Print Edition for The Observer for Friday, November 13, 2026

INSIDER

2 | THE OBSERVER

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2026

FOOTBALL

Hicks: Miami win proves stadium is still sacred By Ben Hicks Sports Editor

After a monthlong hiatus, I am delighted to revive the weekly editor’s column. Travels for this publication over the last month have taken me to Provo, Utah, and across the pond to the Eternal City. But the most culturally transformative sporting event I have witnessed in that time occurred right here in South Bend. My Momento profile currently lists 295 sporting events between 226 different teams at 60 unique venues in three countries. I’ve seen Final Fours, All-Star Games, top-ranked rivalries and even Wimbledon. Nothing compares to the spectacle of this past Saturday at Notre Dame Stadium. To be clear, the hype surrounding Miami and Notre Dame didn’t just foment on Dec. 7 when the Hurricanes leapfrogged the Irish to qualify for the College Football Playoff. Nor was the game on

Aug. 31 the beginning of this beef — I’d call that a simmering. The hate for this game has brewed and boiled since Nov. 30, 1985, when Jimmy Johnson’s ‘Canes humiliated the Irish 58-7. The joys and memories of ’88 weren’t sufficient. While the spirit of Lou Holtz guided Notre Dame all Saturday long, the program and its fanbase desperately needed to confront the eyes of the storm once more without its leader. I was fortunate enough to take off the media cap for the day and experience the festivities as a student. When I say the rush of emotion shortly after 11 p.m. was the greatest high of my three years in South Bend, that’s not an overstatement. At the same time, as with any event involving 150,000 people and God knows how many ounces of alcohol, some things could have gone better. Having already experienced College GameDay on five campuses, including this one, I reluctantly made the

trek to see what kind of crowd filled Library Lawn. Given the chilly November air and Notre Dame’s increasingly cold relationship with ESPN, I was shocked by the energy at the show. The network announced the episode as the fifth-mostwatched in the history of the program (dating back to 1993), and analysts Kirk Herbstreit and Pat McAfee described the crowd as the best the show had seen all season. Those two have drawn the ire of Irish faithful with comments about the program, as have Brandon Walker and Dave Portnoy of Barstool. The social media platform hosted its own pregame show, and both personalities lauded the Notre Dame experience. Whether at tailgates or the Grotto or even through dorm pizza, it was cool to see the mystique of Notre Dame convert even the most vocal nonbelievers. Once inside Notre Dame Stadium, the game presentation and atmosphere were

outstanding. However, getting into the concourse from the student gate was an unmitigated mosh pit. Overall, the stadium staff was prepared for fan safety, especially with the inevitable field storming, but the entrance felt like something out of Hillsborough. I think the game largely speaks for itself, although I will say that the stardom of senior safety Luke Talich is a uniquely Notre Dame story. For the school of Rudy to have a former walk-on shine on the game’s biggest stage, just as Pat Eilers did in ’88, is something only Notre Dame football can produce. The last point I’ll make is on the coaches. Much was said about Marcus Freeman following his first two years and two games. I even questioned him in my game pick leading up to last weekend. The fact of the matter is Freeman is now 4-2 against top-5 opponents as head coach. He also upholds the standards of personal excellence and discipline set by Holtz, Parseghian, Leahy and

Rockne before him. For example, juxtapose his response to the controversial conclusion at BYU to Miami head coach Mario Cristobal’s whining postgame Saturday. Freeman has established a mantra of ‘leave no doubt,’ which doesn’t pin blame on the officiating. Cristobal, on the other hand, repeatedly blamed the conditions of Saturday’s contest for why Miami came out f lat and unprepared. Regardless, Notre Dame has long been the pillar of allure and achievement in college football. Despite what anyone says, that pillar has withstood the strongest storms college athletics has to offer. Saturday proved that the pillar still stands proud and true. In short, last weekend was a testament to Holtz’s most enduring quote. “To those who know Notre Dame, no explanation’s necessary. To those who don’t, no explanation will suffice.” Contact Ben Hicks at bhicks2@nd.edu

FOOTBALL

Remembering the voice of Dan Hicks By Chris Dailey Senior Sports Reporter

Dan Hicks, the longtime voice of Notre Dame football on NBC, died suddenly on Wednesday at age 64 following a battle with an acute illness. A legendary sports broadcaster, Hicks was born and raised in Arizona, where he got his start as a weekend sports anchor on NBC’s Tucson affiliate KVOA. His downto-earth personality and everyman charm endeared him to many, and he quickly rose through the sportscasting ranks. Following three years as a sports reporter at CNN, Dan was hired by NBC Sports in 1992 as a play-by-play announcer for NFL on NBC, in addition to golf coverage. He eventually took over as the lead voice for the network’s golf coverage in 2000. His iconic 2008 call at the U.S. Open, “Expect anything different?” following Tiger Woods’ dramatic 72nd-hole birdie to force a playoff, has become known as one of the most memorable calls in golf broadcasting history. Hicks became known for his immense versatility and ability to capture the magnitude of a moment, a trait most visibly seen at the Olympics. He handled playby-play at 15 Olympic Games over the course of his career,

GRAY NOCJAR | The Observer

Dan Hicks, an NBC sports announcer for 34 years, was the booming voice behind Notre Dame football from 2013 to 2016. He covered college football, golf and Olympic broadcasts during his lengthy career.

becoming the voice of some of the United States’ most legendary sporting moments. His call during the 2008 Summer Olympics of the men’s 4x100-meter freestyle swimming relay will live on as one of the greatest in sports broadcasting history.

“The United States, trying to hang on to second. They should get the silver medal,” Hicks said as France appeared destined for gold. But as Jason Lezak mounted an improbable comeback in the final meters, Hicks erupted: “Here comes Lezak! Unbelievable at the

end! He’s done it! The U.S. has done it!” Hicks took over as the voice of Notre Dame football on NBC in 2013, a role he held until Mike Tirico succeeded him in 2017. He returned to the booth in 2024, most recently calling Notre Dame’s Oct. 10

matchup against Stanford. Although his immeasurable talent could be celebrated endlessly, Hicks was an even greater man. He was the proud husband of SportsCenter anchor and Notre Dame alumna Hannah Storm and father to their three children: Hannah, Ellery and Riley. An outpouring of love and support from across the sports media world has followed Hicks’ passing, with countless athletes, colleagues and friends paying tribute. Michael Phelps eloquently stated, “There are certain voices in sports that you hear and instantly know who it is … Dan had one of those voices.” Mike Tirico shared, “Day one at NBC was @theopen and I had the chance to work with Dan and Johnny. The welcome from them made me feel a part of the family from the beginning. Over a decade of majors and Olympics - we spent hours talking work, our kids and how lucky we are.” The Observer expresses our deepest condolences to Hannah, their three daughters and the entire Hicks family. Dan’s voice will forever be woven into the fabric of Notre Dame sports, and his legacy will live on through all of the lives he touched. Contact Chris Dailey at cdailey2@nd.edu

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FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2026 | VOL. LXI, NO. 21

NDSMCOBSERVER.COM

FTT majors create Bon Jovi CrossPaths survey promotional content data released Associate News Editor

By Matthew Morin and Andrew Poulton

Several Notre Dame Film, Television and Theatre majors supported the creation of promotional materials for Jon Bon Jovi’s stop at Notre Dame on his band’s “Forever Tour.” Film professor William Donaruma described the process for coordinating students as very secretive. He noted that he received an email sharing an opportunity for students to work with a performer for an upcoming conference. Charlotte Schaub, a junior FTT major, explained that she received an email from Donaruma, who was her professor last semester, asking if anyone would be interested in helping with a music video. “I immediately just threw

On Nov. 4, CrossPaths released aggregated data on its October survey through CrossPaths Wrapped, detailing how Notre Dame students “sleep, vote, pray and flirt.” CrossPaths and Marriage Pact, both returning campus matchmaking services, advertised to students and conducted surveys this fall. Marriage Pact ran one survey this October while CrossPaths ran one in October and one in November. 2,081 students participated in the October CrossPaths survey — just short of Marriage Pact’s 2,093 respondents. CrossPaths reported 986 matches between 1,972 students, from freshmen to graduate students. 1,068 women and 1,013 men participated.

By Mara Hall

Associate News Editors

Courtesy of Charotte Schaub

FTT majors had the chance to assist with the production of promotional material for Jon Bon Jovi ahead of his concert at ND in 2027.

in my name, not knowing who this was for, what it was about, anything like that,” Schaub said. Donaruma explained that once he said he had the student

staff ready, he was invited to a lunch where the performer was revealed to be Bon Jovi. Schaub said she was at work see “FTT” on page 5

CrossPaths Wrapped states, “Every class, 32 halls, and a suspicious number of finance majors” were represented in the data. Within the first 10 minutes after matches were released, 36% students opened their emails to check. Seventy-eight percent did so within the hour, and by the time CrossPaths compiled and shared their data, 96% had. Prior to releasing matches, CrossPaths emailed survey participants with the initials and dorms of their potential match. With this, students had the option to pay to view their match 24 hours in advance: 165 students used this feature. The CrossPaths survey also contained a “secret admirer” feature, allowing respondents to tell another respondent some see “Data” on page 6

Students face earlier Microsoft issues business recruiting timelines affect tri-campus By Andrew Poulton

By Observer News Staff

Many Notre Dame students pursuing jobs in the business sector, such as investment banking and consulting, face an earlier recruitment process than in years past. Business Insider reports that before 2018, many investment banking firms made internship offers during the fall semester of junior year. Now, however, sophomores interested in an investment banking internship following their junior year spend their sophomore fall preparing for the recruitment process. Last cycle, the bulge bracket firms — J.P. Morgan, Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, Bank of America, Citigroup, Barclays, Deutsche Bank and UBS — opened their applications in December and January. Yale University predicts that bulge bracket banks will again open applications in January 2028. Some boutique firms operate on an even earlier schedule

— Evercore opened its application in September with a Nov. 15 deadline. Many consulting firms are now trying to catch up with their investment banking counterparts. Both McKinsey & Company and Bain & Company shifted their application deadlines from June to March 29, 2026, during the last recruitment cycle. This means students applied for junior summer internships in the middle of their sophomore spring. The move allowed both firms to compete with investment banks for talent. Boston Consulting Group — the third firm in the prestigious “MBB” trio — kept its deadline in early June. While applications have not yet opened for the next recruitment cycle, it is likely that many firms will shift to match McKinsey and Bain. The recruitment process has also become increasingly competitive. Firms such as Goldman Sachs, J.P. Morgan,

McKinsey, Bain and BCG boast acceptance rates lower than 1% for their summer internship programs. Thus, students interested in either industry now only have three semesters to bolster their grades and get involved in extracurricular activities that large firms look for. Internships in other business positions, such as public accounting and quantitative funds, have also shifted forward during the past decade. Students and the University alike have pivoted in recent years, keeping pace with application deadlines as they’ve moved earlier and earlier into students’ academic experience. “Recruiting timelines for finance roles have shifted over the past several decades as employers began competing earlier for what they consider top talent,” the Career Center said in a joint statement written by Student International Business Council (SIBC) program director Monica Ladig and career

NEWS | PAGE 5

OPINION | PAGE 7

SCENE | PAGE 14

SPORTS | PAGE 2

Microsoft buys old Holy Cross farmland with plans to develop data center.

Mark Mikhail writes about his experience in an ICE detention center following his release.

PEMCo’s newest production is a delightful take on the classic musical tale.

Exploring the legacy of NBC’s broadcaster who worked with Irish football.

Associate News Editor

Data centers planned

‘I forgive ICE’

see “Timeline” on page 5

‘Into the Woods’

Two Microsoft issues, currently unlinked to one another, are affecting the tri-campus community this week — a Thursday outage of Microsoft Outlook and a security vulnerability for which a patch was released Tuesday. Thursday’s widespread outage Downdetector reported the first issues at 12:21 p.m., with major spikes following shortly after 1 p.m., peaking just under 130,000 reports. Holy Cross College uses Microsoft 365 as its digital workplace. Reece Campbell, a Holy Cross freshman, explained he is unable to check or receive emails since “all of Outlook seems to be down.” He said he became aware of the outage around 4 p.m. Thursday. As of 8:49 p.m., Campbell said the outage was ongoing. “We are aware of the widespread service disruptions

Remembering Hicks

reported by Microsoft today and are monitoring the situation,” Holy Cross spokesperson Matthew Palmer wrote in a statement to The Observer. “We are working with our campus technology team to assess any impact on our students, faculty and staff and will share updates as necessary.” Microsoft 365 Status has shared updates throughout the day on X. In a 2:31 p.m. update, Microsoft posted, “We determined the elevated load isn’t driven by an increase in traffic, but by a number of servers being unexpectedly unavailable; straining the remaining infrastructure. We’re working to safely return them to service.” At 10:12 p.m., Microsoft 365 status posted, “We’ve monitored the status of the changes applied to improve serviceability and confirmed they’re not taking as expected. We’re identifying alternate workstreams that can be applied to see “Outage” on page 6

SPORTS | PAGE 19

Holy War

An decisive win is expected this weekend in the rivalry game against Boston College.

DAILY

4 | THE OBSERVER

QUESTION OF THE DAY:

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2026

What’s your go-to karaoke song?

Have a question you want answered? Email photo@ndsmcobserver.com

Paige Malinowski

Sophia Bracken

Kate Williams

Marie Hermens

Tatum Eisenreich

“When I Was Your Man — Bruno Mars.”

“Only Girl in the World — Rihanna.”

“Before He Cheats — Carrie Underwood.”

