Few memories persist from most blowouts. Think back to Notre Dame’s most lopsided wins in the last decade — beating Bowling Green and South Florida by 52-0 scores in back-to-back seasons, dropping 62 points on Massachusetts in 2015, routing former Irish offensive coordinator Chuck Martin and Miami (OH) 52-17 in 2017 — and little beyond the opponents can be remembered, if even that much.
Marcus Freeman will long remember beating Tennessee State on Saturday.
“Sometimes you have to take a minute and reflect on what an opportunity it was for our football program to play in this game,” the second-year Irish head coach said after the 56-3 victory. “To be the first (Notre Dame) team to play not only an FCS opponent but also an HBCU, it’s really important and it’s humbling, especially being an African-American head coach. This is what you want for college football.”
That last sentence may be a bit idealistic — “This is what you want for college football.” — but the thought holds merit. This money-driven sport that some compare to gladiatorial combat, and not just in the sense of Irish quarterback Sam Hartman channeling the Russell Crowe movie as he dove into the end zone in the second quarter, has two pathways of redemption.
One, the community found outside stadiums across the country on Saturdays. Two, the unifying passion of otherwise disparate fanbases, El Paso fans living within miles of the Mexico border heading to Evanston, Ill. for a weekend, Arizona State fans relishing the thought of running into Air Force alums in a Los Angeles parking lot before a December bowl game, SMU throwing a literal party because soon it will play Miami on a far more frequent basis.
In theory, Chicago suburbanites are introduced to broader, real-world viewpoints, Sun Devils undergrads could gather a new appreciation for the armed forces, and Mustangs boosters can share notes with Hurricanes boosters on illictly funding their programs.
And Irish fans become more aware of the plights and purposes of a historically Black university while enjoying its band during halftime.
Notre Dame paid Tennessee State $1 million to come up to South Bend this weekend, a needed infusion for the Nashville campus and the Tigers’ athletic facilities. The Aristocrat of Bands dazzled at halftime. And Eddie George showed off his team in a competitive first quarter, quite possibly impressing a few additional recruits thanks to the nationwide NBC broadcast.
“As I told coach Eddie George after the game, I’m honored to be a part of this game with him,” Freeman said. “He’s got a dang good team. You saw that in the first quarter. They quickly made sure this wasn’t going to be an easy game, but our guys were able to respond and go out and execute.”
To show an opponent respect, you play as hard as you can #GoIrish☘️ pic.twitter.com/OpjZ7xQ1X3
— Notre Dame Football (@NDFootball) September 3, 2023
The Irish players recognized the value of the occasion, as well. As sophomore tight end Holden Staes pointed out last week on the ND on NBC Podcast, many of the players have had relatives go to HBCUs. In sophomore running back Jadarian Price’s case, that created a reason for family to come to northwestern Indiana this weekend.
“It was huge for me,” the north Texas native said. “We have an African-American head coach, but also, I have relatives who went to an HBCU, not Tennessee State, but they went to an HBCU. They came to the game, it was huge for them seeing a program like Notre Dame get the chance to play an HBCU school, and I think it’s a good thing for our history of college football overall, Notre Dame, as well.”
One could argue more moments like that would also help Irish recruiting. If Staes (from Atlanta) and Price (the Oklahoma-Texas border) were appreciative of the effect facing an HBCU had and how their families responded to it, other prospects would as well, logically speaking.
It took 135 years for Notre Dame to face an HBCU. The odds of another one popping up this decade are slim, again logically speaking. But if that day comes, it will be more memorable than playing Rice (48-17 in 2014), Temple (49-16 in 2017) or UNLV (44-21 last year).
“Hopefully we get to see more opportunities like that,” George said. “Not just us, but other HBCUs to play brands like this. It’s great exposure, it’s a great environment, this is something our kids will talk about for a lifetime.
“To come to this stadium, I believe it was soldout, to play Notre Dame in September, it’s something they will talk about for a lifetime.”
Jason Onye spoke about how Sam Hartman takes time to even talk to him as a defensive player even though he doesn't need to do that. Then Sam Hartman shook Onye's hand as Hartman entered the interview room. Onye turned back to the room and said, "See." @insideNDsports
— Tyler James (@TJamesND) September 2, 2023
A HARTMAN DIG
The veteran quarterback has seemingly ingratiated himself to the Irish roster in eight short months, to such an extent that he has no qualms barbing sophomore quarterback Steve Angeli’s first career touchdown pass.
“Steve Angeli is throwing 70-yard bombs,” Hartman said. “Pretty easy bombs to me.”
Steve Angeli's first @NDFootball TOUCHDOWN! #GoIrish
— Notre Dame on NBC (@NDonNBC) September 2, 2023
📺: @NBC and @Peacock pic.twitter.com/IIdj5xbgW5
INSIDE THE IRISH
— Sam Hartman scores three total touchdowns in his South Bend debut, leading Notre Dame to 56-3 win vs Tennessee State
— Highlights: No. 13 Notre Dame 56, Tennessee State 3 — Most dramatic Irish plays frustrate Marcus Freeman
— Things We Learned: ‘Are you not entertained’ by Notre Dame’s explosive offense?
Dave Doeren is not a fan of the new clock rules.
— Jadyn Adams (@jwatsonfisher) September 4, 2023
"We had four TV timeouts per quarter; 16 television timeouts in our game. We're going to be excited about that and take football out of the game. I think it's sad that's what's happened, but it's the way it goes."
OUTSIDE READING
— Oh, the things Hartman and Freeman could talk about ... and what they did
— Watching Marcus Freeman: How Notre Dame’s football coach worked the sideline Saturday
— For beating from Sam Hartman And Notre Dame, Tennessee State negotiated bad deal
— Adversity no problem for Notre Dame RB Jadarian Price
— Why Notre Dame should expand enrollment
A lotta people get confused when I tell them I'm not a Notre Dame fan.
— Douglas Farmer (@D_Farmer) September 4, 2023
I'm not. At all.
They are not "my" Irish.
I just write about them too often.
I'd strongly argue anyone cheering for Notre Dame should not be given a credential, ever, at all. https://t.co/djVP54SLtm
