Print Edition for The Observer for Monday, October 6, 2025
THE INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPER SERVING NOTRE DAME, SAINT MARY’S AND HOLY CROSS
MONDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2025 | VOL. LX, NO. 18
By Henry Lytle News Writer
Notre Dame returned home to take on Boise State after dismantling Arkansas a week ago on the road. The Irish entered with questions about the pass defense and overall defensive consistency, but responded to the criticism with a season-high four interceptions and four sacks. The Irish put together a complete performance on both sides of the ball in a 28-7 victory to bring their record to 3-2 on the season.
Notre Dame opened the game with a long drive that included consecutive 24-yard completions from freshman CJ Carr to senior wide receiver Will Pauling and junior wide receiver Jordan Faison. Pushing the ball toward the goal line, the offense had a fourth-and-goal from the 1-yard line that was stuffed by the Broncos.
Notre Dame stopped Boise State on their first offensive series by dialing up pressure on third-and-15 to give the ball back to the offense. On
the ensuing drive, junior Jeremiyah Love burst through the defense for a 36-yard run that set up a Carr touchdown pass to Pauling for the first points of the game. The 19-yard
strike helped the Irish take a 6-0 lead and was the first of Carr’s two touchdown passes. Carr completed 15 of his 23 passes for 189 yards and no interceptions in the game,
another strong performance in his third home game.
In the second quarter, both teams traded punts until the Irish were again stifled on fourth down. Boise
State took over from their 28-yard line and promptly led a 10-play, 72yard drive that ended with a 1-yard touchdown run from quarterback Maddux Madsen. Now trailing 7-6 with four minutes left in the first half, Notre Dame had a chance to respond in a big way.
Offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock’s offense rose to the occasion in the final Irish drive of the half by earning three consecutive first downs to get the ball into Bronco territory with just over two minutes remaining. Now with the ability to manage the clock, the Irish went back to the run game, which proved to be consistently reliable against the Boise State defense. Love found the end zone for the fifth consecutive game of the season on a 4-yard scamper, giving the Irish a 14-7 lead after a successful twopoint conversion. Notre Dame’s star running back ended the game with 16 carries for 103 yards and a touchdown. The Irish once again broke 200 yards as a team on the ground.
see “Football” on page 10
Dining hall employees reflect on hiring freeze University justifies renaming office Irish interceptions punctuate win over Boise State
By Zander Daigle News Writer
On Sept. 19, the former Office of Institutional Transformation, founded in 2022, released a newsletter informing the University community of its renaming to the Office of Belonging, Engagement and Mission. The change in identification follows a series of similar name changes for diversity, equity and inclusion groups and spaces throughout Notre Dame, including the renaming of the Center for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in LaFortune Student Center to the Sister Thea Bowman Center prior to the start of the school year.
BEAM’s new name comes as the Trump administration continues to target DEI programs in higher education with executive orders and investigations.
In a statement to The Observer, University spokesperson Erin Blasko said the purpose of the name change was to further clarify the mission of the office.
“In order to make clear how its efforts align with Catholic social teaching and the educational
NEWS | PAGE 2
charism of the Congregation of Holy Cross, the office has been renamed the Office of Belonging, Engagement, and Mission (BEAM),” Blasko wrote. “BEAM will continue the great work it began as the Office of Institutional Transformation, serving as a supportive ‘hub’ for students, faculty, and staff. With campus partners, the office helps to ensure that all members of this community are able to thrive, in keeping with the University’s mission as a leading global Catholic research university.”
BEAM’s website describes the office’s mission as furthering the University’s commitment to defend human dignity, promote a just society, and attend to the vulnerable. of Belonging, Engagement, and Mission (BEAM) serves as a wellspring for this commitment , helping to create a more inclusive and welcoming campus environment consistent with the animating
see “OIT” on page 4
OPINION | PAGE 5
By Jane Miller News Writer
Matt Brower has been an employee of Campus Dining at Notre Dame for 12 years, running Decio Café for the past eight years.
Everything about the restaurant is familiar to him: the recipes, the faces and the steady flow of students. This year, however, he worries it will look a little different for him and the rest of the University’s dining staff.
In response to increased taxes on university endowments and uncertainty about federal funding under the Trump administration, Notre Dame has implemented a hiring freeze, as a number of universities across the country have also done.
A June statement by the University’s executive officers, including University President Fr. Robert Dowd, announced that a hiring freeze that began in March would continue indefinitely with rare exceptions. “As is true
currently, there will be an exception process to fill critical positions, but such exceptions will be limited,” the message read.
Brower and other Campus Dining employees discussed how their jobs have been impacted by the freeze.
