Beginning this Saturday, the Notre Dame football team will embark on a rare five-game home stand over six successive weekends.
This weekend's USC game and next weekend's BYU game will be followed by a bye week, but starting Nov. 5 the last three home games will be played on three consecutive Saturdays. This clustered schedule is unusual for Notre Dame, as last year the most home games played in a row was three.
Senior Corinne Gabriel said this the first time there have been so many games in a row since she arrived as a freshman in 2002.
"It seems really late to only be on the second home game," she said.
Most students showed excitement about the streak and eagerness to begin the home season, having attended only one game in Notre Dame Stadium this year.
"It'll be good to get the season started because campus has been pretty quiet," Gabriel said. "I think it'll be really fun."
Although many students are anxious to get the home season underway, some were concerned the home streak might be too busy and tiresome.
"I'm going to put off my work to go to the games and I'm not going to get stuff done," freshman Kat Hake said. "Then I'll have to use sleep time to make it up."
Freshman Doug Schuda said although he is already tired now, he will "run on adrenaline" come kickoff Saturday.
"I think it'll be emotionally draining but I don't think physically it will be," freshman Greg Barr said.
Though it will be tough, some students would have the schedule no other way. Many students, like Schuda, said they don't care what the schedule is like - all they were concerned about is the competition.
"I think it's fine," Schuda said. "I'm sure grades will go down a bit, but it's Notre Dame football."
Freshman Meghan Keefe echoed Schuda's sentiments.
"I don't care," she said. "It's football."
Gabriel said the streak gives students the opportunity to host parents and friends for the weekend.
"I have someone coming for every weekend in November," she said. "It would have been nice to have my visitors spread out a little more but the company is always enjoyed."
Barr said both his parents plan to attend the Navy game.
"It's a big deal because they've never been to a Notre Dame game before," Barr said.
