Playoff Atmosphere at Notre Dame Stadium

[Juniper_Run]

The first committee rankings have me optimistic that we will host a playoff game if we win out. Something else I'm cautiously optimistic about is the atmosphere at Notre Dame Stadium for that game. We are conspicuously low on the list of difficult places to play. Gameday in South Bend is delightful for all the old alumni bringing their grandkids and reminiscing about the old days, but it really lacks in rabid fans ready to create a hostile environment for the away team.

A playoff game might be different. No one among the 70+ crowd of ND fans that I know plans to brave the cold in South Bend in December. l'm planning to go, though. And while I'm kind of old, I'm definitely planning to scream at the top of my lungs every defensive snap. Will this be the first time in decades that Notre Dame Stadium provides a substantial home field advantage for the Irish? Are many of you on this board hoping to grab tickets if we secure a home game?

 

[Golson5]

Night games it gets loud. I'm hoping if we play there in December it will be a wild atmosphere

 

[IrishMike409]

I think the atmosphere would be incredible. Loud and a ton of fun. It would be a great night.

This has turned out to be a great night too!

 

[BGI User 756]

See u there

 

[echowaker]

In my time we never practiced with piped in noise preparing to play at ND. Now going to OSU or Camp Randall was a different story. That said how many students will be on any campus for a home playoff game in the middle of a semester break and only a few days before Christmas ?

 

[HDK]

I don't see it ever getting that loud, like Texas A&M loud or South Carolina loud, at Notre Dame Stadium. Those other stadiums are taller, allowing the noise to bounce around, plus they appear to have all sorts of speakers to really crank up the volume on the piped in music.

 

[Golson5]

In my time we never practiced with piped in noise preparing to play at ND. Now going to OSU or Camp Randall was a different story. That said how many students will be on any campus for a home playoff game in the middle of a semester break and only a few days before Christmas ?

OSU is not very loud either. Similar to ND.

 

[echowaker]

OSU is not very loud either. Similar to ND.

Hardly. Not even close. OSU is loud and a hostile environment especially at night. Not a cordial crowd like at ND. Lots of silent counts in Columbus.

 

[Chitown11]

OSU is not very loud either. Similar to ND.

Clueless as usual

 

[echowaker]

Clueless as usual

I don't know, maybe his experiences playing there were different than mine.

 

[Golson5]

Hardly. Not even close. OSU is loud and a hostile environment especially at night. Not a cordial crowd like at ND. Lots of silent counts in Columbus.

I've been there multiple times. It's not near one of the loudest stadiums I've been to. Cheese and wine type crowd

It is extremely overrated in terms of noise

When was the last time you were there?

 

[echowaker]

I've been there multiple times. It's not near one of the loudest stadiums I've been to. Cheese and wine type crowd

It is extremely overrated in terms of noise

When was the last time you were there?

2022 for the Wisconsin game.

 

[savvyandsassier]

I don't see it ever getting that loud, like Texas A&M loud or South Carolina loud, at Notre Dame Stadium. Those other stadiums are taller, allowing the noise to bounce around, plus they appear to have all sorts of speakers to really crank up the volume on the piped in music.

Right, that's true. ND stadium is not tall, and the acoustics aren't right. So we'll have to make up for it with cold and snow....

 

[Golson5]

2022 for the Wisconsin game.

Im surprised you think it's that but everyone has their own experience. Just from mine it's not even close to ped state

 

[echowaker]

Im surprised you think it's that but everyone has their own experience. Just from mine it's not even close to ped state

I was relating my own experiences both as a fan and a player. Never compared OSU to PSU. Neither can hold a candle to Camp Randall or Neyland in my opinion.

 

[echowaker]

Im surprised you think it's that but everyone has their own experience. Just from mine it's not even close to ped state

Believe you me I would love to see ND host but I just don't see it as a huge advantage unless there's weather and the opponent isn't used to that.

 

[Golson5]

Believe you me I would love to see ND host but I just don't see it as a huge advantage unless there's weather and the opponent isn't used to that.

I don't think it will be a huge advantage either. But I'll take a small one. And if it's cold vs a warm weather team that will be more impactful

 

[Golson5]

I was relating my own experiences both as a fan and a player. Never compared OSU to PSU. Neither can hold a candle to Camp Randall or Neyland in my opinion.

Psu, camp Randall, neyland, TX am, the swamp, lsu at night, Miami in 17 was the loudest I've heard a stadium, and a few more at least

I would rate all as louder and crazier than Ohio

 

[Get Nasty]

Hardly. Not even close. OSU is loud and a hostile environment especially at night. Not a cordial crowd like at ND. Lots of silent counts in Columbus.

My experiences are it’s only loud at night

 

[Get Nasty]

I was relating my own experiences both as a fan and a player. Never compared OSU to PSU. Neither can hold a candle to Camp Randall or Neyland in my opinion.