“What is This Feeling — Wicked.”

“Bad Romance — Lady Gaga.”

sophomore Flaherty Hall

junior Le Mans Hall

junior Lewis Hall

senior off campus

sophomore Breen Phillips Hall

SOCIAL MEDIA POLL

PHOTO OF THE DAY | TEAGAN BERRY

Have an idea for a poll? Email lmartin01@stmarys.edu

How are you holding up with Thanksgiving break just two weeks away?

THE NEXT FIVE DAYS

CROSSWORD | WILL SHORTZ

Want your event included here? Email news@ndsmcobserver.com

Friday Trustey Trail ribbon cutting and dedication An official dedication of the new Trustey Trail at Saint Mary’s. 3:30 p.m. O’Laughlin Auditorium

Saturday Notre Dame football vs. Boston College The Fighting Irish take on the Eagles. 3:30 p.m. Notre Dame Stadium

Sunday Veterans Remembrance Ceremony Honor the 698 veterans buried at Cedar Grove. Noon - 1 p.m. Cedar Grove Cemetery Mausoleum

Monday A conversation on peacebuilding in Northern Ireland Join Frs. Bill Shaw and Harold Good for a discussion. 3:30 - 5 p.m. Hesburgh Center Auditorium

Tuesday The Gesualdo Six A performance by an award-winning vocal ensemble. 7:30 - 9 p.m. Reyes Organ and Choral Hall

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Asst. Managing Editor: Abby Hernan

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Asst. Managing Editor: Noah Cahill Notre Dame News Editor: Megan Cornell SMC News Editor: Berhan Hagezom Opinion Editor: Duncan Stangel Sports Editor: Ben Hicks Scene Editor: Peter Mikulski Photo Editor: Mariella Taddonio Graphics Editor: Liam Flynn

Policies The Observer is the independent, daily newspaper published in print and online by the students of the University of Notre Dame du Lac, Saint Mary’s College and Holy Cross College. Editorial content, including advertisements, is not governed by policies of the administration of any institution. The Observer reserves the right to refuse advertisements based on content.

The news is reported as accurately and objectively as possible. Unsigned editorials represent the opinion of the majority of the Editor-in-Chief, Managing Editor, Assistant Managing Editors and department editors. Commentaries, letters and columns present the views of the authors and not necessarily those of The Observer. Opinion space is available to all readers. The free expression of all opinions through letters is encouraged. Letters to the Editor must be signed and must include contact information. Questions regarding Observer policies should be directed to Editor-in-Chief Gray Nocjar.

Today’s Staff News

Eileen Doyle Mara Hall Matthew Morin

Graphics

Alyssa Sirichoktanasup

Photo

Keira Jones

Opinion

Caoilinn Flinn

Sports

Nikki Stachurski Jacek Kawczynski

Scene

Nolan Scozzaro

Editors Gray Nocjar Grace Tadajweski Noah Cahill

NEWS

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2026

THE OBSERVER | 5

Microsoft plans to build data center in Granger By Teresa Doran Reporter

Microsoft is moving toward vertical construction for a hyperscale data center on 900 acres of land in Granger, Indiana. The Observer spoke with assistant professor Ryan Juskus, a faculty member at the Institute for Social Concerns, who has been working with We Make Indiana to obtain a Fair Share Agreement from Microsoft. We Make Indiana is a faith-based organization that works toward the common good of St. Joseph County. Although Juskus does not represent Notre Dame or the Institute for Social Concerns in his work, he noted that his faith is an important part of his community organizing efforts. Earlier this year, Microsoft launched a new community-first artificial intelligence infrastructure plan to promote investment and

FTT

Continued from page 3 when she found out it was Bon Jovi, which was revealed to her before the tour itself had been announced. “I’m freaking out because it’s Bon Jovi. It’s a rock star,” junior FTT major Antonio Dominguez said, recalling his reaction to finding out who he would be working for. Donaruma noted the director ended up putting together the piece that aired during the Notre Dame-Miami game, but that Schaub and junior Jocelyn Connors are still working on a cut that may be used for a future promo and the lead-up into the concert. Connors did not respond to request for comment. Bon Jovi made an appearance on the field during Saturday’s game.

Timeline

Continued from page 3 counselor for financial services & Wall Street Programs Brian Mulhern. SIBC, which is offering 100 projects across divisions, including 44 finance projects this year, is a resource available to students. Other projects focus on accounting, consulting, marketing, real estate and technology. Additionally, the Mendoza College of Business and SIBC are collaborating to pilot a series of workshops titled “Freshman Foundations” to support freshman students in building foundational skills and confidence. “The goal is to make recruiting less stressful for first-year students,” Ladig and Mulhern

sustainability through data centers built across the country. In a statement from the official Microsoft blog, “[It is] a commitment to do this work differently than some others and to do it responsibly. This commits us to the concrete steps needed to be a good neighbor in the communities where we build, own, and operate our data centers,” they wrote. The company recognized this as a potential opening for a more ethical and community-engaged approach from a data center developer. “Microsoft came into the community here saying that they wanted to be a good neighbor,” Juskus said. However, Juskus noted that Indiana passed a law in 2019 to give a 50-year sales tax break to hyperscale data center developers, explaining the law could save the Microsoft data center up to $100 million or possibly $200 million a year.

“What we are interested in is that, since the state is giving them such a handout, that they would basically invest in the community a certain percentage that’s proportional to the size and scale of the project,” Juskus said. Juskus added that both Microsoft and Amazon have tried to gain goodwill in the past by giving out community enhancement grants where they build data centers. These grants could be amounts between $50,000 and $300,000 to local nonprofits. “But all of that pales in comparison to how much savings they’re going to be getting every single year from the state of Indiana,” Juskus continued. The Fair Share Agreement would contain legally binding language for certain standards around the environment, water, energy and cost-of-living issues. There would also be a Fair Share Fund, which would be overseen by a community board and contain some

percentage of Microsoft’s annual costs. “As far as we know, there is no community in the country yet who has negotiated a fair share agreement around a hyperscale data center… We’re crazy enough, or faithful enough, or maybe a mix of both, to think that we could start something new here in St. Joseph County, and democratize decisions,” Juskus said. The new data center would be located on a property that was farmed for over 100 years by the Holy Cross brothers to feed the Notre Dame, Holy Cross and Saint Mary’s communities. The land was sold by its most recent owner to Microsoft for $77.5 million. “It’s a place that has meant a lot to, you know, our tricampus community,” Juskus said. “Are we just going to, you know, watch it get developed into a hyperscale data center that really is not [going to] add much to our community?” Heidi Beidinger-Burnett,

professor of practice at the Eck Institute for Global Health and a South Bend Common Council member, weighed in on the environmental concerns of the data center, explaining that it sucks up resources and is a source of unchecked pollution. “The people who are trying to sell the idea that we should have data centers in our communities is that it will be an economic boom for that community, and that’s where I have a lot of pause,” BeidingerBurnett said. “That’s an unproven model. Where is the evidence that that’s actually happening? I haven’t seen it, and nobody’s talking about it.” She offered a call to action regarding issues that she believes have gone under the radar. “Every state in America is being impacted by this right now, so everybody needs to be paying attention to this.”

Schaub said that filming took two days, with Schaub working the second day. “Most of the time it was just students being very confused on what was happening,” she said. While a lot of the footage was not used in the initial video for the Miami game, Schaub said it may still be used in future work. Dominguez explained that, going into the day, he did not know he was going to film. He ended up assisting with capturing footage of the cheerleaders and mascot — footage he says was used in the initial video to share the narrative of a mischievous leprechaun and Bon Jovi toying with one another. “He made sure to introduce himself to every single person who was there,” Schaub said of Bon Jovi, who arrived at 4 p.m. by golf cart. “It’s funny, he would say, ‘Hi, I’m Jon.’ I’m like,

‘Yes, we all know your name.’” Schaub explained they were at the Main Building, walking backward down the main steps, filming Bon Jovi walk down the steps. “I risked my graduation for Bon Jovi,” Schaub said, referencing a common superstition where walking down the Main Building prevents you from graduating from Notre Dame. She noted that as they traversed campus, some students recognized him. Once in the stadium, Schaub said they got to meet Bon Jovi’s band and filmed a variety of content using cameras and drones, and including Notre Dame cheerleaders. Donaruma explained he had one of the primary cameras, so when others were not filming, he was getting certain shots, such as when the subjects came out of the tunnel in a bunch of

smoke and lights, but he would also pass one of the bigger cameras off to one of his students. “Jon’s brother, Tony, was directing from afar,” Donaruma said. “We essentially had a feed running to him when we were in the stadium doing the final bits under the lights and he seemed happy with what he was seeing.” Dominguez said his role in the stadium was one of assisting other professionals. “Charlotte and Jo, they were on the camera on the field, and you could just see their excitement, this huge equipment on their backs just floating around,” he said. Donaruma noted it was Bon Jovi who asked for student involvement. “They probably would have been way more efficient if it wasn’t us, but they trusted us and I think that is absolutely

amazing,” Schaub said. When asked if she was a Bon Jovi fan, Schaub said her mom and aunts are big fans. “I’ve always known who he is in my house and part of me knew how big of a deal he was to people like Millennials, Gen X, more of that area, but it’s been very cool to hear more about it from my mom’s perspective of just how big of a deal it was and how much of an impact he had on her generation,” she said. “I grew up listening to his music,” Dominguez said, noting his mother’s “20s were in the 80s.” Schaub noted the project was a collaboration between FTT and ND Studios. ND Studios did not provide a comment ahead of a given deadline by The Observer.

wrote. The two also added that students with questions should contact the Meruelo Family Center for Career Development (CCD). The CCD offers employer events, as well as sign-ups for coffee chats and info sessions with employers. President of the Notre Dame Investment Club, Jack Frauenhofer, detailed how internship applications have shifted during his time at Notre Dame. “When I was a freshman, I had heard the seniors, when we were freshmen, their recruiting happened in like March for investment banking or other financial services jobs,” Frauenhofer said. “And then when our grade did it, it was like January, maybe like late January. The grade below us,

so juniors, was, like, January 1st.” Frauenhofer added that many deadlines have moved even earlier for this year’s cycle, meaning that they now sit before the holiday season. “This year has been even crazier with some firms opening up applications already now, and then are teasing a November, December interview timeline.” Frauenhofer specified that some larger firms, such as Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs, are not “lean” enough to transition as quickly. As for his opinions about the earlier deadlines, Frauenhofer said, “It’s kind of like, just like an unfortunate prisoner’s dilemma,” referring to the famous game theory concept. “They’re all trying to move

before the other one to get the better talent, and then it just kind of pushes everything way too early, where they can’t make a rational decision on a student.” He added that first-semester sophomores don’t have the same resume experience or skills that they would attain later on in their Notre Dame careers. As for how students are handling the change, Frauenhofer is optimistic. “I think Notre Dame prepares students very well,” he said. He stated that many students choose Notre Dame for its student life and football culture rather than its ability to place students on Wall Street, unlike many of the University’s peer institutions. This means

that some incoming students are less cognizant of career preparation. “I think it’s like a little bit of a slower transition, to actually join the clubs and get involved and start padding the resume to prepare for the recruiting push, but I think Notre Dame has gotten a lot better.” Frauenhofer cited Investment Club’s freshman pitch program as a recent success. “We had a huge turnout of like 150 students, so I think students are realizing that it’s getting earlier and earlier, and they’re actually preparing and they’re prepping even as early as like their freshman spring, just crazy.”

Contact Teresa Doran at tdoran2@nd.edu

Contact Mara Hall at mhall27@nd.edu

Contact Andrew Poulton at apoulton@nd.edu

NEWS

6 | THE OBSERVER

Data

Continued from page 3 one else secretly likes them. Individuals sent 657 of these notes, with one individual sending 25, the maximum allowed. Forty-four individuals sent notes to more than one person, and two individuals sent notes to each other through the feature. The sophomore class held the majority of respondents with 300 women and 259 men, followed shortly by the freshman class with 303 women and 199 men. Dramatically lower, 317 total juniors, 360 total seniors and 343 total graduate students participated in the survey. Dunne Hall and Pasquerilla East Hall tied with the highest number of responses per dorm with 72 responses each. The dorm with the highest average matched score, the percentage compatibility between matches, was Siegfried Hall with 93.5%. Campus compatibility was 92%. Finance was the most prevalent major among respondents with 173 reporting finance as their field of study, amounting for nearly 8% of responses. CrossPaths Wrapped did not consider the number of students at the University studying each major. The data showed respondents largely look for a sense of humor, kindness and physical attractiveness in their partners. Respondents could select three attributes in the survey. Sixty-one percent of respondents selected sense of humor, with 66% of women and 55% of men choosing this attribute. Fifty-three percent of respondents selected kindness, with 55% of women and 51% of men choosing this attribute. Thirty-eight percent of respondents selected physical attraction, with 47% of men and 30% of women choose this attribute. CrossPaths Wrapped also awarded “bragging rights” to residence halls. Badin Hall had the highest percentage of gym goers, morning people and individuals looking for serious relationships on campus. O’Neill Hall claimed the highest percentage of respondents who listed “partying” as a desirable weekend activity, with 55% of O’Neill respondents choosing this activity. Ryan Hall was awarded the “kindness first” superlative, boasting the highest percentage of respondents who listed kindness as a desirable trait in a prospective partner. The website also includes an interactive dataset where students can see how their dorm ranks among all halls on campus in 12 different statistics. Seven out of every 10 respondents self-identified as Catholic. Respondents were asked to rate how important it is that their match share the same faith on a scale of 1 to 10. The majority of responses were 7 or higher. The two highest response totals were on each end of the spectrum. Two hundred ninety-six individuals chose one at “not at

all,” and 292 individuals selected chose 10 at “dealbreaker.” The data presented “a purple campus” regarding political leaning. Thirty percent of respondents reported being liberal or very liberal, 27% reported being conservative or very conservative and 25% reported being moderate. Respondents studying political science demonstrated the largest affiliation with the left, with 46%. Respondents studying finance and accounting reported the largest affiliation with the right, with 42% and 44% respectively. Each subsequent year of respondents demonstrated a higher percentage of students looking for something serious. Twelve percent of freshmen, 25% of sophomores, 28% of juniors, 38% of seniors and 42% of graduate students expressed wanting a serious relationship.

