The disappointment of Notre Dame fans was palpable following the first home loss of the season against Northwestern on Saturday, a suspenseful 43-40 overtime defeat at the hands of the Wildcats.
Many fans were frustrated because they stayed for the unusually long game despite the cold weather in hopes that an Irish win would be make the harsh weather conditions worth the pain.
“I stayed the whole time even though it was freezing because I thought it would be worth watching the team win,” freshman Sofia Daboub said. “It stinks that we lost against a team everyone thought we would beat.”
Sophomore David Krohn echoed Daboub’s frustration.
“I support the team, but sitting through a game that went over four hours and ended in a loss to a mediocre team was rough,” Krohn said.
Krohn's frustration with the game stemmed from a disappointment in the overall performance of the team as well, he said.
“I was pretty disappointed because until last week I thought this team was different from last year’s,” Krohn said. “I am not really surprised by the loss though. Somehow we always manage to play down to the level of our competition.”
The Irish entered the second half of the game three points ahead of the Wildcats and did not surrender the lead until the final seconds of the fourth quarter, when Northwestern's Jack Mitchell kicked a 45-yard goal to tie the game at 40.
Freshmen Parker Mathes said losing the lead in the last minute was the hardest part of the game to watch.
“The game against Northwestern was a tough one to watch,” Mathes said. “We just got so close to winning, and then in the last couple minutes we just let it go.”
For freshman Erin Callaghan it was the game’s technical mistakes that made her cringe.
“There were mistakes made like turnovers, missed field goals and perhaps poor judgment calls like going for a two-point conversion instead of the extra point after a touchdown,” Callaghan said.
Callaghan also said she thinks the Irish players took their lead for granted and underestimated Northwestern’s ability to make a comeback.
“It was a tough loss. I was upset,” she said.
Notre Dame fans now turn their attention to the final home game of the season. Junior Ryan Rizzuto said he hoped the Irish will win for the seniors.
“We always want to see the seniors out with a win,” Rizutto said.
Fans hope to celebrate the conclusion of the home season with a victory when the Irish take on Louisville next Saturday at 3:30 p.m.
