Cold weather leaves Fighting Irish fans unphased ahead of historic rivalry game
SOUTH BEND, Ind.-- The gameday forecast is looking frigid for Saturday's matchup between Notre Dame and Boston College. But fans are largely unphased by the weather.
Fran Perry traveled all the way from warm, sunny Florida for the last home game of the season.
"I've seen Notre Dame play many times, I've just never seen them in South Bend. I'm the proverbial kid in the candy store right now," Perry said. "I'm so excited."
"I'm 60 years old, I've probably been rooting for them for 50-plus years and it's like a dream come true right now," he continued.
Joshua McAllister saw the Rival Teams face off back in 2000 with his wife.
"The weather is exactly the same. It was a snowy cold Saturday," he remembered.
To celebrate his 25th wedding anniversary, he booked a trip for all his children to see the Irish. He said the memories made it braving the harsh weather worth it.
One Boston College employee and fan, Karen Donnellan, traveled from Boston for the game. She said the cold frost is part of the experience.
"That's football, that's football," she said. "I grew up watching football and around football."
"I live in Boston, and I work at Boston, so I support all these kids," she continued. "I work with them every day, so they're my kids!"
And one Notre Dame mom said the weather would not stop her from enjoying the Fighting Irish.
"My son, number 39, is a Harvard graduate, and he's a senior," she said, "so I'll be on the field tomorrow celebrating him and the rest of the seniors."
Notre Dame fans have shown that cold weather will not stop them from coming out in full force for their favorite team. Some local businesses like O'Rourke's Public House are gearing up to see an influx of customers trying to get a break from the cold.
"It's nice and warm, we have lots of bodies in here to keep us warm and cozy. But we're having a good time," said General Manager Amber Goddard. "Everyone is getting ready to cheer on the Irish and we have a packed house but we have tables turning all day long so we can accommodate anybody walking by."
The Notre Dame rivalry against Boston College dates back to 1975. This will be the 27th time the two teams face each other. They are the only Catholic Universities in the FSB football league.