The data also reported 62% of respondents drink socially while 12% never drink. Thirtysix percent of freshmen reported they rarely drink. This number decreased with each class year, down to 22% among seniors. Seventy-three percent of respondents answered the question, “How much do you enjoy deep conversations?” with an eight or above on a 10-point scale, and the majority of respondents, at 54%, shared they were “night owls.” O’Neill Hall and Welsh Family Hall had the most matches between any two halls, with eight matches. The next round of CrossPaths matching occurred on Nov. 6. This data has yet to be released. Contact Matthew Morin at mmorin2@nd.edu and Andrew Poulton at apoulton@nd.edu

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2026

Outage

Continued from page 3 increase capacity in the face of sustained traffic management imbalances.” Both Notre Dame and Saint Mary’s use Google Workspace as their digital productivity suite. Tuesday’s security threat On Tuesday, Microsoft announced a security issue and released a patch. According to Forbes, the new security vulnerability in Outlook was exploited such that a single click on a malicious file could prompt a credential leak. The Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency added the issue to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on Tuesday.

Neither those behind the attacks nor those affected have been publicly named at this time. At 7:53 p.m. Thursday, the Notre Dame community was alerted to the security issues via an email from the Office of Information Technology, approved by interim chief information security officer John Buysse. The email defined those at risk as “Anyone using Microsoft Outlook on a computer or device not managed by the University.” The email directed those using devices not managed by the University and using Microsoft Outlook “to perform an update as soon as possible” for safety. Finally, the email directed community members to several resources for how to install the update.

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OPINION

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2026

THE OBSERVER | 7

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

‘I forgive ICE’: A letter from Mark Mikhail God was in every moment of this hard experience. When I encountered the ICE agents at the airport, I told God in my heart that I entrusted myself to him, whether I get imprisoned for months, released or whatever was going to happen. I would doubt this strong act of self-submission in moments like when I was transported in chains and when I first entered my prison facility. When I was in chains, I jokingly thought to myself: “St. Paul has nothing on me (2 Timothy 2:9).” But suffering the same things that many of my role models, and especially Christ, have suffered was consoling in indescribable ways. Candidly, there was a cloud of strength and comfort that dwelt in my heart wherever I went. I didn’t know this at the time, but hundreds of people were praying for me during my imprisonment. Indeed, I didn’t know it, but I felt every prayer. Until now, I am left in awe as I think about how miraculous my release was. There was a rumor going around that I was released on bond, but the

truth is my lawyer didn’t even get to apply for bond because my release was so hasty. People usually stay at that facility for three weeks to over a year (most people stay there for a few months). I was mentally prepared to stay there for a few weeks, so when the officers came to tell me I was released, I couldn’t believe it, nor could anybody in the facility. At first, the officer told me I was leaving; he didn’t tell me where or whether I was being released. There was a huge fear of being moved to another facility, as that is almost fatal to my bond appeal. So, I quickly called my parents, expecting them to know, but instead, I heard a frantic scramble for papers and emails and an order to call the lawyer quickly. When we called the lawyer, he did not know where I was going or whether I was going to be released or not. When the intake officers came, the storm that arose for a few minutes over my status of departure turned into a mountain of amazement and awe. I still don’t know why or how I was released, but I know it was a miracle. Now the road ahead of me is quite long, and the conditions

of my release are not ideal, but through this experience, two passages arose clearly to me: “Consider it nothing but joy, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance; and let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking in nothing” (James 1:2-4). “Slaves, accept the authority of your masters with all deference, not only those who are kind and gentle but also those who are harsh. For it is a credit to you if, being aware of God, you endure pain while suffering unjustly. If you endure when you are beaten for doing wrong, what credit is that? But if you endure when you do right and suffer for it, you have God’s approval. For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you should follow in his steps. He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth. When he was abused, he did not return abuse; when he suffered, he did not threaten; but he entrusted himself to the one who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, so that, free from sins,

we might live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed” (1 Peter 2:18-24). All this suffering was truly turned into joy as I was surrounded by love from all my friends and family. From this experience, I actually discovered the mechanism to achieve total comfort and peace during the hardest trials. Through feeling God’s infinite love, one is extremely consoled, so much so that they think hardships are a joy to them because hardships led to their encounter with God’s love. Since I am a lowly person, I felt my friends’ love so strongly, which is obviously from God, and that overwhelming love erased all the sad feelings I had in my heart. I am eternally grateful to all those who prayed for me, supported me, cared for me and loved me through this ordeal. This ordeal actually portrayed the beauty of Christ-likeness in everybody. I don’t deserve a mustard seed of any of the love that I have received! Most importantly, I want to thank the University of Notre Dame for offering my parents and me unlimited support during this ordeal. Notre Dame is truly the

greatest blessing I have ever received. Words can’t capture my feelings of gratitude toward the entire campus community. Finally, I ask anyone who hears about my story not to participate in hate speech or any form of disrespectful speech toward ICE as an agency or any workers of ICE. I forgive ICE and any ICE officers or prison guards. I love them, and I want to serve at their feet. This is the most important principle of the faith that I came to fully and freely practice here. I have been and will continue to be forgiven, so how can I not forgive my brethren? Thus, what I call people to do is to continue praying and to engage in loving conversations to understand both sides of this issue in order to come to a solution. Mark Mikhail Class of 2029 Oct. 31 The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.

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FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2026

Where things went wrong for the GOP By Jonas Lane Columnist

Two years ago, Republicans held the White House, both chambers of Congress (not to a Supreme Court majority) and a coalition stronger than any party had built in a generation. On Nov. 3, voters took most of it back. Democrats won control of both the House and the Senate, and the damage reached places no Republican strategist had even considered: a Senate seat in Texas, the governor’s mansion in Ohio, races in Kansas and the Carolinas — all of which are usually Republican strongholds. It’s easy to say that this historically aligns with most midterms. Presidents usually lose their first midterm, and political scientists warned months ago that a simple model pointed to sweeping Republican losses. But history doesn’t explain the scale. James Talarico won Texas by 12 points in a state Donald Trump carried by 13 just two years earlier. In Ohio, which Trump won by more than 11, Vivek Ramaswamy lost by nearly that margin. Those aren’t swings. They are reversals.

So where did things go wrong? Start with the promises that won 2024: affordability, prices, declassifying various files, no new wars, etc. Voters handed Republicans power because groceries, rent and gas were eating their paychecks. Two years later, Ipsos found that the cost of living was the top issue of the midterms and that Trump’s coalition fell largely because perceptions of affordability never improved. Inf lation was still running near 4% this summer, and the president’s approval sat below 40% for most of the year. Instead of relief, the party delivered disruption. Tariffs raised the price of everyday goods. Then came the war with Iran, which drove fuel costs higher; even President Trump said it drove gasoline up. Sen. Ted Cruz was very blunt after the election about the Republican Party: “If you’re failing at the kitchen table, you’re not getting the job done.” He pointed to food, gas, diesel, insurance, tariffs and a drawn-out war that made each one worse. Vice President JD Vance went further, calling the Iran war the reason Republicans lost.

When a sitting vice president says that out loud, the wound is deep. The second mistake was misreading the mandate. Utah Sen. John Curtis argued that Republicans took voters’ 2024 frustration with the border, inf lation and spending and used it as a reason for mass deportations, disruptive tariffs and foreign intervention. “Republicans lost because we didn’t learn the lessons from two years ago,” Curtis said. Voters wanted problems fixed, not a revolution. Third, the party let its candidates drift away from the voters it needed most. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis argued Ohio needed a nominee more aligned with blue-collar workers and warned that if Republicans can’t win in Texas or Kansas, the party won’t win nationally. Early analysis suggests the steepest drop-offs came among millennials, Gen Z and suburban voters, groups that any future majority will depend on. However, none of this means the conservative movement is dead. Some Republicans argue the problem was the opposite of moderation: that the administration never went far

ALYSSA SIRICHOKTANASUP | The Observer

enough on “America First” and that a winning populist message simply wasn’t matched by results. Others see a classic midterm backlash, amplified by a war few saw coming. Those debates are worth having, and Democrats would be foolish to mistake a referendum on Republican governance for an endorsement of their own. But the lesson Republicans should take away most is simple: a coalition built on promises about the price of eggs and gas cannot survive two years

of higher prices and a war voters never asked for. The GOP didn’t lose its voters to the other side so much as it lost their trust. Winning it back will mean governing for the kitchen table, not the news cycle. The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer. Write to Jonas Lane at jlane8@nd.edu

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

American conservatism wasn’t defeated Don’t be misled by the title. The Republican Party suffered its greatest electoral loss since its reformation around Donald Trump a decade ago. It’s important for us to see this for what it really is: a necessary realignment of the conservative movement for a post-Trump future. Vice President JD Vance, in diagnosing the core errors that led to calamity in the midterms, laid the blame on the war in Iran. The inf lation brought on by the war, albeit peanuts compared to the inf lation wrought by nap-taking Joe Biden, was objectively persuasive to voters. This is a conclusion Republicans nationwide have to accept in order to remain competitive. The war has failed to adhere to the Powell Doctrine, the set of strict criteria laid out in 1991 by then-Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Colin Powell. He argued that any war must be pursued with overwhelming force in a defined time period to accomplish a clear goal with political support at home. The detachment from that type of planning around the war is the same detachment in other policy areas, chief ly the cost of living, that ultimately cost Republicans the midterms. In an editorial yesterday,

Jonas Lane mischaracterized the problem. He falsely asserted that the Republican Party, following Trump’s landslide reelection in 2024, had no mandate for mass deportations, tariffs, and targeted interventions. This could not be a more inaccurate reading of the facts; our mandate was clearer than Hunter Biden’s crystal meth. Trump aggressively campaigned on mass deportations after Sleepy Joe graciously welcomed over four million illegals into the country, while millions more entered unseen. Tariffs had been a cornerstone of Trump’s platform since 2016. Everyone knew Maduro’s days were numbered. There is no solvent argument that Republicans exceeded their mandate in carrying out the policy voters demanded in 2024. Republicans, even in midterms as hostile as these, are still winning on immigration among voters, with an eleven-point advantage over Democrats. Lane, however, hit one nail on the head: the GOP is moving in an avowedly “America First” direction. This is necessary. Further evidence of the defeat of the Party, not the movement, can be found in ballot measure results. Voters

in Colorado, Washington, and Arizona, all blue in the midterms, barred transgender athletes from participating in girls’ sports, a virtually heretical position for Democrats. Allegedly deep-blue California voters rejected a tax on billionaires that progressives campaigned on for years. Voters rejected a costly foreign war and stagnant inf lation and the politicians who defended them, not conservative values. This gives the GOP an opening. Democrats now have two years to put on their best performance. Get ready for drag shows in Congress. Abdul El-Sayed will, inshallah, expose himself to be the radical Muslim-Brotherhooda d j a c e n t - w o l f - i n - s h e e p ’s clothing he is. Of course, everyone gets infinite abortions. Mandatory pronouns in your LinkedIn bio. We’re about to get a real taste of socialism, and the GOP is ready to capitalize on voters’ rejection of it. Republicans must return to a platform originally pitched, albeit unsuccessfully, by the Tea Party decades ago that’s increasingly salient today: Christ, low cost of living, family values, and no endless foreign wars. In elections moving forward, that position will win every time

against the Islamic socialism that Democrats welcomed into their party. A rational, no-new-wars, America First GOP cannot lose against abortionist, multi-gender, “God is nonbinary,” alhamdulillah Democrats. It’s the party’s job to evolve and make it happen.

Sam Marchand Vice President College Republicans Class of 2027 Nov. 12 The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.

