South Florida To Play At South Bend
Word from Tampa is that South Florida has lined up a football game against Notre Dame in South Bend during the 2011 season. The Bulls will receive a check for $800,00 from the Irish. No return game is included, according to Greg Auman. But here’s the eye-opener:
Notre Dame has made a commitment to play three Big East teams each year starting in 2011 and had extended an open invitation to all eight conference programs to play in South Bend.
Open invitation to all eight conference programs? If that’s true, U of L’s Vice President for Athletics, Tom Jurich, has to already be involved in negotiations with the Irish. There’s no way you ignore an invitation to play at South Bend. Despite TJ’s assertions that he won’t schedule other 1A schools without a home game in return, Notre Dame would have to be an exception.
Could it be possible that Jurich could have something else even better in mind — like Notre Dame being the opening opponent in an expanded Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium in 2010 or 2011? Total conjecture, but that would be the best possible scenario.
About the Author: Charlie Springer is a former Louisville editor and sportswriter, as well as a public affairs consultant and a UofL grad and longtime fan.
Allen Brant | Jan 23, 2008 | Reply
Get the Notre Dame athletic director on the line right now. Nothing I would like better than to beat the Irish in South Bend.
Greg Salyer | Jan 26, 2008 | Reply
I was told, and I dont know if it is true, that Notre Dame won’t play in stadiums that hold less than 60,000. It’s apparently because they have a huge fan base in nearly any city in America. Don’t know if that’s true but that’s what a pretty big Notre Dame follower told me. The good news is that if we were to agree to play them, by the time we played them we should have a 63,000 plus stadium capacity, thus equaling a home and home scenario and at least two years of good football games. That is if Notre Dame can bounce back in time (and the same for us unfortunately)