Despite an earlier football game start - an hour and a half before the previous week's kickoff - police said there was "no significant difference" in the number of citations issued and arrests made at Saturday's match-up against Navy.
Police said the Nov. 8 Tennessee game's 2:30 p.m. start time allowed fans more time to tailgate before the game and was a factor in the amount of citations issued. But even with Saturday's earlier 1 p.m. kickoff time, Director of Notre Dame Security/Police (NDSP) Rex Rakow reported a comparable number of citations and arrests.
Rakow said 26 citations and 17 no-trespass notices were issued before and during the game. Four custodial arrests were made for public intoxication, minor consuming and possession of false identification. Arrested individuals received the "usual" treatment, according to Rakow, and were taken to St. Joseph County Jail.
Police issued 26 citations and made 5 arrests at the Tennessee game.
Officers patrolling tailgates were both uniformed and in plain clothes and used breathalyzers to "assess the level of intoxication," Rakow said.
He said NDSP, St. Joseph County Police, South Bend Police and Indiana State Excise Police officers made rounds at pre-game gatherings in parking lots.
Director of Stadium Personnel Cappy Gagnon said 15 students were removed from the game for alcohol-related reasons - the majority of the ejections were for being "highly intoxicated."
"This is very unfortunate for a game beginning at 1 p.m.," he said.
Gagnon said students ejected from the stadium lose their ticket booklets and are subsequently sent to the Office of Residence Life and Housing.
Following the trend of recent games, Gagnon said there were "zero" marshmallow throwing incidents Saturday.
Gagnon said he has been unable to figure out exactly why marshmallow throwing has dwindled this season in comparison with past years, but cited warmer weather - meaning fewer coats and thus fewer hiding places - and engaging band halftime shows.
"The team is playing exciting football and winning, and certainly the prospect of losing your ticket booklets can't be appealing," he said. "Whatever the reason, I am pleased that ushers and students do not have to be in an adversarial position over this."