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OPINION

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2026

THE OBSERVER | 9

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

The pathetic tyranny of artificial intelligence No one can fail to notice the ever-increasing claims of artificial intelligence’s impact on diverse aspects of our lives. Like Napoleonic France in Europe, it imperialistically colonizes every sphere of human existence and insists upon doing so. This is most firmly to be resisted. A worthwhile human life has nothing to do with AI, and conscientious persons should want nothing to do with it. This is true even putting aside questions about the ethics of particular AI models and companies currently in existence, for AI is, itself, contrary to human f lourishing. It hardly needs to be said that students can have barely any legitimate uses for AI. In terms of their own learning, AI serves only to interdict it, and students have superior resources available to them for anything else. However, the world — or at least those in power — continues to insist on

this abominable imposition. Those who claim that ignorance of AI will render one unemployable in the future, for all work shall depend on AI, have the most impoverished conception of man qua worker imaginable. Not that the present dynamic of total work — to borrow a phrase from 20thcentury Catholic philosopher Josef Pieper — is the epitome of the human condition, but most workers nonetheless exercise an expression of their humanity: They have some skill which is not had by others that enables them to undertake their employment. This kind of worker is almost a perversion of the concept of the artisan, though the emphasis is on his, in a sense, mechanical skill rather than mastery, yet this state is redeemable. By contrast, the worker whose work is dependent on the exercise of AI is rather transformed into a

mindless superintendent of a machine which serves only to regurgitate the pre-exercised talents of others, and which cannot be honestly said to have any skill in and of itself. The worker who presides over this process is rather like a man taken from the street and forced into the role of circus master for animals which he has been told have certain talents, but with which he himself is wholly unfamiliar. As for those who voluntarily engage with AI in this manner on the grounds that, by utilizing it as a tool — as they so often like to claim — they are able to produce things which they could not otherwise create, thus realizing a revolutionary vision which was already present in their mind and, but for a lack of resources, could be brought to fruition through ordinary means: Such persons commit a double offense. First, they insult those who do in fact

possess the skills necessary to actualize such a vision by valuing them as something which can be outsourced to the mechanistic, unhuman circus of AI. Second, they commit a kind of sacrilege, seeking to make themselves like God, by whose Word all things were made. “Man said to ChatGPT: ‘Let there be light.’” Except this is, of course, impossible, and in truth man makes himself only a gnostic intelligence, utterly impotent to fashion anything by his own will and reduced to ordering a demiurge to create what he himself cannot. One who could do nothing without AI can do no more with it, except pretend that one could. These so-called uses of AI are thus a trap. It is by now well established that at least certain overuses of AI reduce one’s ability to engage in serious thinking — an unsurprising conclusion, given the long history of brain-muscle

analogies. Therefore, by employing artificial intelligence in any way which serves to replace any kind of skill, we reduce ourselves to a servile status, subjects of a nonbeing, which has no real existence in the way in which humans do: The person thus enslaved lives the lowest form of life, exercising not an iota of his humanity, and subservient to the most powerless force imaginable. Let us then, who are not yet in that pitiable state, call to mind the words of Boethius: “No compact is made between good and wicked.” (Consolation of Philosophy, IV.6.48). Dennis O’Connell Class of 2029 Nov. 10 The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.

Can we learn to break the cycle? By Sienna Stephens

Columnist, “Not Your Average Post”

Eat, sleep, work, repeat. When did this phrase go from a joke to being our reality of how we reside in today’s world? We wake up early, get ready, go to work or school, come back home exhausted, eat dinner, maybe turn on a show or doomscroll for a bit and then go to bed, knowing that the next day will be the same routine. As will the days to come after that, then to months, and then to years. Again and again, the cycle repeats. Eat, sleep, work, repeat. Eat, sleep, work, repeat until we retire. We convince ourselves that this is how the world works; we work until we physically can’t. This is what reality has become, all with the notion of what it takes to survive in this world, in this society. We can imagine. We dream of the opportunities we wish to partake in — opportunities that aren’t related to work. Yet, we know that those days and opportunities will never come because we continue to go through the motions of this continual cycle. We go to school, make sure to complete our assignments, chase grades, graduate, attend a good college, apply for internships, earn a degree and find a job. Every stage of our education leads to the next idealized destination, the next stage of our career, the next stage of becoming a productive member of society. We are asked what we want to be when we grow up, meaning what job we want to have. But we are never asked what kind of life we actually want to live. What

LIAM FLYNN | The Observer

interests us? What places or things do we want to experience or see? What genuinely makes us happy? Instead, these questions are put aside. The life we want to experience gets put aside because we were taught that choosing a career that will provide financial security is more important. One of the biggest problems with our education system is that it has gradually redefined “learning” as preparation for employment rather than the opportunity to understand the world around us. We are being blinded to the reality around us and instead taught to memorize and perform, all for the purpose of becoming workers. Curiosity, creativity and genuine desire to learn have been dismissed. Instead, students are

encouraged to focus on grades, meet expectations and deadlines, memorize information for exams, complete assignments for a letter grade and then quickly move on to the next subject. Learning is not what it used to be. It used to be about understanding something, and now it’s about getting through the subject, performing to be graded, performing to be able to work one day. Perform now and perform forever. Work now and work forever. Of course, I think an education should prepare students for their futures, and securing career opportunities is wonderful and important. However, education should also teach us how to think, question, explore and develop our own perspectives. There is so much more to

learning than preparing an individual to sit behind a desk for the next 40 years until they retire. Society reinforces the harmful idea that success equals productivity, money, job titles and professional accomplishments by constantly surrounding us with reminders of what we “should” want and work for. Our careers essentially become our identities, so much so that we forget that there is an entire person outside of work. We celebrate long hours of working or studying, sacrificing personal time and time with friends and family, and constantly pushing ourselves to be “better” or achieve more. It’s burning us out, making us exist in this world rather than actually live in it. Exhaustion and burnout have been treated

as a sign of success because we put everything on the line — our time and health — all for the sake of work, to be successful, to be a good worker. Survival means sacrifice. It means putting off time with others, abandoning hobbies and different outlets because they don’t contribute to our success. We say that once we graduate, get a job, make money or reach a certain threshold of success, we can finally relax. The thing is: There are always going to be more responsibilities, another deadline, another assignment, another reason to put our lives on hold. At the end of the day, I don’t want to look back on my life and remember the number of hours I worked, how many assignments I did or how much time I spent studying. I want to remember my life for the people I loved, the places I went, the conversations I had and the moments that truly changed me. I want to remember the moments and times when I truly lived. Work should be something that allows us to live, but not something that prevents us from doing so. We only get one opportunity to experience life, and I think it’s important to ask ourselves if we genuinely are living, making the most of the life we have or if we have become victims of the cycle. The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer. Write to Sienna Stephens at sstephens01@saintmarys.edu

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THE OBSERVER | 11

Veterans Day ceremony The ceremony was held at the Clarke Memorial Fountain on Nov. 11, 2026. Photography by assistant photo editor Keira Jones

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I had no regrets at NSR’s ‘Romeo and Juliet’ By Sienna Williams Scene Writer

Parting was such a sweet sorrow, as I will ponder this play forever ‘morrow. This Not-So-Royal Shakespeare Company production honors the antiquity of Shakespearean vernacular whilst alluding to a time not so long ago. Set in Berlin, the heat of the Cold War sparks the burning passion between the iconic lovers Romeo and Juliet. Who has not heard of this bittersweet tragedy? The tale of two teens, too tender, too tormented. It would be wrong of me to suggest that everyone reading this now has read “Romeo and Juliet” before, but those who haven’t won’t have too hard a time interpreting the devastating reality of the volition, vendetta and vulnerability the characters face. The story follows two adolescents, Juliet Capulet and Romeo Montague, who — despite their fighting families — fall deeply in love and in death. Through inflection and insinuation, the NSR cast makes the hard-to-interpret language of Shakespeare understandable. It is comedic in the moments when sorrow subsides; you may giggle at the sass of the Nurse or Friar Lawrence’s various jokes alluding to virtue and vice; maybe you will even gasp a little at Mercutio’s

MARIA GORECKI | The Observer

provocative puns. But their depth is only apparent when the cast can convey the concept. And the NSR cast can. “A lot of places, a lot of ways, a lot of times” have presented the tragedy of Romeo and Juliet differently, according to Ella Heckman, playing Juliet’s nurse. Adhering verbatim to Shakespearean text whilst shifting the setting or circumstance, directors often set a scene more relevant to the contemporary viewer. However, Isabel Olesinski, the NSR’s mainstage

director, envisioned her production much more retrospectively, as well as personally. Of German origin, Olesinski connects the concept of the Cold War to contextualize the conflict between the Capulets and their counterparts. It has been argued that Shakespeare’s original text offers no frame of reference for the familial rivalry. I remember myself thinking this my freshman year of high school: Why do the Montagues and Capulets hate each other? Olesinski sought to

answer this unspoken inquiry with a historical intervention; thus, the Capulets are conveyed as Soviets, with some, like Tybalt, sporting the union’s attire. The Montagues, dressed in boisterous 80s apparel, are diametrically different from their enemies. Think back to your high school literature class and then to history because this production displays the ultimate form of academic weaponry, making the Cold War seem canon to the composition, combining battles, brains and

Berlin. Bringing you backstage, behind the Berlin Wall, I was the soul that called upon the names of Romeo, played by Nate Baker; Juliet by Lily Brustkern; and her nurse, Ella Heckman. When those who played the hopeless romantics were asked why everyone should come see Olesinski’s vision for this production, I was met with differing but very valid answers. When Olesinski was asked what she considered to be her favorite scene, she described the closing finale to be “an experience you’re never going to forget,” giving much love to the crew for their ability to completely capture her vision. Baker suggested that Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet is a “very human story.” He expressed that the down-toearth nature of his character mimics that of “a teenager reading poetry to a girl he likes.” This belief was shown well in his portrayal of Romeo, desperate and stubborn, in a good way. Brustkern contended that there is “value in seeing a story you already know,” especially with such “contemporary relevance.” There is so much value — I agreed before I even viewed the production — but by the end, I knew for sure that she was right, as I shed new tears for the same old story. Contact Sienna Williams at swilliams04@saintmarys.edu

‘Other Mommy’ peaked in previews By Sarah DeSchepper Scene Writer

I remember sitting in the movie theater, preparing to watch Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey,” when a trailer for “Other Mommy” had my whole row jump out of our seats. The trailers created a lot of hype around the film, building up tension, fear and hope for more freaky jump scares. But the film did not live up to the hype, and I find myself wishing I had waited until it came out on streaming services. “Other Mommy” follows 7-yearold girl Bela, who finds a sinister, shape-shifting demonic entity emerging from her closet that takes on the exact face, voice and appearance of Bela’s workaholic and emotionally distant mother, Ursula (played by Jessica Chastain). Bela calls this figure her “Other Mommy” and the two play together at night after her parents put her to bed. But Other Mommy begins to ask Bela unsettling questions, such as “Can I go inside your heart?” Bela refuses, and this leads to Other Mommy appearing throughout the house, besides Bela’s bedroom, and eventually following the family outside while they run errands. It’s not long until Bela’s parents see the entity as well. The family is tormented by Other Mommy as the entity takes on different shapes and appearances to confuse and terrify all of them, and it poses a serious threat to anyone

LIAM FLYNN | The Observer

who stands in its way. The premise of the story was great, and I thought the idea that the story unfolds from the viewpoint of a child was very chilling. It’s a very strong performance from the young actor Arabella Olivia Clark. The idea of an imaginary friend who has turned malevolent and wants something from the child is really unsettling, and the film wastes no time trying to unsettle you. This film went from zero to a hundred miles per hour. It did not care about a setup or a first act; it introduced characters and then immediately brought in Other

Mommy. The hauntings after that are relentless. Those jump scares we all saw in the trailer are thrown into the movie’s first 15 minutes, so you quickly understand that Other Mommy is meant to be frightening, not a friend. So, if you are looking for a fast-paced movie, this is probably one for you. Clark and Chastain do a very good job in this movie, especially in light of what they are given. If I’m being cynical, Chastain’s name suggests a quality, suspenseful horror film because it attracted that much star power and talent. But the movie did not deliver. My biggest criticism of this film

is that it’s not scary. There was no sense of tension, and, to be honest, if you’ve seen the trailers, you’ve seen enough. The best jump scares are in the trailers, and there are even some clips in the trailers that aren’t even in the film. Because the beginning was so rushed, the film was unable to build the tension that would have captivated me. Some people may like that the film jumps right into the horror, but I thought it made it seem thrown together without much thought. The idea that there is this entity that is terrorizing a 7-year-old girl is meant to be uncomfortable and scary, but the adults in the film find out

within 15 minutes, which ruins any possible tension. Spoilers ahead: Although the film is based on the book “Incidents Around the House,” it strays from much of the tension and terror on the pages. The largest difference is the ending. In the film, Bela banishes the entity by simply saying “no” and refusing to let Other Mommy into her heart. The book takes a much darker turn, ending with the demon possessing Bela and killing her family. Ursula’s marital drama is meant to be a serious plot point, but the film handles it with zero subtlety. When Other Mommy catches Ursula’s affair partner in a hallway, I expected something gory. Instead, he bursts into a cloud of bright glitter. This is the moment the film stopped scaring me and started making me laugh. The effects didn’t help; less CGI would have made this movie stronger. It was too easy to tell Ursula and Other Mommy apart, and the digital effects used to shapeshift her body were overdone. Ultimately, it is not a horror film that I can take seriously. It’s something you sit down with your friends and family to watch and make fun of the whole time. “Other Mommy” is a missed opportunity to make use of this acting talent and create a thrilling story that leaves us wanting more. Contact Sarah DeSchepper at sdeschep@nd.edu

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The 20-minute ‘holy hike’ playlist you need By Olivia Manganiello

hike high. “Embarrassingly” by Troye Sivan combines a glowy pop euphoria with lyrics that represent everyday awkwardness. This song will brighten your walk even if the sun is not shining.

