SOUTH BEND, Ind. — The idea that Notre Dame has anything to prove is ridiculous when put into the historical context of college football.
Notre Dame is, well, Notre Dame.
The Fighting Irish have 11 national championships, seven Heisman Trophy winners, the Four Horsemen, the gold helmets, Touchdown Jesus, the fight song, the sport’s best winning percentage (.733) in 127 seasons, and Ronald Reagan playing the Gipper.
And, oh yeah, that squirt Rudy, who turned one tackle into a movie and a cottage industry.
Rockne. Leahy. Parseghian. Devine. Holtz.
Question the much-celebrated spirit of Notre Dame at your risk if you stroll across the fabled campus, past the stone grotto and under the Golden Dome.