“We just work harder and have more overtime,” Brower said. “As long as we have the overtime, we get the stuff done. There are other units that don’t allow any overtime at all, see “Dining” on page 3
Princeton professor presents on COVID-19 effects
By Will Prisco News Writer
On Friday, at 3:30 p.m. in Jenkins-Nanovic Halls, the Center for Citizenship and Constitutional Government hosted a lecture by Stephen Macedo, professor of politics and former director of the University Center for Human Values at Princeton
SCENE | PAGE 7
University. In the discussion, Macedo examined the ways in which various institutions and governments reacted to the COVID-19 pandemic, with his talk based on his newly released book, “In Covid’s Wake: Science, Liberal Democracy, and Elite Failure,” co-authored with political scientist Frances Lee. Macedo provided a critical lens
Timothy Egan discusses “Historical Echoes and the Klan in Indiana.”
Columnist Zora Rodgers responds to inquiries asking about romance and friendships.
Fred Armisen’s new album is exactly what it says it is — sound effects!
Notre Dame continues ACC play with a draw against Virginia Tech.
to examine how society handles truth and trust amidst a period of crisis.
Liberal democracies, he argued, depend on “truth-seeking departments,” such as science, universities and journalism, to be “insulated from, or capable of rising above partisan politics.”
see “COVID” on page 4
SPORTS | PAGE 12 Women’s soccer
Dame women’s soccer remains undefeated with a win against Louisville.
DECLAN LEE | The Observer
Junior running back Jeremiyah Love carries the football into the end zone in Notre Dame’s 28-7 victory over Boise State in Notre Dame Stadium on Oct. 4, 2025. He totaled 103 rushing yards against the Broncos.
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Award-winning author speaks on KKK
By Jane Miller News Writer
Timothy Egan, Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter and author, said it had been one of his dreams to come to the University of Notre Dame.
“I grew up in Spokane, Washington, and like a lot of kids, my dream in life, and I truly thought it was going to happen, was to play football for Notre Dame,” Egan said to an eruption of laughter across Andrews Auditorium in Geddes Hall.
Although not a football player, Egan’s wish became a reality on Friday evening when he visited the campus as speaker for the Institute for Social Concerns “MVP Fridays” lecture series. It seeks to address questions of meaning, values and purpose with talks from public intellectuals.
He is the author of 11 national award-winning books, a former New York Times reporter and has authored a New York Times bestseller, “A Fever in the Heartland: The Ku Klux Klan’s Plot to Take Over America, and the Woman Who Stopped Them,” where he led his talk on.
His book centers around the Ku Klux Klan’s overtaking of Indiana in the 1920s, their “Grand Dragon” leader D.C. Stephenson and Madge Oberholtzer, who Egan identifies as the woman who finally put an end to the terror.
The true object of his book,
Egan said, was to determine “how ordinary people can learn to hate their fellow citizens.”
“The clan of Indiana was not a bunch of hicks and brutes as they’re characterized now, right?” Egan said. “They were coaches, they were bankers, they were teachers, they were cops, they were judges, they were people who held their community together.”
While investigating his core question of how good people learn to hate in this way, Egan focused on Stephenson and how he bribed Methodist churches and manipulated “Americanisms” to popularize the Klan agenda and weave the group into the very fiber of everyday society.
“There was a Klan baseball team that traveled the state with a KKK written over their woolen uniforms. There were lemonade stands,” Egan said, demonstrating the normality of their presence.
According to Egan, the Klan did everything it could to isolate their enemies. Even prohibition was a Klan initiative aimed at preventing their Irish Catholic enemies from meeting in their sacred places: bars and taverns.
“Stephenson famously said to anyone who would listen, ‘I am the law. Not your constitution, not your state rules, I am the law,’” Egan stated. “And he acted that way.”
The rivalry between the Klan and the Catholic Church was a main point of discussion in his talk, and he read a chapter from his book
About a specific incident between the Klan and Notre Dame students
in 1924.
“D.C. Stephenson decided to make a move on Notre Dame,” Egan said. “He called for a threestage show of Klan strength in South Bend in the spring of 1924.
The Grand Dragon felt it was vital to crush the remaining pockets of resistance.”
Egan said that Fr. Matthew Walsh, the University President at the time, had told the kids not to leave campus during the rally and to stay safe within their dorms.
“But Catholics had put up with years of abuse,” Egan said. “They’d been called un-American. They’ve been told they didn’t belong in this country and they’ve been told they didn’t belong in the state of Indiana.”
When the KKK demonstration commenced, a storm of Notre Dame students cut through the crowd and chased them into their town headquarters, which was decorated by a large cross studded with light bulbs.
“The students purchased two bushels of potatoes as weapons. They threw the spuds at the window, trying to break the glass or to put out the lights of the Klan symbol,” Egan said. “It was said by those in the crowd that Notre Dame’s star quarterback, one of the vaunted four horsemen, lobbed a perfect strike of a potato upward, scoring a direct hit on the bulbs that lit up.”