Scene Writer

When Rocky was training for his legendary championship match against Apollo Creed, “Gonna Fly Now” was on his playlist. Everyone needs a motivational yet emotional playlist to narrate their strenuous journeys. As a Gateway student, I complete the “holy hike” at least twice a day. The holy hike is the famous trek from Holy Cross’s campus to Notre Dame’s. Although this 20-minute walk can be unpredictable with the array of harsh and diverse weather, I can always count on my AirPods to play the most euphonic soundtrack for my travels. I have curated a perfect playlist that will take you from start to finish in 20 minutes with the perfect songs for each milestone. Enjoy! Start off strong: ‘Sue Me’ by Audrey Hobert If you have ever run a marathon (unlike me), you know that setting your initial pace is essential. “Sue Me” by Audrey Hobert turns your walk into a strut — you may even shave a couple of minutes off your holy hike time. Audrey Hobert’s honest yet playful “Sue Me” describes the chronic human condition of desiring to be wanted and

DIONE QUIAMBAO PAHILAN | The Observer

seen. While displaying her relatable yet messy feelings, Hobert offers listeners a peppy and energetic song that you are bound to become addicted to. Remind yourself you can do it: ‘Bottle’ by Remi Wolf At this point in the hike, you may be discouraged by the fact that the journey ahead is much longer than the journey behind you. Do not let this discourage you; instead, listen to “Bottle” by Remi Wolf. The 2026 track “Bottle” exhibits Wolf’s vulnerabilities. She sings about her internal

struggle with alcoholism and the everyday battle that comes with it. Despite her battles, she reveals her hope in the bridge, singing, “I’m an idiot now, / but I’ll turn it around,” reminding you that you can persevere through the great challenges of life, even the holy hike.

it is important to remember to be in the moment and appreciate what is around you. “Friday I’m in Love” by The Cure, the iconic alternative rock song, pushes you to celebrate the important role love has in making everything that is mundane into ordinary miracles.

Make waiting at the light magical: ‘Friday I’m In Love’ by The Cure You have just made it to the crosswalk and must patiently wait for the walk sign. You may become agitated because of your stagnant state, but

Holy hike high: ‘Embarrassingly’ by Troye Sivan Congratulations, you have reached the halfway point in the hike! At this time you need the perfect anthem to elevate your holy

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Ain’t nothing gonna break your stride: ‘Break My Stride’ by Matthew Wilder Nearing the last stretch of the hike, you might need an upbeat mantra to get you moving. My sonic prescription is “Break My Stride” by Matthew Wilder. When your back is tired from your heavy backpack and your destination still feels out of reach, chant the lyrics, “Ain’t nothing gonna break my stride, / nobody gonna slow me down.” Remember you are almost there! It’s Notre Dame — of course it’s a beautiful day: ‘Beautiful Day’ by U2 You are finally nearing the end of the famous holy hike and you need a song to celebrate the day. “Beautiful Day” by U2 reminds you that in any weather — sun, rain or snow — it is always a beautiful day on the tri-campus. Contact Olivia Manganiello at omangani@nd.edu

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FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2026

‘Into the Woods’ is a delightful take on a classic By Harry Penne Scene Copyeditor

Once upon a time… “Into the Woods” is one of Broadway’s most iconic shows, and PEMCo offers its take on the classic musical. Directed by Cat Viner, the show keeps it traditional. It’s not revolutionary but it works and is exactly what you want to see from “Into the Woods.” I attended a dress rehearsal of the production and sat in the stalls of Washington Hall, roughly in the center of the auditorium. Stephen Sondheim’s music is notoriously difficult to sing, and “Into the Woods” is about as Sondheim-y as one can get, featuring complicated patter songs galore. For a student production, the cast and orchestra executed the technically complex music quite well. I was most impressed by “Your Fault,” an Act 2 number with an incredibly fast tempo and lots of tricky lyrics. It was very clean, and the diction and tone were on point. Most importantly, it didn’t take the tempo too slowly and drag, keeping the momentum going. The strongest number of the show was the “Prologue” at the top of Act 1. This 14-minute behemoth absolutely flew by. It serves as the introduction to the show and its players, beginning with the narrator (Bridget Wolfram) delivering the classic opening line, “Once upon a time.” The most visually interesting moments were when the whole company was onstage together at once. “Into the Woods” is not an ensemble-heavy show; it relies on lots

MARIA GORECKI | The Observer

of solo numbers and small group sequences. So when the whole cast is gathered together, it supplies an impactful moment that feels very grandiose. I also quite liked the choreography that happened during these larger scenes. Typical of Sondheim shows, there are no big dance numbers in “Into the Woods,” but I’m glad that Viner was able to find ways to incorporate this element of musical theater. Now, on this note, when dead characters returned in the ensemble, it was jarring and didn’t feel cohesive. I understand wanting to give actors more stage time, but at least vary the costuming; otherwise, it looks like the character has been resurrected. The influence of the 2022 Broadway revival was noticeable, especially in the set design, with the orchestra onstage and on full display for most of the show (a hallmark of the 2022 production). Further, the woods were fairly minimalist, which

worked well with this production. I liked how in the “Prologue,” the trees behind the curtains weren’t revealed until the characters began their journey into the woods. The larger-than-life books at the top of the show, from behind which the characters emerged, were a nice visual that brought the fairy-tale idea to life. Act 2 also opened with the books, but this time they were open, highlighting that the story is already in progress. The other major set piece was Rapunzel’s tower, which was wheeled in and out when needed. This show had a few rough set transitions. My issue with these moments is that they brought the show to a stop; some transition music or choreography would have integrated them far better. I have seen several such transitions at PEMCo shows in the past, but thankfully they were minor in “Into the Woods.” From a design standpoint, I

found aspects of the lighting to be questionable. The lighting design during both “Agony” and its reprise was distracting and too kinetic; it moved around too much and took attention away from the actors’ performances. Another lighting detail that took me out of the show was the delays in lighting effects. They seldom were exactly on cue; however, I acknowledge that this may have been a dress rehearsal issue, so I am willing to offer the benefit of the doubt. The costuming was very traditional; it’s the quintessential image that comes to mind when you picture “Into the Woods” and felt very reminiscent of the original 1987 Broadway production — classic fairy tale aesthetics with robes, gowns, crowns and breeches. I would like to highlight a few of the performances that most stood out. Jack (Daniel Loughlin) was

played with childlike whimsy, and I was impressed that he portrayed Jack’s bond with his cow Milky White so well despite Milky White being played by a plushie. The Wolf (Mark Hieatt) was sufficiently creepy and suave. “Hello, Little Girl” had the right blend of sinister, ick, entertaining and overall classic Broadway. The Witch (Allison Boertlein) absolutely owned singing “Last Midnight.” Her command of the stage during the number was palpable and was her strongest moment. The Princes (Cian Lynch and TJ McDermott) were entitled and charming. In Act 1, you couldn’t help but root for them and their romantic endeavors; in Act 2, you couldn’t help but loathe them and their infidelity. They brought lots of comic relief, and “Agony” was one of the funniest moments in the show. Word of advice for viewers: Act 1 and Act 2 are tonally different. Act 1 is a whimsical fairy tale with action, adventure and romance. Act 2 twists this idea and shows the consequences of the characters’ decisions, requiring active attention as it’s emotionally and philosophically heavy. Use the interval to stretch and prepare yourself accordingly. I recommend seeing “Into the Woods” this weekend at Washington Hall. It’s charming and not to be missed. You’ll leave humming the main “Into the Woods” motif. I guarantee it. My final rating: four stars out of five. Contact Harry Penne at hpenne@nd.edu

‘Franz’ may be too odd to be innovative By Naala Barnes Scene Writer

We have all heard words from the man that is, to Instagram, the embodiment of melancholy. Franz Kafka is considered one of the most influential writers of the 20th century. Though I have not read anything besides “Metamorphosis,” my curiosity about the man led me to Browning Cinema’s showing of “Franz” to find out about Gen Z’s favorite literary edge-lord. “Franz,” directed by Agnieszka Holland, was shown Wednesday as one of the Nanovic Institute’s films. The film does not attempt to be an ordinary biopic of Kafka, instead opting to be a Kafkaesque depiction of his life. One of the movie’s greatest strengths is that it does not try to explain the mystery behind Kafka. It understands that the appeal of Kafka is precisely this mystery. That being said, the film’s intentions fall short. Holland takes a very experimental approach toward showing Kafka’s life. The film fragments his life, playing with noise, unreliable narration and imagery to show the tension between Kafka’s alienation and his humanity. The film is told through a nonlinear collage of

Kafka’s childhood and adulthood, the Holocaust and his museum. I liked Holland’s attention to the way contemporary memory has made Kafka a product. The film contains scenes from Kafka’s museum, depicting tour guides who advertise Kafka everywhere in Prague. The film does a wonderful job bringing into question Kafka’s legacy considering the man, in his will, urged that all his writings be burnt. We are meant to grapple with how we have taken a man who values silence and privacy — and plastered him on a T-shirt as Prague’s figure-head. This is the one aspect I can strongly say I enjoyed. In the post-movie discussion, professor Jim Collins noted that Holland also plays with time because, as a trans-generational Holocaust survivor, she views Kafka’s work as unintentionally anticipating the Nazi regime. Pretty cool. So, while the temporal elements of this film can be quite confusing, Holland’s attempts are incredibly noble. I despised the film’s sheer amount of male nudity and grotesque imagery. You can tell Holland wanted to capture Kafka’s uncomfortability with his own body and the vivid imagery of Kafka’s own writing. Though I can see her intention, it

still doesn’t feel well done. It felt senseless and absurd, a mess really, when put together with all of the other messy fragments of the movie. And when something isn’t that well done, it feels pointless to be made at all. My biggest gripe about this movie was its angle. The film tries to portray the awkward and utter human of Kafka but it’s also just inaccurate. “Franz” depicts Kafka as weak, unsuccessful in life and inept, in addition to making comedy out of his father. In the discussion after the movie (which it is a miracle I stayed for), Nanovic faculty William Donahue asserted that Kafka was a very successful lawyer. While he wrote much about alienation, he was also existentially torn between the life of the successful bourgeoise and his art. He had found small joy in his tuberculosis diagnosis because it allowed him to entirely pursue his writing. The lack of attention to these aspects regarding Kafka’s life is disappointing. The film inherently wants to unveil Kafka, and walking out of the theatre, I felt as if I still could not understand one thing about him, other than him being a vegetarian … I think (point proven). I suppose one could argue that in

the movie’s inability to grapple with Kafka it accomplishes what it set out to do. I disagree. It tries too much to be art that it metamorphoses (get it?) into an awkward experiment instead. At times, it was a tough watch and emotionally shallow. I don’t care about Kafka at all after this movie. So, would I implore you to see it? It depends. If you are a lover of European art films or a lover of Franz Kafka, sure. You may find it intriguing and full of art that I do not get. You may feel it captures Kafka’s literature perfectly, or at least that its endeavor to do so is

worthwhile. If you are a fan of his edge-lord quotability or know nothing about the man, no. A better use of your time is reading his work to understand him and his influence. If you are intrigued nonetheless, do not let my gripes deter you. It isn’t a terrible movie, just confusing and uncomfortable, which I suppose is a function of art. Nonetheless, its saving grace is that watching it is a bit, I don’t know … Kafkaesque? Contact Naala Barnes at nbarnes@nd.edu

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SPORTS

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2026

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BARAKA BOUTS

Baraka Bouts offers no quarter in quarterfinals By Josie Brown Sports Reporter

Baraka Bouts hosted its 24th annual women’s boxing tournament quarterfinals Monday at 7 p.m. in the Danke ballroom. The quarterfinals included 14 matchups across eight brackets. Here’s how each of the matchups concluded. Livv “Belle of the Brawl” Haddock def. Bella “The Bear” Zapata In the opening round of the fight, Haddock charged Zapata with a center strike to Zapata’s face. Zapata returned the favor with an impressive block, onetwo combo. However, Haddock increased her intensity and recovered only to knock Zapata off her balance before the first bell. Into the second round, Zapata began to find her fight, swinging her arm around Haddock’s blocks. That is when Haddock decided to go low and attack Zapata’s lower abdomen in an attempt to knock her off balance. Haddock got the last shot in and took the match in a split decision, but Zapata certainly did not give it up willingly. Eli “The Deer” Diallo def. Catherine “Outta My Way” DuBay This matchup was a tale of raw, unbridled power from sophomore Diallo and learned skill from senior DuBay. Before the match even started, Diallo was already on her toes as if the boxing floor was on fire. Throughout this matchup, Diallo took swing after swing on DuBay, who, despite utilizing advanced blocks, simply could not stop Diallo. Both sides came out red hot in the first round, with Diallo cornering DuBay and DuBay fighting with her back literally against the wall. It’s safe to say that by the time the first bell rang, both fighters were exhausted from giving their all. The rest of the round saw DuBay landing softer shots on Diallo while Diallo dialed it back to be slightly more defensive. Despite an impressive jab from DuBay at the end, it was the sophomore phenom Diallo who took the unanimous victory. Judith “Learned Hands” Lanahan def. Sophia “Miyata” Giacomelli This matchup was evenly matched from the first round. While Lanahan took the low road, attacking Giacomelli in the ribs, Giacomelli looked at her opponent’s face. In the first round, Lanahan was in control of the match, shoving Giacomelli into the corner and throwing sequence after sequence. Then, after the bell, Giacomelli bounced back with a breakout side punch, uppercut sequence that resulted in a referee stepping in to cool down Giacomelli. This was an unfortunate common occurrence as

