Notre Dame fans witnessed a disappointing conclusion to the home games this season with a 31-28 Irish loss to the Louisville Cardinals on Saturday.
The result of the final football game was especially disappointing for the hundreds of seniors who came out for their final home game at Notre Dame.
Senior Matthew Metzinger said the game reminded him of the first football game he watched as a student at Notre Dame against South Florida in 2011. The South Florida game also ended in a loss and had to end early due to lighting.
"You know what, you stick with the Irish through good times and bad," he said. "It would have been better if it were a victory, but it was still a lot of fun to spend the game with the rest of the seniors, the student body and all the fans."
Fans expressed their disappointment with the Irish's inability to win the close game and stressed the insufficient efforts by the defense as a major component in the loss.
"It's unfair to say it's [Kyle] Brindza's fault," she said.
Freshman Elisa Villafana said the efforts of the offense were not supported by a strong defense.
"I think the switch in the safety position was good," she said. "But I think our defense gets a little lazy sometimes."
The heavy attendance of Louisville fans also made an impression on the Irish. Metzinger said he was surprised at the large number of Cardinals fans he saw tailgating in the lots, and it was definitely the greatest showing of opposing fans this season.
Villafana said while some of the chanting from the opposing team was obnoxious, they were generally a well-behaved crowd. While the sea of red shirts loudly supported their team during the game, one post-game incident left a bad impression on some Irish fans.
"It was a little rude, their chanting through the 'Alma Mater,'" freshman Sheridan Foy said. "That was not okay."
The traditions of senior day were alive and well, with a massive marshmallow fight breaking out during half time.
"It was a good time," Metzinger said. "With the rain, it was especially gross, and they stuck everywhere. It was a lot of fun to find your friends around you and just start whipping the marshmallows everywhere."
Students in other sections enjoyed watching the white frenzy erupt in the senior section.
"It looked cool," Brennan said. "I'm excited to do that as a senior. It will be awesome."
Despite the game's disappointing conclusion, the seniors enjoyed their traditional senior day privilege of walking onto the field after the game.
"It was a lot of fun," Metzinger said. "I didn't really become emotional during the game or when we were on the field, but when we were leaving through the tunnel and you can see Touchdown Jesus, that was a really cool moment, really surreal. I will always remember and cherish that."
Notre Dame fans now turn their attention toward the upcoming game against USC. The Irish hope to close their season with a victory over their longtime rivals this Saturday in Los Angeles.