Egan claimed the victorious moment for the Irish Catholics against Stephenson’s hateful mob is how Notre Dame gained its name, the “Fighting Irish.”
Nonetheless, the University’s student potato ambush was not the end of the KKK’s terror across Indiana. Egan said the death knell for the organization came in the aftermath of an incident with Madge Oberholtzer, who was raped and murdered by Stephenson. For 24 days, she lingered on her death bed.
“Before she dies, she decides to do something that no other victim (of Stephenson’s) had done,” Egan said. “She writes out a 10-page death bed declaration.”
The crime committed was so atrocious that “Stephenson’s state” could not overlook it.
“Madge’s words beyond the grave brought this guy down,” Egan said. “People saw the depravity of this man. The curtain was pulled back and they see this monster.”
Egan said that following this incident, the Klan pretty much fell apart after that.
“This is an important story, and there’s a great debate we’re having right now,” Egan said. “Do we tell the American narratives that don’t cast the best light on us? Well, I could cite one of my heroes, Abraham Lincoln, who said, ‘you cannot escape history.’”
The talk concluded on a note of reflection about the role of Catholics in America today, in response to the years of oppression they experienced at the hands of groups like the KKK.
“As Catholics, we should not forget what we came for,” Egan said.
Contact Jane Miller at jmille95@nd.edu
Saint Mary’s kicks off lecture series
By Leylany Rivera News Writer
Saint Mary’s College Office for Student Empowerment and First Gen Family kicked off its annual series of the year, “Being ______and First Gen,” on Thursday evening in Haggar Center’s Welsh Parlor with the first event titled, “Being Latina and First Gen.”
The discussion marked the beginning of a semester-long exploration of identity, leadership and belonging for first-generation college students. Future events in the series will include “Being Black and First Gen” and “Being a Student Leader and First Gen.”
panelists: Diana Ruiz, an investment advisor representative at Vantage Pointe, Susanna Lagunas, a family nurse practitioner at HealthLinc, Misel Ramirez Vasoli, a licensed mental health counseling associate and Gizelle Torres-Mendez ’22, a surgical neurophysiologist.
Reyes invited each panelist to share their personal stories, touching on topics such as family expectations, cultural gaps, mentorship and resilience.
Ruiz opened the conversation by describing the challenges of being a first-generation student.
spaces without a lot of minority representation.
“The biggest challenge I faced was not feeling comfortable where I was,” Torres said. “Coming to Saint Mary’s opened doors and opportunities, but it was also uncomfortable wondering, 'Am I even good enough to be here?’”
Torres emphasized how discomfort can lead to growth. “When you come from a place where you always have to comfort yourself, it’s hard to let others help you,” she said. “But that’s how we grow.”
Following the discussion, attendees were invited to enjoy flan and churros while mingling with panelists. Conversations continued informally as students shared how the event impacted their sense of identity and belonging.
Freshman Zyniaya Baez mentioned that hearing from Latina professionals helped her feel more confident about her background.
“Being Latina is not a weakness, but instead a strength,” Baez said. “Y sí se puede,” which means ”yes, it can be done.”
Konz
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The kickoff event highlighted the power of storytelling and shared experience as Latina professionals and alumnae reflected on their journeys throughout college, careers and in their own cultures. The discussion created a space where Saint Mary’s students could connect, reflect and celebrate what it means to be both Latina and first-generation in higher education.
The evening began with junior Yazmin Reyes, president of First Gen Family, welcoming attendees and introducing the
“My parents’ interpretation of getting an education was just graduating high school,” Ruiz said. “For them, you finish school and go to work. But I had adopted what we were told in high school, that everyone goes to college.”
Ruiz explained that she dropped out after her first semester to work, later returning to complete her finance degree. “It wasn’t a straightforward path,” she said. “It was start, stop, go this way, take that way, but I eventually got my undergrad. It just took me a little longer than most.”
Her story struck a chord with students who often balance academic ambitions with family responsibilities and cultural expectations. Torres-Mendez then spoke about finding belonging in
Lagunas shared how mentorship shaped her path and she encouraged students to recognize the people who guide them.
“There are people who show up in your life like little angels,” Lagunas said. “One of my high school teachers saw potential in me when I didn’t see anything in myself. Pay attention to who those people are, they remind you what you’re capable of when you’re full of doubt.”
Ramirez reflected on navigating multiple identities in professional spaces, including sexism and cultural bias.
“At first, I actually experienced more sexism than racism,” Ramirez said. “But being a Latina woman means you’re the bridge between two worlds. Don’t see it as a deficiency, see it as your power.”
