The University of Miami football team saw their highest turnout at Hard Rock Stadium on Sunday, Aug. 31 with a total of 66,793 fans in attendance. The Hurricanes took the win over the No. 6 Fighting Irish with a close score of 27-24.
The historic rivalry during the first game of a new season made for high spirits on campus leading up to the game. Even professors were encouraging students to attend.
“I was really looking forward to seeing this legendary rivalry play out,” said sophomore Sarah Fetter. “The energy on campus took my excitement for the game to the next level. Plus, my accounting professor said ‘If you don’t go to this game, the weekend will blend into the rest of the year, but if you go you’ll remember it for the rest of your life.’”
Category 5’s pep rally on Friday, Aug. 29 gave students a glimpse of that gameday liveliness. It featured appearances from the Frost Band, UCheer and Sebastian the Ibis.
“We have to be loud, we have to be proud. We’re Hurricanes, and we’re ready to beat up the Fighting Irish,” said David Kuper, Category 5 chair in Student Government, to WSVN 7News Miami.
The matchup against Notre Dame was dubbed “Catholics vs. Convicts” back in 1988 following the Hurricanes’ blowout win against the Irish in 1985. The UM team was accused of running up the score, causing Notre Dame students to start selling “Catholics vs. Convicts” t-shirts at a tailgate three years later.
As it came time to head to the stadium on Sunday, 3,672 students piled onto 75 buses provided by UM.
Throughout the game the fans kept their energy high, and the ‘Canes secured an exciting three point win over Notre Dame.
“I want to thank everyone that came out tonight and made that place electric. Our student section was jammed up,” said UM Football Head Coach, Mario Cristobal, in his postgame press conference. “Hard Rock was really on a different level.”
Returning students noticed the difference in the atmosphere at Hard Rock as well. Some students even described the lower bowl as a mosh pit
“It looked like the stadium was glowing orange and the floor was shaking at certain points from the noise level,” said Fetter.
Many students stayed until the end of the game. According to a statement from the University of Miami, it took 94 buses to transport 4,888 students back to campus.
The week’s build-up and gameday experience are likely to remain a highlight of students’ time at UM.
“The game will definitely be a core memory for me,” said Fetter.