Penn state white out is significantly louder than both imo, and Kirk H agrees as well. I’ve been to most stadiums at night (not lsu or night A&M ) and Penn state white out is by far the loudest.

 

[Golson5]

My experiences are it’s only loud at night

Yeah I agree with this

 

[Chitown11]

I don't know, maybe his experiences playing there were different than mine.

The Shoe is fairly quiet on EA Sports college football 25

 

[ftnfan62]

Night game at ND when its a big matchup is very loud and rowdy. Day games are like a tennis match. I have been there for a Michigan night game, FSU and USC......Its rocking. Toss in some snow or really cold weather and it will not be fun to come play us.

 

[sjb75]

Night game at ND when its a big matchup is very loud and rowdy. Day games are like a tennis match. I have been there for a Michigan night game, FSU and USC......Its rocking. Toss in some snow or really cold weather and it will not be fun to come play us.

My uncle has attended around 50 home games, he has always maintained that the 2005 USC at Notre Dame game is the loudest game he has ever attended. Afternoon.

 

[NDinNJ]

I've been there multiple times. It's not near one of the loudest stadiums I've been to. Cheese and wine type crowd

It is extremely overrated in terms of noise

When was the last time you were there?

Going to an OSU vs Miami OH game won't generate the noise of a much tougher game.

 

[THUNDERSTRUCK111]

In my time we never practiced with piped in noise preparing to play at ND. Now going to OSU or Camp Randall was a different story. That said how many students will be on any campus for a home playoff game in the middle of a semester break and only a few days before Christmas ?

Echo I didn’t know you played college football. Where did you play at and what position?
I’m genuinely curious. You can dm me if you don’t want others to see your response.

 

[echowaker]

Echo I didn’t know you played college football. Where did you play at and what position?
I’m genuinely curious. You can dm me if you don’t want others to see your response.

No problem. Offensive tackle at Michigan State from 1987 to 1991. That info has been known here for a while since I joined in 2003. Life long ND fan. My parents went to the ND -SMU game in 1953 as part of their honeymoon.

 

[THUNDERSTRUCK111]

No problem. Offensive tackle at Michigan State from 1987 to 1991. That info has been known here for a while since I joined in 2003. Life long ND fan. My parents went to the ND -SMU game in 1953 as part of their honeymoon.

That’s awesome.
Appreciate the response.

I always respected Michigan ST.
Love their football philosophy especially during the dantonio years. Tough , tough men.

 

[FightingIrish44]

That’s awesome.
Appreciate the response.

I always respected Michigan ST.
Love their football philosophy especially during the dantonio years. Tough , tough men.

Same. MSU and ND was a battle in my younger years.

 

[Irish_inPSU]

Of the potential playoff teams and scenarios, PSU, OSU, Oregon, Tenn... they're all stupid loud and its well documented. I live 10 miles down the valley from Beaver Stadium and we can hear the crowd, especially during big games. lol.

That is one area that ND needs to step it up. No one fears coming in here because of crowd noise.

 

[jerbach]

All these posts bemoaning the fan base participation at Notre Dame stadium and no one proposes a solution. There was much less complaining in the past. What happened?

 

[sjb75]

Of the potential playoff teams and scenarios, PSU, OSU, Oregon, Tenn... they're all stupid loud and its well documented. I live 10 miles down the valley from Beaver Stadium and we can hear the crowd, especially during big games. lol.

That is one area that ND needs to step it up. No one fears coming in here because of crowd noise.

And all that crowd noise didn’t mean shit last week against the only top 25 team Penn State has played.

“LOL”

 

[savvyandsassier]

All these posts bemoaning the fan base participation at Notre Dame stadium and no one proposes a solution. There was much less complaining in the past. What happened?

I don't know, people just realized how terrible it is. And it's been bothering them for a while and they're not going to take it anymore. It's election season, time to throw the bums out and all that. It's not really terrible, it is whatever it is. But you know, as far as the sudden spike in complaining.

 

[Irish_inPSU]

And all that crowd noise didn’t mean shit last week against the only top 25 team Penn State has played.

“LOL”

Nope, not at all. There was complaints all week leading up to that game that they wanted to time moved to primtetime 730 to make it a night game. Guessing so everyone had all day to get good and drunk before the game to add to the noise.. haha

 

[jerbach]

I might give a few comments on why there is supposedly less noise now than when I went to ND in the 1960's (when it was still a tough all boy school). In my opinion (for what it is worth) the jumbotron, for example, while much appreciated, also helps turn many non-student fans into spectators rather than people interested in making noise in between plays when it is most needed. In addition, the roving reporter while doing a job, also helps turn the stadium into more like a minor league baseball park with all the added entertainment and reduced noise from the fans. Finally, coordination between the band, jumbotron and roving reporter are still not good. The time when you really need noise is when the opposing team is lining up to run a play. This we get in games that matter.

