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Boston College is a school well-known for its athletic rivalries. Whether it is the Holy Cross rivalry of the past or the current rivalry with the University of Notre Dame, BC's history has been marked by friendly competition, on and off the field. In light of last weekend's Notre Dame game, many students, administrators, and faculty have commented on how the Notre Dame rivalry has contributed to the environment on campus.
Saturday's victory over Notre Dame marked the 18th time the Eagles and the Irish faced each other on the gridiron in the past 33 years, and the ninth win for BC in that series.
While both schools can claim impressive athletic accomplishments, there are other reasons for the historical rivalry between the two schools. Chris Cameron, director of media relations for the athletics department, said that some of the similarities people draw between the two schools have contributed to the sense of rivalry. "The fact that BC and Notre Dame are both Catholic schools with a long history really does contribute to this rivalry … we've had bigger rivalries in the past, but this is a big one."
Cameron said that he thinks that the rivalry between BC and Notre Dame on the field has had a positive influence on other aspects of University life as well. "Yes … I think that the rivalry is good for everyone," he said.
Some students shared that opinion, and said that the rivalry contributed to their BC experience. Anne Orlowski, A&S '12, said that she has "never seen anything like it."
"I've never seen such excitement over an athletic match-up," Orlowski said. "It really brings all the kids together and … makes you proud to be an Eagle."
Krizia Vinck, A&S '12, also expressed her feelings toward the competitive sentiment between the two schools. "When I was looking at schools, Notre Dame was definitely on the radar … I believe that the two definitely compete for admissions," Vinck said. "Also, there seems to definitely be a sense of academic competition, as far as Fulbright Scholarships and things like that," Vinck said.
Students at Notre Dame also seem to share the same sentiments. Ije Osfodile, Notre Dame '12, said that the students at Notre Dame "truly come together" for this match-up. "We have a great sports program and lots of important match-ups … but no one wants to lose to Boston College," Osfodile said. "Students have been getting together, making T-shirts, and having parties for this game … it's going to be fun," Osfodile said.
Some students, such as Chris Hine, Notre Dame '09, and the editor in chief of the Notre Dame student publication The Observer, took the trip from South Bend, Ind., to attend Saturday's game. "The game and the rivalry have caused a lot of excitement down at Notre Dame," Hine said. "It's a way to get kids together … and to get the students excited about athletics."
BC was not without its share of celebration leading up to Saturday's game. Many students came out last week in a series of ceremonies leading up to the game. Last Thursday, the Undergraduate Government of BC (UGBC) held a pep rally in O'Neill Plaza. The pep rally included music, free T-shirts, and a special appearance by former BC quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Doug Flutie, BC '85. Chris Denice, UGBC president and CSOM '09, said that the rivalry with Notre Dame contributes greatly to the spirit on campus. "It's a really big event for us … it really gets the students excited and it brings us closer together, giving us something to rally behind," Denice said.
The rally was attended by several hundred students who braved the dreary November rain to come support their team. Charles Fraker, A&S '12, was happy to come out and show his support. "I don't think anything brings people together … quite like the Notre Dame game," Fraker said. "I'm really excited about this game … the [rivalry] is one of the greatest things about going to BC, and if they tie the series up, it will be huge."
Students weren't the only ones to be excited about rivalries on campus. At Friday's Flutie statue dedication ceremony, Athletic Director Gene DeFilippo said, "Every game is important to us … but this is going to be an exciting one. [The Notre Dame game] really adds to the excitement on campus … and hopefully … that excitement will spill over into Saturday."
When asked about possibly reviving some old rivalries of the past, such as the Holy Cross basketball rivalry, which was put on hiatus in 2005 with the expiration of a joint scheduling contract, DeFilippo said, "We will play Holy Cross again … they're a great team to play and that was a great match-up … we will play them again."
Flutie said it was clear that rivalries played a large part in his time at BC as an athlete and as a student. "Penn State was always a big rival to us when I played," Flutie said. "When I was looking at Boston College, I took a look at the football schedule and saw Penn State on there … that was why I came to BC." As an alumnus, Flutie said he enjoys seeing students coming together this weekend in support of athletics on campus. "I love being around campus, and I love seeing the students catching onto the excitement around here … I love the enthusiasm," Flutie said.
While the BC-Notre Dame scheduling contract is due to expire in 2010, BC has some great rivalries to look forward to in the future. "The game in 2010 will be the last BC-Notre Dame game for now … but Clemson is turning into a big rivalry, as is Virginia Tech," Cameron said. "We also have some big non-league games coming up in the next few years … there's a lot to look forward to."
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