the referee stepped in three more times to calm the boxer down. This left Giacomelli with not a lot of time to turn the match around and resulted in her defeat. Bailey “Baller” Chavis def. Selin “The Supercalifragilistic expialidocious” Castillo Lopez At the start of this fight, Chavis drew first blood, which was quickly countered by Lopez’s low abdomen hit. The two were then evenly paced and exchanged head shot for head shot back and forth until Bailey suddenly took advantage. Lopez was successful in blocking Chavis only when utilizing her low center of gravity and knee bend, but exhaustion and fatigue caused her to stand up. In the second round, Lopez caught another wind, throwing a onetwo side punch combo to throw Chavis off balance. However, Chavis absorbed the attacks, and with a solid head shot between the eyes, she wrapped up this match with a unanimous win. Caoilinn “K.O” Flinn def. Rylie “The Wrecker” Marafioto Of all the night’s matchups, this was the most evenly distributed spar of them all. Both Flinn and Marafioto used great movement in the ring to accurately predict attacks, plan retreats and strategize on offense. In the first round, they both threw even jabs with Marafioto having a slight balance advantage coming out of their first encounter. Marafioto stayed on the offense throughout the rest of the round, which saw Rylie utilize her strong defensive stronghold to fend off the attacks. In the second round, Flinn finally got a chance to show off her offensive moves when she almost barricaded Marafioto into the barrier, only for her to escape and begin trading punches. Flinn’s offensive maneuvers transitioned into the third round, where she converted most of Marafioto’s offensive efforts into striking opportunities. Though this match was even, Flinn pulled slightly ahead with a split-decision win. Editor’s note: Caoilinn Flinn works for The Observer as an Opinion copy editor. Caroline “The Ripper” Haley def. Javanna “J-Money” Mwalija Both underclassmen, sophomore Mwalija and freshman Haley, put on an all-star boxing performance. Right out of the gate, Haley threw out a harsh head shot straight to the center of Mwalija’s face. Mwalija quickly retreated and lowered herself to better have a shot at Haley’s abdomen. However, in doing so, this left her open to Haley’s continual punches to her skull. When that did not work, Mwalija pivoted to

getting into close proximity with Haley, trying to shove her back. This only had the opposite effect, with Haley shoving Mwalija into the barriers and getting to throw multiple sequences at her opponent. In the last round, Mwalija recognized that she needed to get some punches on the board and gave everything she had on her last offensive pursuit. Despite her attempts, it was too little, too late as Haley absorbed all of Mwalija’s offensive efforts and won the matchup unanimously. Peyton “Toothless” Nguyen def. Elizabeth “Goldilocks” Coleman Both fighters exhumed confidence in the ring throughout this match. Nguyen came out of the blue corner with a side punch that instantly put Coleman on the defense. Coleman countered quickly and effectively, landing a couple of successive sequences. Coleman struggled to find contact again after this initial contact due to Peyton’s agility and ability to swerve her opponent. In the second round, Nguyen began forcing her opponent to step back, forcing her off-balance, which caused Coleman to counter from her back foot. Before the final bell, Coleman gave one last showing of offensive strength with an uppercut combo to finish. This final push was not enough to sway the judges, and Nguyen took the win by unanimous decision. Maria “Sandman” Souder def. Anna “Banana Spaghetti” Minetti This fight started on even ground with both fighters pulling off a one-two combo in the first seconds of the match. To break the stalemate, Souder lowered her center of gravity and began to target Minetti’s upper abdomen. This gave her a slight advantage when the bell rang. Then the script flipped in the second round. Souder increased her physical intensity, charging at Minetti, who successfully avoided the last of Souder’s attacks, causing Souder to fall slightly forward. By the end of the final round, Minetti adopted a steady strategy with calculated attacks, while Souder utilized surprise and more sporadic sequences. It was Souder’s quick thinking that narrowly won her the match in a split decision. Alyssa “A-Train” Ehler def. Kate “Bot” McCann Instantly, Ehler started on the offensive, launching a square face shot to McCann. With quick defensive wit, McCann acted quickly, putting up a block and deflecting Ehler’s onslaught of attacks. Ehler finally wore down McCann’s defensive stronghold with a side jab to the jaw. McCann then switched up her strategy to try to get on the

offensive and gain an advantage, trying to get around the side of Ehler. However, Ehler effectively countered McCann, knocking her helmet to the side and initiating a timeout. McCann then continued absorbing attacks from Ehler until the final bell rang, impressively not losing her footing once. It was a game of punches, however, and McCann took the match unanimously. Corinne “Corndawg” Mansour def. Clara “Catastrophizer” Lawrence Both young boxers had impressive footwork coming out of their corners. Lawrence kept tempting Mansour to open her face to attack by punching her lower abdomen, but Mansour did not let up. Mansour used her straight-on punching style to break through Lawrence’s defense. Both fighters returned to their corners fired up. In the next round, Lawrence knocked Mansour off balance with a hard-hitting punch that rang through the ballroom. Mansour countered with her own power, which rendered Lawrence defenseless. This continued throughout the final round and gave Mansour the unanimous win. Scarlett “Little Red” Baker def. Grace “Florida’s Finest” Mercado Mercado came out of the red corner with sporadic movements, forcing her opponent on the defensive. Luckily for Baker, her calm movements countered Mercado’s fiery steps. Mercado was landing more hits, but it seemed as if Baker’s jabs were more effective in putting Mercado off her game. By the second round, Baker opened Mercado’s defense up and landed a chin jab. Mercado, instead of countering Baker, began pushing her opponent back with her last efforts. It was clear, however, that Baker’s attacks succeeded in neutralizing her opponent, as Mercado’s quick feet became hesitant and dazed. Thus, when a judge stopped the contest in the third round, Baker emerged victorious. Kayla “Reeses” Pier versus Makenzie “Mak Attack” Eggert In the first spar off, both Pier and Eggert threw equal punches at the same time. Pier won the spar off and knocked Eggert off her heels. Eggert bounced back and regained her momentum with key blocks. These were not enough to stop Pier from digging in her heels to overcome Eggert’s blocks and continuing to push Eggert back. This continued throughout the match with Eggert attempting to counter, only to be pacified by Pier’s rebounding offense and lethal chin shots. It was inevitable that Pier would land a decisive blow, which came just before the last bell. Pier landed a

big hit in between Eggert’s nose to make her not only fall back but also expose her center to another attack. The match finished with the referee calling both fighters to their corners and Pier winning by unanimous vote. Lilly “The Linebacker” Nadler versus Cate “Mows” Delaune As the matches progressed, so did the intensity of the fights, and Lilly Nadler had the best performance of the night. The junior captain charged Delaune into the barriers off the first contact and kept her there until the referee interfered. That is not to say Delaune was an easy competition, with Delaune throwing intense side jabs to try to get around Nadler’s stellar defense. In just the first round, Nadler had three pins against the barriers, the only boxer to accomplish this impressive feat. In the break, Delaune tried to reconcile herself and increase her offense. Delaune opened herself up on the offensive, attempting to throw a jab at Nadler at the beginning of the second round. Nadler saw this opening and threw Delaune to the ground. Delaune recovered quickly and showed impressive resolve, but it was clear that Nadler was in control of this match. Entering the final round, both fighters were exhausted, so Nadler drew back on the offensive and focused on strategic shots. Delaune, in a desperate attempt to save the match, tried to throw jabs, but Lilly’s retreat made it almost impossible. Nadler then took the match in an unsurprisingly unanimous vote. Lucy “Alpha” Graceffo def. Maria “The Rhino” Vesprini In the title match for the night, freshman phenom Vesprini took on Graceffo, the returning champion. Graceffo dived into her attacks, landing five punches to the face without one return. This burst into an all-out bloodbath between the two boxers. Vesprini was forced to think on her feet with the returning champion throwing jab after jab into her defensive line. Both of the fighters did not retreat and stayed in close proximity for the entire match. Coming out of the gold corner after the break, Graceffo landed a two-punch combo, which exposed Vesprini and allowed Graceffo to land an additional combo. In the final round of the match and of the night, Vesprini and Graceffo had a final quick exchange of punches, which turned into an all-out brawl, where Graceffo clobbered Vesprini, causing Vesprini to lose her footing. The returning champion Graceffo then won in a referee contest in the third round. Contact Josie Brown at jbrown68@nd.edu

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FOOTBALL

Lytle: Pat McAfee is the frat bro of college football By Henry Lytle Associate Sports Editor

College GameDay has become synonymous with great college football atmospheres since its inception in 1993 with an on-campus trip to South Bend, Indiana, for the matchup between No. 1 Florida State and No. 2 Notre Dame. Now 33 years later, the show brings a different type of energy, built around ex-punter and media personality Pat McAfee. In 2026, McAfee’s incessant hypermasculine antics have turned up a notch, bringing with them his soft tolerance for criticism and the prioritization of stunts and attention over analysis and a quality show. What started as an indoor, three-broadcaster set to preview the weekend games, build local hype and display each university’s culture has turned into a colossal media production. The GameDay roadtrip show began with Chris Fowler as the host alongside Craig James and rose to prominence on the back of Lee Corso’s headgear pick. The headgear pick began on Oct. 5, 1996, in the Ohio State vs. Penn State show. Corso finished his legendary broadcasting career with 431 headgear picks after 29 full seasons. Corso retired at the start of 2025, and ESPN had seemingly already filled that hole with Pat McAfee, who joined GameDay full time in 2022 in addition to hosting his own sports talk show with former NFL linebacker A.J. Hawk. GameDay’s ratings were declining, and ESPN aimed to bring in someone with a strong personality and new platform to keep a younger audience invested. McAfee began instituting

a college campus kick in October of the 2023 season after a student bet that he could make a 33-yard kick for $1 million of McAfee’s own money. Later dubbed the “Kicking is Easy” challenge, McAfee’s creation has taken the mantle as the main event in the show, superseding the game picks, well-reported player stories or Corso’s headgear pick. This past weekend was the second time Notre Dame has hosted the GameDay kick and the first time a student has successfully won the $1 million. Additionally, Leprechaun Riley agreed to a $500,000 kick for charity, which he converted in his second attempt. The shift and emphasis on the kick were more clear in person than ever before as the show structured its spectacle around McAfee’s antics, jabs at the crowd and personality. Students chanted “take it off,” referencing the many times McAfee has taken off his shirt to rile the crowd up. But McAfee doesn’t lend himself well to scrutiny, even as the show has allowed him to pull off larger and larger attention grabs to keep the ratings up. His first big outside-the-box moment came in 2022 when he jumped into the Tennessee River from a boat while previewing Alabama vs. Tennessee. McAfee has brought his own brand of outlandish statements, cursing and alcohol onto the set as well. McAfee was riled up when the crew was given beer to drink at the start of the 2024 season for the Ireland kickoff game, raising questions about its family-friendly appeal. The stunts stepped up a notch in Corso’s absence in 2025, as McAfee slowly began pushing the boundaries from acceptable and energetic to ridiculous

tomfoolery. On Sept. 20, 2025, McAfee visited a pool near the University of Miami to jump off the high dive, stripping down to his underwear and vaulting 30 feet into a swimming pool below. McAfee was most recently seen in an exchange with Joe Montana, with the four-time Super Bowl champion promoting his beer sponsor, Guinness. The GameDay commentator responded that the show was sponsored by Coors, prompting an exchange about whose beer was better. As embarrassing as the exchange was for GameDay, it tracks the pattern of sin-product promotion and a lack of awareness from McAfee. His devotion to sponsorships and showmanship covers up his lack of critical analysis on the show’s main subject, college football. On the Oct. 10 show at Alabama, McAfee picked Sacramento State as his gambling superdog, his underdog to cover ESPN’s predicted point spread, openly admitting that he knew “nothing about either program.” McAfee represents the mainstream shift of GameDay from a sports show highlighting college campus atmospheres to an attention grab that casts aside analysis for extra clicks. And it has worked. Ratings for GameDay are up 4% to 5% in 2026, with McAfee’s field-goal contest helping bring in viewers. Jerry Brewer wrote in The Athletic that “[McAfee’s] appeal is that he’s relatable. He sounds like the fan in the next seat, unpolished and unbuttoned, in on the joke.” Brewer’s analysis perfectly defines the audience McAfee targets and what mainstream sports media has prioritized in the age of social media.