 

[ftnfan62]

My uncle has attended around 50 home games, he has always maintained that the 2005 USC at Notre Dame game is the loudest game he has ever attended. Afternoon.

i missed that one.....ND has massively up'd its game. Even day or mid-eve games are better. I remember going to the OK game in 99 and it was like a golf match....we started standing up and yelling as we were slightly behind the bench......not taking credit but we were screaming at Getheral...."make something happen....lets go.....we need you...blah blah".....rips off a long TD.....the fans behind us were yelling sit down and shut up.....we are just trying to watch the game.....then that happened, they started yelling from then on. Now when you go, people are much more up, willing to participate, not the old guard....is it like some of the other schools? No, but those schools have 30-40k students in the stands. We have 8. When your young and a student, you had a few adult pops, your shirtless and your screaming 3 hours. ND just doesnt have the students to drive that type. But at a night game, which are almost always marquee, ND shows up BIG TIME!

 

[HDK]

I might give a few comments on why there is supposedly less noise now than when I went to ND in the 1960's (when it was still a tough all boy school). In my opinion (for what it is worth) the jumbotron, for example, while much appreciated, also helps turn many non-student fans into spectators rather than people interested in making noise in between plays when it is most needed. In addition, the roving reporter while doing a job, also helps turn the stadium into more like a minor league baseball park with all the added entertainment and reduced noise from the fans. Finally, coordination between the band, jumbotron and roving reporter are still not good. The time when you really need noise is when the opposing team is lining up to run a play. This we get in games that matter.

Don't other stadiums have those same obstacles? As far as the band goes, they play right up to the time on the play clock they are allowed to and then stop. I think that is pretty much the same everywhere.

I think the reason for the lack of noise is largely because of the open bowl shape of the stadium — Add an upper deck, especially on both sides, and it's going to get much louder quickly — and the relative small size of the student body.

I remember it being plenty loud at the Michigan game in 1988 and that was when the stadium held fewer than 60,000 people. I did not see the Miami game that year, but it sure as hell sounded loud on TV. I've been to so few games since moving out of the Midwest in the late 80s that I really can't comment on how the noise levels from those games I cited compare with today.

 

[jerbach]

Don't other stadiums have those same obstacles? As far as the band goes, they play right up to the time on the play clock they are allowed to and then stop. I think that is pretty much the same everywhere.

I think the reason for the lack of noise is largely because of the open bowl shape of the stadium — Add an upper deck, especially on both sides, and it's going to get much louder quickly — and the relative small size of the student body.

I remember it being plenty loud at the Michigan game in 1988 and that was when the stadium held fewer than 60,000 people. I did not see the Miami game that year, but it sure as hell sounded loud on TV. I've been to so few games since moving out of the Midwest in the late 80s that I really can't comment on how the noise levels from those games I cited compare with today.

I don’t know for sure but some of the louder stadiums seem to have their Jumbotrons smaller and/or in the corners of their stadiums. I agree with your comment on the size and shape of the stadium but like it as it is.

 

[Drinking The Green Koolaid]

I think Golson5 and possibly another regular poster or two here attended the FSU game. In light of the posts here bemoaning the moribund crowds at ND games, curious to know what you thought of the game atmosphere. The crowd seemed pretty lively and engaged on the NBC broadcast, but I wonder what it was like in person. In view of the slaughter that took place on the field, you might have expected the crowd to have slept through the game. My experience has been that night games are always more lively than afternoon games. I attended the Stanford game this year and it wasn't a particularly lively crowd, but the game wasn't very entertaining and then the stadium had to be evacuated due to weather concerns at the end of the third quarter, so that certainly didn't help.

Aside from the smaller student body that attends ND games, because of ND Stadium's open bowl architecture and acoustics it will never be as loud as a stadium with tiered stands. That is simply an irrefutable fact. Nonetheless, I have found ND crowds get into the game when it is entertaining. Going back to my student days the stadium actually felt like it was shaking when Eric Penick scored on his epic 85-yd TD run during the 1973 USC game. I also happened to attend the 2021 night game vs. North Carolina and the stadium was absolutely rocking when Kyren Williams scored on that crazy 91-yd TD.

I think ND's fan base is as passionate as any school's, but perhaps they don't get quite as liquored up before and during the game. I guess that is why it is called liquid courage.

 

[1Redrum]

I was at the game this Saturday. While the lack of a competitive game obviously hurt the crowd noise I think the music being played / delays in when it came on and some general moments of nothingness during long breaks in play did not help the atmosphere. Song choices, or lack of some songs that I remember from the first night game in 20 years (USC vs ND) as well as a couple of other night games I have been to since were much better / got the crowd involved.

I also agree with Kooaid above.....it's time to allow beer sales in the stadium for the masses....I think it will still be a family atmosphere but I could have used one or two more on Saturday night! I attended the Michigan vs USC game and they have beer available starting this year.....also ND sells it in the boxes so its not like they are against it for everyone.