SOUTH BEND, Ind. — At 12:10 Sunday morning, the last student cavorting around the playing surface at Notre Dame Stadium picked up his sweatshirt and walked off as security closed in. The four guys dressed as nuns and the girls in green pajamas had already departed. The hundreds of chest bumpers, random huggers, picture takers and other wild celebrators had hit the exits as well.
It had been 27 minutes after the No. 4 Fighting Irish had beaten No. 1 Clemson in double overtime, 47-40, in the biggest and best game of the season. What followed the final play was a euphoric, heedless, cathartic, unwise, spontaneous celebration.