We came for the expert analysis and game picks, and we stayed for the on-screen camaraderie and atmosphere the show inspired at each campus. But that has seemingly diminished with McAfee’s rapidly growing influence on the show. The main event of every GameDay is the milliondollar kick and whatever else he decides will get the crowd invested in his show. Whether or not you agree with his stunts or actions, McAfee has also been the subject of controversy following GameDay’s visit to Utah on Oct. 24. The University of Utah posted a video of students waiting overnight in line to be in front of the GameDay set to do their best McAfee impression. One student told McAfee to stop taking his shirt off in front of college kids. McAfee took to social media saying that “One kid goes, ‘Ah, he’s corny,’ and another kid calls me ‘creepy.’ OK, if these kids would have done this on their own blogs, all good. Everybody’s taking shots at me for everything. I get it. ... The university puts that out as I’m about to go do an infomercial for the place?” He followed up that comment with “It made me feel a little bit weird. ... And then I thought to myself, ‘Has anything like really scary happened at like a college gathering in the state of Utah recently?’” he said, referencing the fatal shooting of Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University last year. Utah responded with a statement the following Monday, saying it “missed the mark” with the post, adding that its “goal during the visit was to create lighthearted engagement regarding Pat being back on campus.” McAfee was unable to take the smallest criticism over his

shirtless behavior, escalating the lighthearted jab at his antics to a comparison to a major political assassination 45 miles away at Utah Valley University. While he builds his persona as a tough guy, he was unable to handle the smallest amount of heat from college students. This has given the public even more ammunition to attack McAfee’s uninformed sports opinions, brand representations and stunts that leave the public with nothing of substance. McAfee is consumed by his image, reputation and optics, and not only in college sports. He released a country-pop album this summer titled “The Diary of a Polarizing Figure,” laden with autotune, curse words, obsession over his public appearance and unserious songwriting. Let’s not forget McAfee is from a suburb of Pittsburgh yet has adopted a fake southern accent for his music along with his GameDay performances to stand out to his SEC audience. Where is the line for McAfee on GameDay? It was just a few weeks prior that McAfee was put in a fake chokehold by Nick Saban and Bryce Young in Alabama’s matchup against Georgia. Clearly the optics of his own safety come second to his desire to be seen, talked about and praised by the frat bros across America who find him entertaining. ESPN is in discussion with McAfee for a $60 million annual salary, which could make him a long-term fixture of GameDay. While ESPN may desire the marginal increase in viewership for GameDay, the diehard fans of the sport are left wondering why we ended up here. Contact Henry Lytle at hlytle@nd.edu

FOOTBALL

Muething: Irish answered committee’s concerns By Jack Muething Staff Reporter

Saturday, Nov. 7, Notre Dame essentially played a must-win game. Going up against No. 1 Miami, the Irish had an opportunity to pick up one of the best wins in the country, and they succeeded. The most recent rankings by the College Football Playoff selection committee were released Tuesday evening, and the Irish were sufficiently rewarded for their performance against the Hurricanes. The Irish were ranked No. 11 in the original rankings a week ago, and they jumped to No. 5 late Tuesday night. With this ranking, Notre Dame is the highest seed to not receive a first-round bye, and if the season ended today, the Irish would be hosting No. 24 Boise State, the highest-ranked group of six conference champion. Overall, I’m not surprised by

this ranking. The Broncos have the second-best win of the teams in the top 5, one of the best losses but aside from that haven’t played a very strong schedule. They are the highest-ranked one-loss team, though, and I believe this ranking accurately reflects where they stand. I didn’t know if they were gonna make the tough call by elevating them above Texas and Tennessee, who each picked up ranked wins this past weekend, but they did. Additionally, Notre Dame’s resume has been strengthened by the decisions of the committee this week. Miami dropped six spots after Saturday to No. 7, which makes sense as it had to be ranked below Notre Dame with the head-to-head loss, but it has a strong win against Wake Forest that the committee placed at No. 13. It has a big test this week against a Duke team that barely missed out on the top 25.

Additionally, BYU, the only team that Notre Dame lost to, only dropped one spot after its loss to Utah, which makes sense. It was a one-possession loss on the road against the No. 2 team in the country, and the Cougars have one of the top wins in the country. The most surprising decision in these recent rankings was moving Indiana from No. 4 to No. 9. The Hoosiers were the only team in the top 10 that had a bye week, but they dropped nine spots because of what happened around them. I think this is a proper ranking for them. They don’t have a current ranked win, and their last three wins were each decided by one possession. They have a great loss against a fully healthy Ohio State team, but this committee hasn’t valued losses against great teams very highly as evidenced by Notre Dame’s ranking last week. The question is why the Hoosiers weren’t placed there

last week, but in the end, I believe the committee ended up at the right decision. With this decision to drop Indiana, UCLA leaped three spots into the top 4, which again is a decision I agree with. The undefeated teams need to be rewarded for their performances, and I believe that these rankings provide that with Georgia placed at No. 1, Utah at No. 2 after a big win against BYU and the Bruins at No. 4. Alabama moved up one spot to No. 3 after a blowout win in Death Valley, with LSU placed in these most recent rankings at No. 21. The Crimson Tide have two solid losses, dropping games to No. 1 Georgia and No. 8 Tennessee, but they picked up a blowout win against the No. 11 Kentucky. I think they are the second-best SEC team, but I think if UCLA finishes the season undefeated, it has a chance to overtake the Crimson Tide. Seeing these

most recent rankings, there may be some seeding questions, but I believe the top 11 accurately reflect the 11 best teams in college football. All of the top 4 teams have relatively easy games this week. Georgia is playing a ranked team, but it is a Missouri team that is barely inside the top 25 without a win against a current ranked team. Because of that, Notre Dame’s opportunities to leap into the top 4 next week are limited, but if the Irish keep taking care of business, they are almost guaranteed a home game with a chance of securing a first-round bye if the teams ahead of them start slipping. Overall, these rankings were a big win for the Irish, and they are in a great spot as they head into their next matchup against the Boston College Eagles. Contact Jack Muething at jmuethin@nd.edu

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FOOTBALL

Scozzaro: Stop watching the CFP rankings show By Nolan Scozzaro Sports Reporter

10, 9, 9, 9, 10, 11. No, that’s not Notre Dame students ranking how attractive Marcus Freeman is on a 1-10 scale. Those numbers are the week-to-week rankings given to the Irish by the College Football Playoff rankings committee last year. I will not belabor the point that our team was inexplicably and unexpectedly kept out of its opportunity to win the national championship. I will not dwell upon how fans were deprived of a playoff with Heisman finalist Jeremiah Love healthy and the rest of the team filled with real talent working at its best on both sides of the ball. A team that grew through the year, who was rolling by the end with no sign of slowing. I will not remind you of the reasoning they gave for why they took that hope from us. Stole that hope from us. Killed that hope from us. I only bring it up to ask you a question. Have you lost the rage? When Nov. 3 came around

this year, we appeared to be a campus of amnesiacs. Once more, students f locked to the television set to listen to a selection of men paid to spew rhetoric that benefits the corporation that pays them. Once more, students gave their time and emotion to this facade, and what was the result? Notre Dame at 11. Have you remembered your rage yet? The rankings are ridiculous. They were ridiculous last year, and they are ridiculous this year. What compels you to give these clowns your time? Certainly, you don’t think that the rankings actually matter until the last week. No team makes it in based on their ranking on a random week in November. Are you perhaps deluded into thinking there’s something to be learned from the show? Certainly, you don’t presume to be able to predict what will happen on a week-to-week basis after last year. Certainly, you don’t think that the men in that secret room can’t work out some cockamamie reason to justify whatever rankings they want. Do you

think that by having (choosing) to dish out rankings every week, the committee is acting from a place of transparency? From a sense of benevolence? Certainly, you don’t think that. If so, I ask you, what incentive would they have not to publish recordings of what went on in the room? Certainly, you don’t presume this multinational entertainment-focused corporation is so incompetent that it can’t figure out how to put a camera in a room? Perhaps you kid yourself into thinking that you learn something new about what Notre Dame has to do to get into the playoffs this year. Did you learn? Going into the week, we knew we needed to beat Miami to get in. Has anything changed? This is a corporation much larger than us that is designing a method deliberately to manipulate our emotions into watching their shows, reading their articles, engaging with their social media, paying for their streaming services and, above all else, watching a humanly degrading number of advertisements. Never forget

that you are the product to them. You are not fans; you are not loyal supporters; you are dollar signs in their eyes. Why make a big weekly show about the rankings? Why immediately publish long articles about the “anger index” or the “bubble watch”? It’s money that they make off siphoning your time. A hate watch is still a watch; a hate comment still a comment. Every way you engage with their manufactured scenarios, they profit off your pain. Maybe you want to contest that we don’t watch at our own detriment. I ask what possible benefit you take from this? Is there some joy you take at feeling outrage? At the pit that formed in your stomach as they put Miami or Alabama ahead of us and ended our year? Or have you been fooled into thinking that watching the show is somehow good for you? You are being manipulated into believing that somehow you benefit from pain. What is the purpose of sports if not to add something to your life? Perhaps that something

is the gratification of backing the right horse and winning a championship. Maybe you take joy out of the community you form with fellow fans. You might like the arguments and discussions at the water cooler. For the truly depraved, perhaps it’s the money you try to win in the betting industry that profits off your addiction. Even if you find joy in the rage through one of these aspects, like the discussion you have with your buddies about the latest machinations, I urge you to reconsider whether that’s actually adding something to your life or just acting as one more gray cloud in a world full of them. If you haven’t lost the rage, if you truly care about this team, stop giving back to those who hurt you. Those who see you as a number. Who deliberately try to stir negative feelings inside you for their profit. Don’t get mad; get even. Send the one message they can’t ignore. STOP WATCHING. Contact Nolan Scozzaro at nscozzar@nd.edu

FOOTBALL

The keys to victory: Bend, don’t break against BC By Jack Muething Staff Reporter

After a hard-fought, emotional win over the No. 1 Miami Hurricanes, Notre Dame shifts gears to a pesky Boston College team. Led by head coach Bill O’Brien and quarterback Mason McKenzie, the Eagles have already surpassed their win total from last season and are currently sitting at 4-5. History tells us that this matchup should not be glossed over. 33 years ago, the Irish took down a No. 1 opponent in Florida State, then lost to Boston College the following week. If the Irish want to avoid a repeat of 1993, this is what they must do. Continue to take care of the football If there’s one thing that Boston College has done well, it’s been making quarterbacks pay for their mistakes. The Eagles’ secondary has recorded 12 interceptions this season, which leads the ACC. Luckily, CJ Carr has been one of the least turnover-prone quarterbacks in the nation, leading all FBS quarterbacks with a touchdown-tointerception ratio of 21:1. With that being said, the junior has had several lucky breaks throughout the season, including a dropped interception against Stanford, where linebacker Sam Mattingly would’ve had nothing but green grass in front of him had he held on. For the Irish to avoid a scare on Saturday and for Carr to

continue his streak of no-interception games that dates back to late September against Purdue, he cannot make these sorts of ill-advised throws. Contain Mason McKenzie The Eagles’ dual-threat quarterback has rushed for 676 yards this season, which puts him in a tie for sixth in the country at his position. But he has also thrown for eight interceptions, which is second-highest among ACC quarterbacks. A winning formula for the Irish is forcing McKenzie into obvious third-down passing situations. Senior defensive linemen Boubacar Traore and Keon Keeley, among others up front, must be successful in setting the edge so McKenzie doesn’t have the opportunity to extend plays with his legs. The Irish are heavy favorites coming into this game, but if the Eagles can consistently get in the red zone, whether through moving the ball downfield or forcing turnovers in Notre Dame territory, the Irish defense must be prepared if they don’t want this one to become too close for comfort. Bend, but don’t break The greatest weakness of an otherwise elite Irish defense is exactly this. Notre Dame has allowed either a touchdown or a field goal on 86.96% of red zone appearances, which puts it 92nd in the country. It notably allowed BYU’s offense to score touchdowns on all four red zone trips during their October clash.

Fortunately, the Irish will be facing a sub-par Boston College offense that ranks 129th in the FBS in red zone scoring and failed to score a touchdown in five red zone opportunities against FCS opponent Maine earlier in the season. This is a great opportunity for defensive coordinator Chris Ash and his unit to gain some confidence in this part of the field. This defense certainly possesses the talent and capability to succeed in the red zone, as it proved last week against Miami, stopping the Hurricanes on three straight goal-to-go opportunities from the 1-yard line in the second quarter. That was despite missing junior Francis Brewu, a centerpiece of the interior defensive line. If the Irish live to play football in December and January, they will likely face more prolific offenses that will consistently move the ball downfield. Their ability to stand tall inside the 20-yard line could prove the difference-maker in the quest for a national championship. For Ash to turn around this red-zone defense, it must start Saturday against a favorable opponent in Boston College. More play-action Against then-No. 1 Miami, just four of Carr’s 40 passing attempts were play-action passes. On those four attempts, Carr went 4 for 4 with 57 yards and two touchdowns. Under offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock, traditional play-action hasn’t been a centerpiece in the

DECLAN LEE | The Observer

Junior linebacker Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa and senior defensive end Boubacar Traore during the Irish win over the Eagles on Nov. 1, 2025.

offense. The Eagles’ defense provides an excellent opportunity for its usage to increase. A winning formula for the Irish is to establish the run early against a defense that gives up 156.6 rushing yards per game, 86th in the FBS and in the bottom half of the ACC. When the Eagles are forced to adjust, whether it means stacking the box or biting on play-action in the secondary, a wider range of opportunities can open up for Carr in the passing game. Expect the unexpected O’Brien and the Eagles are coming into this game with nothing to lose. This means that the Irish should be prepared for Boston College to pull out all the stops. Last

weekend, in a goal-to-go situation against Florida State, the Eagles huddled together, spun around in a circle, then broke out into a unique spread formation with five offensive linemen lined up on the outside. While this play resulted in a touchdown, the Irish must remember what Lou Holtz said about trick plays: “You use [them] when you don’t think you can beat a team straight up.” If the Eagles resort to trickery on Saturday, Notre Dame should view it as a compliment. The Irish will face the Eagles at home on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. with NBC and Peacock providing the broadcast. Contact Jack Muething at jmuethin@nd.edu

INSIDER

18| THE OBSERVER

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2026

ND WOMEN’S SOCCER

Irish fall short in ACC tournament semifinal By Dan Kilcoyne Sports Reporter

A week on from Notre Dame Men’s Soccer’s heartbreaking loss to Virginia in the ACC tournament, it was the women’s turn as the No.1 seed Irish travelled to Cary, NC to take on the Cavaliers in an ACC semi-final matchup. The Irish entered the match coming off of 6 straight wins, including a 1-0 victory over the Cavaliers at the start of that stretch. This time, it was Virginia who flipped the script and pulled off a 1-0 victory to advance to the ACC championship. The Irish got off to an unusually poor start, as Virginia’s similar style seemed to completely negate the high press that has become a staple for head coach Nate Norman. The Cavaliers completely dominated possession and looked a real threat with six shots in the first 20 minutes. At the heart of

the Cavaliers’ attack was sophomore forward Addison Halpern. The former Gatorade National Player of the Year, an award given to the best high school soccer player, has been stuffing the stat sheet for a Virginia side more commonly known for its defensive prowess. In fact, the Cavaliers recorded nine clean sheets in the regular season before adding another against Notre Dame in the postseason. With their dynamic attack neutralized, the sole Irish shot of the first half came in the 22nd minute, as junior forwards Izzy Engle and Lily Joseph linked up. An Engle backheel found Joseph on the edge of the box, and after a brilliant stepover to find space, Joseph launched a shot which skimmed off the post. The Virginia dominance had to break the deadlock at some point, and unfortunately for the Irish, it was off the back of a costly mistake from junior goalkeeper

