Oct. 14, 2005

The pre-game festivities for the Notre Dame – USC matchup this weekend will conclude with the Football Pep Rally in Notre Dame Stadium.

Gates will open at 5:00 p.m. EST for all spectators. The general public should enter through Gates C and D. Students should enter at Gate E. There will be seating sections reserved for students.

The pep rally will begin at approximately 6:00 p.m. Coach Charlie Weis and the Notre Dame team will enter the Stadium at 6:30 p.m. The Irish squad will be seated facing the west side of the Stadium.

Weis and Notre Dame athletics officials made the decision to move the rally based on a combination of the thousands of fans who were turned away from the Sept. 16 Notre Dame-Michigan State rally once the Joyce Center was filled to capacity (11,418 for basketball), plus the anticipated interest in the Notre Dame-USC rally and football game.

In case of inclement weather, the rally will move back to the Joyce Center arena (where rallies normally are held), with access to the facility for students at 5:00 p.m. EST and for the general public at 5:45 p.m. EST.

This would mark the fourth football pep rally held in Notre Dame Stadium. The three others were held prior to games against Georgia Tech in 1997 (the dedication game for the renovated Stadium), Michigan State in 1997 and Nebraska in 2000.

The Georgia Tech and Nebraska rallies drew in excess of 30,000 fans. The ’97 Michigan State rally ultimately was moved to the Stadium concourses due to rain.