What was your first ND Game?

[Some Irish Bloke]

In the spirit of the offseason, why not get a little nostalgic. I wanted to start a thread to share our collective memories of our first time watching our beloved Irish at ND Stadium. Or, if you first saw them on the road, that's fair game too.

My first game was in 2001 against USC. Boob Davie was in his final season and was taking on Pete Carroll in his first year at the helm in LA.

Carlyle Holiday took over for LoVecchio after our 0-2 start, and showed some modest promise running the option (when he wasn't fumbling the rock).

It wasn't the best year to get to my first game, but it was the last time we beat USC before that dreadful 8 game losing streak to the Trojans. Still bummed I never got to see a Holtz led team in person.

 

[BabyIrish]

Great idea!
Mine was 1992 ND vs Stanford as 6 year old. I don't remember much but I remember my dad pointing out all the traditions like when the guard kicks the pylon and such. I also remember the safety that ND got as my dad explained how uncommon an event that was in a game.

Sad that we lost that game but I can't complain because my grandpa took me to the Snow Ball later that year as my 2nd game. We were sitting in the corner of the endzone where Brooks made the catch to seal the deal.

 

[PraetorianND]

Forged in pain.

 

[ACamp1900]

2010 Sun Bowl... it was beyond freezing, the bleachers were cased in ice... but ND cruised so it was fun. I thought I was watching Floyd's last game at the time...

 

[NorthDakota]

Notre Dame vs Stanford 2016. Convinced my dad we should go since it was "gonna be two top ten teams playing."

Both teams were trash. Magical day on campus though!

 

[fightingirish26]

I think I went to ND at Pitt in 1999, but I was too young to remember. I vaguely remember ND vs Navy in Baltimore in 2002 but the first game I can clearly remember was MSU at ND in 2003. Only win of those three was the Navy game.

edit: actually i vaguely remember ND at rutgers in 2000 as well. That was a win.

 

[OrlaNDomer]

ND vs Utah 2010

 

[TDHeysus]

first game on TV that I can remember where I actually watched the game, and not just a piece of a game was 1986 Notre Dame v USC......

First game in person was in 2007 ND vs UCLA in the Rose Bowl - ND was 0-5 (or 0-6?) going into the game, and won 20-6

 

[NDBoiler]

ND at Pitt 1988.

I grew up in Pittsburgh and my ND alum Dad was able to take me to this game during that amazing year. I was 8 years old at the time, but I still remember some things from the game - Pitt’s dumpy stadium, Pitt scoring early to take the lead but ND battling back, and the rain.

After the season I got the season highlight video on VHS and wore that thing out watching it.

 

[ACamp1900]

ND at Pitt 1988.

I grew up in Pittsburgh and my ND alum Dad was able to take me to this game during that amazing year. I was 8 years old at the time, but I still remember some things from the game - Pitt’s dumpy stadium, Pitt scoring early to take the lead but ND battling back, and the rain.

After the season I got the season highlight video on VHS and wore that thing out watching it.

 

[Meatloaf]

My first was vs. Ohio St in 96. At least it prepped me for the disappointment that was the post-Holtz, pre-Kelly era.

 

[Pops Freshenmeyer]

ND vs. Navy in 1989 (I was also 8 years old).

It was an easy win and I got hot chocolate and hot dogs.

 

[Some Irish Bloke]

ND vs Utah 2010

Great first game to go to! I remember that one vividly, it was easily the highlight of CBK's first season and gave us a glimmer of hope for the years to come. They dominated from start to finish.

 

[IrishInMissouri]

ND @ USC 2012

 

[irishknight35]

My first game was the last game of the Ty Willingham era (or error). ND vs Boston College 2004. Went with my dad at the age of 16.

Watched some of the game inside the Westwood One Radio broadcast booth and the entire second half from the roof of the old Press box.

Pregame tailgate and atmosphere hooked me for life even if the game was a losing effort.

Was also at the 4 OT loss to Pitt.....

 

[Some Irish Bloke]

Great idea!
Sad that we lost that game but I can't complain because my grandpa took me to the Snow Ball later that year as my 2nd game. We were sitting in the corner of the endzone where Brooks made the catch to seal the deal.

What a second game to be at, unbelievable. My second game had the opposite effect; 2002 against BC, green jerseys in Ty’s first season. Undefeated heading in…lost 14-7.

First game in person was in 2007 ND vs UCLA in the Rose Bowl - ND was 0-5 (or 0-6?) going into the game, and won 20-6

Ha, what a rollercoaster first game to be at. I remember that game. What a relief to have finally notched one in the win column. Being at the Rose Bowl had to be pretty sweet! Big bucket list item for me.

Notre Dame vs Stanford 2016. Convinced my dad we should go since it was "gonna be two top ten teams playing."
Both teams were trash. Magical day on campus though!

