Away game doesn't keep Irish faithful from campus

NOTRE DAME, Ind. -- The Fighting Irish didn't play in South Bend Saturday, but fans still made their way onto campus to cheer on the team.

"The Irish are going to win, I just know it," Bill Gula, an Irish fan who traveled from Chicago to watch the game, said. "I have the feeling."

A feeling, that this year is different.

Fans like David Dudash say 2012 is the year the Fighting Irish make history.

"I've been waiting a long time for this," Dudash said. "A lot of years. The Ty (Willingham) years, The Charlie (Weiss) years. We've all been waiting."

And with a little help, the Irish could be on their way to a National Championship game; something, that would make Notre Dame senior, Kathryn Murphy, beyond happy.

"It's all coming down to one game," Murphy said. "The whole country is watching this game, so it's make it or breakt it. Hopefully, we'll come out with the win."

A win would place this Notre Dame team amongst the greats.

"I hope we come out and beat up on USC, and punch em' in the mouth," Jason Kelly, an Irish fan who moved all the way from North Carolina to be closer to the team, said. "Hoping we can get this 'W' so we can move onto January 7th."

"Slowly each week, you build that momentum," Gula said. "And you just feel more reassured."

And for Golden Domers, winning it all would make the world right again.

"This year, it's been our year for things to go our way," Dudash said. "And it's like, 'Wow, it's about time'. About time everything's lined up for us."