and least favorite all in one for me was ND-Miami in 2017. Game itself sucked but turned it into a bit of a trip as Miami weather in November is top notch. The beach, overpriced EDM night clubs, and ND football are my 3 favorite things. Just sucks the game didn't turn out better.

Left at half time before my friends, phone was dead, and couldn't find where we tailgated (may have had one too many Coca Colas in the lead up to the game). Very unfriendly people not letting me charge my phone at any tailgates until I stumbled upon some Miami guys that clearly played at the U... One of them turned out to be Edgerrin James and a few other guys from the the late 90s. As shitty as the game was, that kinda turned the evening around and talked to them for about 20 minutes.

 

[zbikowski88]

Worst off campus is a tie between ND vs FSU when they got called for offensive pass interference at the end on a potential game winning TD……. ND vs Navy in Jacksonville where they lost.

 

[notredomer23]

Worst off campus is a tie between ND vs FSU when they got called for offensive pass interference at the end on a potential game winning TD……. ND vs Navy in Jacksonville where they lost.

I can't believe I forgot Navy in Jacksonville. Terrible result and it was by far the most boring game I've ever watched. I think ND had 5 possessions the whole game.

 

[KPENN]

Only been to two, @ Syracuse 2022 and @Pitt 2013. Syracuse atmosphere seemed better, but I’ve tried to forget about that Pitt game.

 

[zbikowski88]

I can't believe I forgot Navy in Jacksonville. Terrible result and it was by far the most boring game I've ever watched. I think ND had 5 possessions the whole game.

Agreed, one of the worst games I’ve ever been to.

 

[Some Irish Bloke]

Favorite road game is probably Louisville 2019. Got together with some folks on this site for a tailgate which was a great time, and the 35-17 Irish win was pretty sweet as well. Shout out @IrishLion, @arndtjc, @Irish#1, @condoms SUCk and @ulukinatme; good times fellas.

The stadium isn't "on-campus" but it's in downtown Louisville, which is a very fun city, particularly if you're into bourbon. The tailgate scene was excellent, plenty of people and for the most part the L'Ville fans were pretty welcoming and accommodating, with a few drunk assholes, which can be expected with any fanbase at any tailgate.

I was actually pretty impressed with the game atmosphere, it was pretty loud when L'Ville jumped out to a 14-7 lead.

Michigan State is also a blast; they have no love for ND whatsoever so they can be assholes (that might have changed since we don't play them annually, I haven't been to a game there since 2012), but you want to talk about fun tailgating....East Lansing knows how to party. Pretty cool stadium too, has a similar old school vibe to ND Stadium, similar concourse, etc. That 2012 game was electric, 20-3 ND ass-whoopin' when we made highly touted Andrew Maxwell look like a deer in the headlights and John Goodman made that insane one handed catch from Golson.

The Big House can kiss my ass. The tailgate scene is excellent but their fans are unbearable, and their stadium is very overrated. Plenty of bad seats/vantage points, you end up watching a good chunk of the game on the jumbotron unless you shelled out for decent seats.

 

[Some Irish Bloke]

Game was a heartbreaker but ND at Texas was a fun weekend. Austin was great and the UT campus was cool.

This is big time bucket list football trip for me. I have to imagine that was an incredible experience, final score notwithstanding.

If only BK got out of his own way and turned to Kizer exclusively much earlier in that game, and a big time "fuck you" to the officials who ignored the blatant targeting on Torii Hunter Jr. Both game changers. It was pretty damn evident after his first drive that Kizer had a much better handle on the offense and tempo of that game, but he went back to Zaire. Didn't take a genius to see the stark difference between those two in the first quarter of that one.

 

[SeekNDestroy]

Favorite and least favorite all in one for me was ND-Miami in 2017. Game itself sucked but turned it into a bit of a trip as Miami weather in November is top notch. The beach, overpriced EDM night clubs, and ND football are my 3 favorite things. Just sucks the game didn't turn out better.

Left at half time before my friends, phone was dead, and couldn't find where we tailgated (may have had one too many Coca Colas in the lead up to the game). Very unfriendly people not letting me charge my phone at any tailgates until I stumbled upon some Miami guys that clearly played at the U... One of them turned out to be Edgerrin James and a few other guys from the the late 90s. As shitty as the game was, that kinda turned the evening around and talked to them for about 20 minutes.