2016 was brutal. Another close loss for the Irish that year, let another halftime lead slip away. Hope you’ve been to campus since, the last two years have been an awesome journey.

2010 Sun Bowl... it was beyond freezing, the bleachers were cased in ice... but ND cruised so it was fun. I thought I was watching Floyd's last game at the time...

Another game that solidifies the theory that FL (and other warm weather teams) simply do not like to play in the cold, unless the season is in doubt if they lose. Miami in ’10 at the Sun Bowl, Miami in 2012 in Chicago, FSU this past season. Flat from the opening kick, trounced for 60 minutes.

 

[Some Irish Bloke]

ND @ USC 2012

Nice!

"We're going to South Beach!"

 

[arrowryan]

I think my first one was Notre Dame vs Washington State in 2003. Notre Dame football is one of the few perks of living in South Bend. I'm blessed to have the opportunity to go to as many games as I've been to.

 

[koonja]

The Weis loss to Navy. Sweet 1st game.

 

[DONTH8]

BC 2000. I was 7. I remember Dad showing me campus (he graduated in '93.) He helped me light a candle (even though we are Mormon, I remember begging him to let me do it.) Got a Notre Dame sweatshirt. We won that game. I remember walking away and never looking back on my fandom and love for the university.

My dad was a substitute teacher there and would get tickets to games every season so I have been very fortunate to go to a couple games every year. But haven't been back to ND stadium since I left in 2014. Was able to go to the Texas ND game in 2016. (Vomit.)

 

[Senoj13]

ND @ Pitt 1997 first game

Pitt @ ND 2004 first at stadium. This was the 5td Tyler Palko game and lost 41-38

 

[Some Irish Bloke]

The Weis loss to Navy. Sweet 1st game.

Ouch, man. That whole year was a debacle but that loss stands out the most.

I was actually in East Lansing that day watching Sparty/scUM. My dad and I scored free tickets and there was really no incentive to stay home instead and watch the 1-6 Irish.

 

[CraigKrenzel]

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/7bLVe-lM5lQ" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

(To be fair, I was still rooting for Ohio State at the time--it was my first year on campus at ND Law and I was (am) an Ohio native--so this game didn't sting as much at the time as it surely stung some of you. In case any of you were curious about my user name the 2 times I post here a year. I'll show myself out.)

 

[arrowryan]

The worst game I went to though was USF in 2011. A close second would be driving all the way down to North Carolina and watch them lose to NC State in a hurricane.

 

[IrishLion]

ND vs BYU in 2003.

Took a trip with my 8th grade football team. One of our coaches played for ND from 1982-1985, so he would take the 8th graders on a trip to see Notre Dame for the senior day game every year once our team's season was over. He got a group discount on tickets for us to sit in the bleachers that were right behind the endzone. It was a cool "right of passage" thing, because you played football for a good youth organization for several years, and waited for your chance to visit Notre Dame after your last game as a gradeschooler. Then it was on to high school.

Julius Jones ran wild against BYU in the game, but the moment I will always remember clearly was Vontez Duff diving and intercepting a BYU pass directly in front of us at the pylon to prevent a TD.

He got up celebrating and made his way to the corner of the endzone where we were kneeling (the usher had let us off of the bleachers to kneel just behind the end line). We got up and jumped up and down with the players for a minute before the usher pushed us back. We were on camera, according to my mom.

I wish I had that game film lol.

 

[zelezo vlk]

ND vs Navy in either 1999 or 2001, probably '01. I'm surprised that I've been to games before a lot of you

 

[KPENN]

At Pittsburgh in 2013. It blew

 

[Some Irish Bloke]

ND vs Navy in either 1999 or 2001, probably '01. I'm surprised that I've been to games before a lot of you

I only joined a year ago but been reading for years; I'm surprised too how many guys have been members posting for a long time yet never got to a game in person.

Tough if you're out of the region to book for sure, flights, tickets and stays you're looking at $1-2k easy.

I always enjoy helping out a poster with first game itinerary. I remember the feeling when I was a kid going to campus for the first time. Just a certain energy...

 

[Veritate Duce Progredi]

ND vs Syracuase -- 2008

The coldest game they've ever played. The student section was lobbing snowballs all over the field and team. Seeing them lose to Syracuse as a first game was painful. I drank like 8 hot chocolates trying to stay warm.

Then:

ND - USC - 2009 - Painful loss
ND - Mich - 2010 - Painful loss

ND - FSU 2018 - Finally saw a win. I've seen people suggest this was a cold game, lol. The 'Cuse game was 3x worse.

 

[Pops Freshenmeyer]

The worst game I went to though was USF in 2011. A close second would be driving all the way down to North Carolina and watch them lose to NC State in a hurricane.

The worst game was either watching ND get blown out in the opener against Georgia Tech in 2007 or the loss to USC in 2011 where ND kept getting my hopes up and immediately doing something stupid. Over and over.