It hasn’t been easy being a Notre Dame football fan over the last few years. While cheering for one of the biggest brands of college football, there’s a constant reminder for just how long it’s been since winning a national championship. Things haven’t been completely awful but the Golden Age of Notre Dame football seems like so long ago.
A part of the frustrations have been the struggles in big games. It feels like a curse to a degree, something that has caused a lot of pessimism for Irish fans when they get on the biggest stage. There have been moments when they feel like they are going to break through under head coach Marcus Freeman, most notably the last second loss to Ohio State last season.
The program is still waiting to finally get over that hump. They need to win a game where people are doubting them, in a big moment, in a big environment.
Why this game is important
If Notre Dame leaves Saturday night with the win over Texas A&M , it doesn’t mean that they have arrived. The Aggies are not anything close to a college football power right now. They are a program with a good roster, and should have much better coaching moving forward.
The reason the game is so big is for several reasons. First of all, you are heading on the road into a very difficult environment like Kyle Field, while taking on a quality SEC opponent who begins the year ranked at No. 20. On paper, that would be a very good victory for Notre Dame.
There are also a lot of naysayers out there concerning Notre Dame’s chances. After the betting line in Vegas opened up favorably for the Irish, the line has steadily moved toward the home team. The Aggies are not considered three point favorites in most places. While the reasons for that movement is unclear, it is clear that a lot of people are betting against them.
A big part of that could be Notre Dame’s recent woes in these big primetime games. Some people just expect the Irish to come out on the losing end, including some fans who cheer for them every Saturday. That defeatist attitude needs to change.
Change the narrative
The only way to make that change is to win one of those big games. That’s what is on the line tonight in college school. Notre Dame has a chance to reserve the narrative, and make a statement to kick off the 2024 college football season.
Whenever something special is created, there has to be a jumping off point. It could be a moment, a play, a game. In order for the Irish to get to where they want to go, it has to start somewhere. There have been a lot of positive signs for the Irish under Coach Freeman, upgrading the recruiting efforts, facilities, talent on the roster and coaching staff.
In order to show that the program is definitely going in the right direction, the on-field product has to match the optimism off the field. That’s what tonight is for. When we look back at it several years from now, this game against Texas A&M could be the start to something special. That’s what’s on the line in College Station.
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