Edgerrin James is the epitome of cool

 

[Kingbish01]

Fave game was Pitt 2005 CW first game and the offense was on fire. Least was 2006 GT so much hype going in and it was a stinker. ND won 14-10

 

[calvegas04]

@ASU terrible fans, terrible stadium, hot as hell in Nov and the Irish lost

 

[Rockin’Irish]

My first of two favorites have been ND vs. TN at Neyland in 1990……the Rocket had one return for a score and Rod Smith intercepted an Andy Kelly pass in the end zone at the end of the game to seal the win (ND won by 5 or 6 IIRC). The second was the Jack Coan game winning drive for a TD against VT in Blacksburg. I was pretty amazed that ND managed to come out on top that game, even though they were a much better team. There were probably a couple thousand ND fans at the game but it was a little unsettling on the way out of the stadium merging with the very drunk VT student section yelling F-ND in a loud chant. I’ve never been to an ND loss on the road so I don’t have a least favorite at this point.

 

[greyhammer90]

Went to Blacksburg for the 2018 night game and that was a pretty good time. Extremely nice fans for the most part. Lots of self depreciation.

 

[GrangerIrish24]

Best was MSU 06 for obvious reasons.
Worst was when I went to Notre Dame Stadium in 17 to watch us take on the home team, Georgia.

 

[Katzenboyer]

This is big time bucket list football trip for me. I have to imagine that was an incredible experience, final score notwithstanding.

If only BK got out of his own way and turned to Kizer exclusively much earlier in that game, and a big time "fuck you" to the officials who ignored the blatant targeting on Torii Hunter Jr. Both game changers. It was pretty damn evident after his first drive that Kizer had a much better handle on the offense and tempo of that game, but he went back to Zaire. Didn't take a genius to see the stark difference between those two in the first quarter of that one.

I did the USC/Texas game in Austin in 2018 and had an absolute blast. Great game, great city, awesome weekend all around.

 

[Ndaccountant]

Least favorite was MSU. Dump of a stadium and saw MSU fans spitting on ND fans, including kids.

Best away experience for me is Tennessee. Been to a few games at Tennessee, including games against UGA, LSU, Florida. Really fun place for a game. Florida fans are second only to Ohio State fans at being sphincters. Michigan is close, but not as bad as those two.

 

[texbender]

Two fave AWAY games were vs LSU on a cold night in Baton Rouge in 1997. ND was 5-5 but dminated the Tigers 24-7 (later lost in rematch in Shreveport Bowl game)

The other was vs OU in Norman in 2012...30-13 Irish stunned the highly favored Sooners

Worst loss was at OSU, when Eddie George was running around and through the Irish.

 

[forkbeard3777]

Two fave AWAY games were vs LSU on a cold night in Baton Rouge in 1997. ND was 5-5 but dminated the Tigers 24-7 (later lost in rematch in Shreveport Bowl game)

I was at both of these games.

I was fairly young at the time, but I really just remember the Independence Bowl (mainly the white helmets, yellow jersey, and white pants look and Rondell Mealey having a phenomenal game).

 

[FWIrish4]

Worst experience of my life, not just sporting events, was Michigan 2019. I will never forgive Brian Kelly or that team for that torture they made me sit through. Pouring down rain in the 40’s, surrounded in that Big House hell hole with scUm fans and the team didn’t even get off the bus.

That night took a bit of my soul and I don’t live or die on gameday like I used to. Still a season ticket holder and tailgate the hell out of every home game though!

 

[NorthDakota]

Never been to an ND road game - but Kansas State was a good time. Iowa State is a fun spot too.

 

[Wild Bill]

Worst game was at Arizona State in 2014 - more to do with the result than the environment. The stadium is a dump overall but very unique from a midwesterners persective and glad I got to go. The fans were actually good. They talked some shit when they were up but it was entertaining and they took my shit in stride in the second half. It was hot as hell and I was liquored up and staring at the ladies of Tempe.