Sonoma Kasica. After pulling off some crucial saves up to the 38th minute, Kasica played a wayward pass that fell straight to Halpern’s feet. Finding herself one-on-one, Halpern calmly rifled a shot into the back of the net to take a deserved 1-0 lead. The Irish headed into the locker room disappointed after squandering a gritty first 45. Coach Norman blamed the lackluster Irish press, saying, “We need to be better in our counter press. We were allowing them to get out when we lost the ball deep in their half”. This certainly rang true in the statistics, with Virginia having nine shots to Notre Dame’s one and completely dominating possession. Norman’s speech seemed to fire the squad up, with the players showing more aggression and resolve at the beginning of the second half. Junior forward Annabelle Chukwu looked like the

spark for the Irish, finding Engle immediately after kickoff for an early chance. Engle is a player who has often stepped up for the Irish. It looked like she would be the hero once again as a corner deflected out to senior defender Morgan Roy, whose cross found both space and numbers at the back post. Unfortunately, Engle just couldn’t get a clean connection, resulting in an easy save for senior goalkeeper Victoria Safradin With the clock winding down, the Irish threw everything at Virginia, getting off five shots compared to just two in the previous 80 minutes. The best of these fell to junior forward Ellie Hodson: after senior midfielder Charlie Codd played a wonderful first-time ball in behind, Hodson shrugged off her defender to find herself one-on-one. She chose power over placement, but her shot was straight at Saffradin

and went out for a corner. Notre Dame’s last hope came with 15 seconds remaining, when Morgan Roy launched a hail mary into the box. After glancing off a Cavalier’s defender, it fell to Chukwu, who played it across to Engle, who again couldn’t find a clean strike. Virginia cleared the ball and got redemption for its semifinal loss to Stanford last year. Virginia will be elated with both the performance and result, and will go on to face North Carolina in the ACC Championship on Sunday. The Tar Heels moved on after a 1-0 victory over rivals Duke. For the Irish, there won’t be much time to lick their wounds as they prepare for the NCAA tournament. While the ACC result certainly stings, it will fuel their fire as they look to avenge last year’s early exit. Contact Dan Kilcoyne at dkilcoyn@nd.edu

FOOTBALL

Nolan James Jr. stays humble after Miami By Claire Watson Senior Sports Reporter

A new performer has entered the Notre Dame backfield, and it is sophomore running back Nolan James Jr. So far this season, James Jr. has participated in all nine games for the Irish and started in six. He has 14 complete receptions for 141 yards, 3 touchdowns and averages 10.1 yards per reception. James Jr. has 106 rushes for 571 yards, averaging 5.4 yards per carry. Additionally, he has posted 9 rushing touchdowns. Over the weekend, Notre Dame caused a big stir in college football with a 31-24 win over then-No. 1 Miami. “I think it’s the guys up front, them doing their job the whole game, along with the receivers and the quarterback,” James Jr. said of the offense’s success in the postgame press conference. “Us being able to throw the ball effectively opens up the run game.” Against Miami, James Jr. totaled 52 yards on 16 rushes and 1 touchdown. Receiving, he finished the night with 36 yards on 1 reception. In the second half against the Hurricanes, quarterback CJ Carr found a wide-open James Jr. on a 36-yard wheel route to convert on fourth-and-2, a play that moved the Irish to the Miami 7-yard line and set up James Jr.’s 1-yard touchdown run. The play came as a bit of a surprise to James Jr. “We had a check, and I knew that if CJ checked into that play, he was looking for a specific look, and the ball’s probably going to come to me,” he said. “But I didn’t think I was

going to be that open.” Carr boasted about the trust he has in the receiving talents of players like James Jr. in the presser, saying he has “so much trust. It’s continuously built over lots of weeks, but unbelievable players at wideout and guys who will go make plays for every player.” The versatile back, however, gave credit to the other members of the offense. “I think just us having success on offense as a whole, and just trusting the guys up front as well, allows us to get those tough yards at the end,” he said.

A fact that may not be well known among Notre Dame fans is that James Jr. was originally a Boston College commit; he notes that it won’t affect how he approaches Notre Dame’s upcoming matchup with the only other Catholic institution at the FBS level. “I have a ton of respect and love for a bunch of the guys still on staff over there, but it’s another game,” he said. “I mean, it’s not anything extra personal for me.” Now, Notre Dame prepares to face Boston College this weekend. “I think there’s a lot

we left out there as a running back room,” James Jr. said about how his unit needs to improve for the final stretch of the regular season. “I think there’s a lot of little things that we can clean up, some misruns that we had, but I think the positive shows there’s more room to grow.” From being one of the top teams in the nation, to dropping down in the ranks after a big loss to then-No. 8 BYU, to bouncing back after the win over Miami, Notre Dame has faced plenty of adversity this season. James Jr. believes all

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of this has enabled him to learn about himself as a player. “I think the biggest thing that I’ve taken away from this season is just how important the details are and going into practice with a plan,” he said. “I think I’ve seen an increase in my play with the increase of intentionality of my practice every day.” Notre Dame will take on Boston College under the Golden Dome Saturday at Notre Dame Stadium at 3:30 p.m. Contact Claire Watson at cwatson7@nd.edu

INSIDER

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2026

THE OBSERVER | 19

FOOTBALL

Football beat warns Irish not to repeat history By Observer Sports Staff Football Beat

Noah Cahill The last time Notre Dame faced Boston College after beating a No. 1 team from Florida 31-24, it didn’t end well. My parents (‘96 grads) have both games — the seminal victory over eventual national champions Florida State and the upset loss against the Eagles one week later — burned into their brains, along with every other heartbroken student who stood stunned as the game-winning field goal soared through the uprights. Head coach Marcus Freeman is well aware of the same “trap game” potential this Saturday. “You don’t blame the players,” Freeman said. “You mandate that we prepare in a way that doesn’t allow us to have a letdown.” The Irish should have less trouble taking care of business in 2026 than they did in 1993. Boston College was 7-2 and ranked No. 16 then. They are 4-5 and struggling now. The Eagles’ offense relies largely on dual-threat quarterback Mason McKenzie, who leads his team in both passing (1,616 yards) and rushing (676 yards, 5 touchdowns). If Notre Dame’s ninth-ranked rushing defense can keep him in the pocket and force obvious passing downs, I don’t see BC moving the ball. As for the Irish offense, now-Heisman favorite CJ Carr has an opportunity to bolster his statistical case against a vulnerable red zone defense. History often repeats itself, but not this time. Irish roll. Prediction: Notre Dame 45, Boston College 10 Ellie Collins As you will hear plenty of times before kickoff, the setup to this week’s slate eerily parallels Notre Dame’s infamous fall to Boston College in 1993. A glaring, understated difference is this Eagles team is not ranked No. 17, and it certainly does not boast an NFL-caliber quarterback. Signal-caller McKenzie can run, so the Irish cannot go conservative and sit back to stop the scramble. I want to see defensive coordinator Chris Ash’s unit attack with violence as it did against Miami. To me, that style best suits its talent. The Eagles will certainly try to limit Notre Dame’s possession and keep junior quarterback and sudden Heisman-favorite CJ Carr off the field, but the Irish just have too much talent. Defensively, BC is boomor-bust — it likes to attack the run and can give up some good plays in return. Carr and company should find success both in the air and on the

ground, and I see the quarterback throwing at least three touchdowns. All said, it is natural to follow last week’s win with an emotional letdown. I predict it will be close at halftime, but Notre Dame will eventually wear the Eagles down in the second. Prediction: Notre Dame 38, Boston College 14 Payton Dymek Last week, Notre Dame was buzzing all weekend about the game, with fans staying loud and rowdy throughout. This weekend already feels different, and I think there is a danger of fans, and maybe the team, brushing off Boston College. Historically, fans have seen some of the Irish’s worst moments come against the Eagles, so the energy is going to need to come from the benches and execution on the field. Boston College has the chance to hand Notre Dame a hangover loss, especially under the leadership of quarterback McKenzie, who leads the ACC quarterbacks with 676 rushing yards. The Irish struggled against BYU’s Bear Bachmeier, another dualthreat quarterback, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Eagles run similar routes to make the struggling Notre Dame defense work to prevent a comfortable lead. Prediction: Notre Dame 45, Boston College 17 Ben Hicks Historically, Notre Dame has struggled to avoid the hangover of a massive win — see Boston College post-Florida State in 1993. That trend hasn’t exactly dissipated in the Marcus Freeman era — see the Northern Illinois debacle after opening 2024 with a massive victory at Texas A&M. Even last season, a two-win BC team pushed Notre Dame to the limit in its first game after a grueling rivalry win over USC. We’ve seen Holy War history repeat itself before, but there is simply too much at stake on the battlefield for the Irish to let that happen Saturday. Freeman has spoken extensively throughout the week about the need to both celebrate the accomplishments of last weekend while simultaneously not losing focus of the larger goal. That goal of returning to the playoff and competing for a national championship can’t be achieved by neglecting the task at hand. The Irish are still aiming to “leave no doubt,” and the fourth quarter of the season would be the best time to do so. I would like the Carr-Heisman train to keep on chugging and the battered Irish defense to continue weathering the storm of mass

injuries. Notre Dame wins big before its final test of the season next week with SMU. Prediction: Notre Dame 38, Boston College 13 Ethan Laslo Party like it’s 1988! Or maybe 1993 … ? Notre Dame’s win over topranked Miami was arguably the biggest win at Notre Dame Stadium since the Irish upended No. 1 Florida State at home back in 1993. Before that, it was the famed “Catholics vs. Convicts” game in 1988. Now, as much as it pains me to say it, there’s a bad omen looming over this game. Following the Florida State win in 1993, the Irish fell in an upset the following week to Boston College. Could this week be the same? I doubt it. Head coach Marcus Freeman has stressed preparation all season, and his players are fully bought into his mentality. I wouldn’t be shocked to see a closer-thanexpected game through a quarter or two, but expect to see the Irish pull away. The Golden Eagles may have four wins, but none of them are particularly impressive. Against their tougher competition, they’ve really struggled. I’d challenge anyone to find another team in college football that lost a game 47-2 in the year 2026. I expect the Irish run game to bounce back after a tough outing against a stubborn Miami front and power Notre Dame’s path to victory in this one down the stretch. Prediction: Notre Dame 38, Boston College 10 Jack Muething Well, I got that one wrong. The Irish were indeed clutch enough as they closed out a monumental win against

Miami. After that game, I’m convinced this team is top five in the country. It wasn’t always pretty, but Notre Dame took care of business against the No. 1 team in the country. Carr is a legit quarterback, and the defense can hold its own when the starters are on the field. But … the trap game is real. Freeman addressed the trap game concerns in his press conference, but I am no less worried. This season, we’ve seen Georgia lose to Auburn a week after playing Alabama and BYU lose to UCF the week after beating Notre Dame. Trap games were surely on their minds as well, yet they came crashing down all the same. I predict a similar outcome this weekend. I don’t think Notre Dame is going to lose. Boston College isn’t a good team, but they have a solid dual-threat quarterback, a weapon Notre Dame has struggled to defend this season. Last year’s matchup was a 25-10 grind-it-out battle, but I think you’re going to see the opposite kind of game this year. The Eagles keep it close in a high-scoring game and take advantage of a team that isn’t fully prepared. Prediction: Notre Dame 38, Boston College 27 Nikki Stachurski The “Holy War” returns to South Bend, but for most Irish fans, the true test of the season was last weekend’s victory over then-No.1 Miami. Playoff hopes are sky high but not yet set in stone for Notre Dame, so this Saturday’s game is a big one. The Irish have the home field advantage against the Eagles, who are coming off a two-game losing streak to unranked ACC teams.

Boston College has faced difficulty in the endzone this season, averaging only 21.9 points per game. Combined with frustrating penalties, the Eagles’ offense will have to put up a strong showing to keep the game within reach. Notre Dame is still plagued by the injury bug, with key players like senior linebacker Drayk Bowen and fifth-year cornerback DJ McKinney likely out until the playoffs. The Irish should not enter the game expecting an easy win. The Eagles upset Pitt and dominated Georgia Tech earlier in the season, proving they have potential to dig their heels in deep when the time is right. As long as the Irish work out the defensive kinks from the Miami game and emphasize pass completion and high-quality rushing, they can emerge with a strong win. In order to ensure a repeat of last year’s postseason snub does not happen, Notre Dame must secure a high score in its next few games. Prediction: Notre Dame 52, Boston College 17 Claire Watson As the “Holy War” returns back to South Bend, this Irish team is looking ominously good, especially after shaking up college football with their win over Miami. Carr continues to lead the offense, spreading the rock efficiently and avoiding costly turnovers. The Irish defense looked much better against the Hurricanes, putting up multiple crucial goal-line stops. If the team continues to play at this level, they should have no problem against Boston College. Prediction: Notre Dame 56, Boston College 17

DECLAN LEE | The Observer

Then-junior running back Jeremiyah Love evades an opponent during Notre Dame’s 25-10 victory over Boston College at Alumni Stadium in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, on Nov. 1, 2025, where he scored two touchdowns.

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