ND was down 31 in the first half and it was a shit show - they couldn't stop stepping on their own dicks. The second half was actually fun. ND pulled within 3 points, if I recall correctly, and then ASU had a pick six in the 4th quarter to seal the deal. Wild game, and had ND won, it would have been the best road experience.

At NW in 2018 was the only other on campus away game I've attended. The stadium is basically the size of a high school stadium in TX but I had great seats with a perfect view of the game so that was good. I think ND was undefeated going into the game and NW was okay but their fans believed ND was overrated. Heard all about it before the game but overall the fans were very hospitable. It's Northwestern, you know.

Their confidence quickly turned to shit when the players actually lined up on the field. ND looked enormous compared to them and ND was far more athletic. It was immediately evident to everyone. Claypool and Boykin looked like comic book characters running routes against their DBs. I think ND won by a couple scores but NW shouldn't have been within three TDs of them. I think NW scored a cheap TD on a short field after a turnover or special teams play and the final score was closer than the game should have been.

The worst fans, by a wide margin, were Miami fans in Soldier field at the Shamrock game. They were rude, obnoxious, and confrontational from beginning to end. You would have assumed Ray Lewis and the boys were coming out of the tunnel to play ND the way these morons talked shit before the game started. ND embarassed them, their team basically quit on the field and they were still picking fights in the stands. Absolute pigs.

 

[goldandblue]

I was in Shreveport that year.

 

[stlnd01]

I went to a bad (17-0) loss at BC during the Clausen years and that was probably the worst. Punkass wannabe fans, piped-in atmosphere. Mediocre, unlikable Notre Dame team. This was when Weis had just had his knee blown up and was limping around like even more of a sad sack than usual. Awful night.

It’s funny I’ve probably been to 8 or 10 true road games, mostly as an undergrad in the Davie years when we went 0-for-the-Big-Ten. The only victory, I believe, was Pittsburgh in Weis’ first game as coach. We tailgated so hard beneath an underpass all day that I barely remember it, but it must’ve been fun.

 

[ACamp1900]

I was at the Sun Bowl vs Miami,… the sun skipped the game. It was a blast watching the convicts get blasted but damn it was cold!! Who knew at the time that years later I’d work just across the courtyard from the stadium

 

[Rockin’Irish]

Went to Blacksburg for the 2018 night game and that was a pretty good time. Extremely nice fans for the most part. Lots of self depreciation.

I was at that one also ☘️

 

[Irish2155]

2007 was my first live ND game. No good - noon start in West Lafayette and ND got waxed. Got there late and was already down 0 - 10 before even getting to our seats.

 

[FU BK]

Have 2...ND vs Georgia in Athens. Vast majority of the fans were cool as hell, respectful and more than willing to invite you over and talk football at tailgates. Plus the scenery was top notch if ya know what I mean. A close second was ND/Tennessee at Neyland in 04. Great game...great atmosphere...great people. The people I've encountered at the SEC games are a hell of alot better than anything I've been around at ohio state, Michigan, MI State, Penn State. Looking forward to a trip to Tuscaloosa when they play the tide

 

[fightingirish26]

Only two true road games I've been to (not counting the many ND/Navy games and true road games I was at as a toddler) were back to back weeks, 2015 Pitt and Temple. Had a bunch of friends at Pitt so got drunk in the student section, openly rooted for ND and not a single Pitt student tried to talk any shit. Fuller was abusing them all game, nobody really seemed to care.

Temple was on Halloween I think, and I was gonna wear a leprechaun costume but I wore it out the night before at a basement party and got it ruined. It was the biggest game in temple football history, I had a ton of friends going to temple at the time, and they were definitely talking plenty shit before and during. The Kizer TD run and corner TD pass to Fuller were unbelievable. Stressful at times but one of the funnest games I've ever been to.

 

[NDohio]

2015 Clemson. ND had a really great opportunity to pull the upset. I was so mad at BK for his stupid going for two too often and too early.

The worst part though - that was the great flood of South Carolina. My wife calls me the next morning at some ridiculous hour freaking out cause the water was just a couple of feet from entering the house. Had to rush home and dig trenches for hours to divert the water away from the house.

Game day was a blast and the environment inside the stadium was pretty good. The weekend was pretty rough though.