Another student that attended, freshman Kimberly Serrano, said the event left her feeling inspired. “It felt nice knowing other Latinas are successful in their careers,” Serrano said. “I could relate to their stories.”
Reyes closed the evening by expressing her gratitude to both the panelists and attendees.
“I just wanted to thank our panelists again for being here tonight and sharing their insight, their wisdom and what they’ve overcome. Truly powerful and inspirational women,” she said.
She also extended her thanks to the advisors who helped make the event possible and encouraged everyone to stay involved.
Contact Leylany Rivera at lrivera01@saintmarys.edu
Dining
Continued from page 1
and that’s really making it difficult.”
Workers at small on-campus restaurants shared they have struggled to manage workloads during shifts.
“Sometimes we have only two people back there, when normally we’d have around four,” Alex Bittar, a senior who has been working for Au Bon Pain for the past three years, said. “When we don’t have enough people, we might need to turn off the drinks or certain sandwiches, just to have the workload be enough for us,” he added, referring to workers’ ability to limit menu options on the GrubHub app and kiosks.
Due to the hiring freeze, Brower shared that Campus Dining locations can typically only hire temporary workers.
“The only people that can be hired in Campus Dining right now are mostly the oncall temps. They have no benefits, they have no guaranteed hours, the lowest pay structure,” Brower said. “But it’s really difficult to hire people for
those jobs.”
Brower says that student workers are needed now more than ever to cover the gaps that can’t be filled by full time workers. This, however, has been a challenge, when Campus Dining has also been reducing student benefits in multiple locations.
“When I’ve worked past semesters we used to have different incentives. For every two hours worked we’d get either a meal or four ABP points, which were essentially dollars we could use at ABP or ask our manager to use to get merch at the bookstore.” Bittar said.
“That went away this year to these new incentives, where a student only gets a full meal after a four-hour minimum shift. Almost as if they downgraded.”
Senior Tess Majkut quit her job at ABP because of these reduced benefits.
“They stopped doing the ABP points, which was the free money you could use there,” Majkut said. “So what’s the point?”
The reduced benefits were also a cause for concern for Brower.
“They’re reducing their
benefits,” he said. “And pushing that initiative at this time is the absolute worst way to deal with the hiring freeze.”
Brower said that Decio Café has been lucky enough to still be able to provide a free meal for student workers regardless of the length of shift.
“If they force us to say that we can’t feed student workers unless they work four hours, then they’re not going to work here anymore, and that’s really going to hurt,” Brower said.
North Dining Hall cleaning employee Samantha Marin hopes to attract more student workers as well.
“Maybe people think it’s really degrading to work at a dining room, but it’s not. And if you want a better dining room, you know, maybe you could help out if you’re looking for extra money too,” Marin said. “We’re super understaffed.”
Marin says she feels the everyday struggles of running a dining hall with fewer workers.
“My job is just to clean the tables and fill napkins, and even something simple as that ... with just two people cleaning, is kind of hard,” Marin said.
North Dining Hall closing manager DeRhon Pines says that there may be a light at the end of the tunnel for workers at NDH.
“There has been a hiring freeze, but since [the University has named workers at North] essential employees, they have allowed us to have more workers,” Pines said.
Pines said the worst of the hiring freeze for NDH was last semester, but this year has seen positive growth due to the essential employee determination.
“Last month we hired eight to nine people, which is huge for us,” Pines said.
It was unclear whether or not the hiring freeze exemption has been extended to South Dining Hall. Campus Dining and the University declined a request to clarify the terms of the hiring freeze.
Ashley Kwist, who has been working at South Dining Hall for the past three years, says SDH has experienced similar issues, exacerbated by the renovation of the nearly centuryold building.
“With the remodeling, it’s a lot harder on the people that are here, because they’re
not allowed to hire full time. They’re only allowed to hire temporary,” Kwist said.
“I feel like if they give the temporary people benefits that we get to have, they would work more,” Kwist said. “A lot of them are dropping working here because they don’t get benefits.”
Pines says that despite these difficulties, Campus Dining workers have been working to maintain the quality of service for students.
“We do it for the students. That’s our number one priority,” Pines said. “It’s like, yeah, we are short in some ways, but the reason why we are trying as staff to improve is student experience, so there is no lack in service.”
In a statement to The Observer, University spokesperson Erin Blasko wrote, “While circumstances require us to be thoughtful about our spending, we are fully committed to delivering a level of service commensurate with expectations thanks to the hard work of our dedicated staff.”
Contact Jane Miller at jmille95@nd.edu
Flaherty Hall runs 5K benefit for cancer institute
By Julia Connolly News Writer
On Sunday morning at 11 a.m. on North Quad, Flaherty Hall hosted its annual signature event, “Flaherty Fights 5k,” which entails a threemile run or a one-mile walk around Notre Dame, supporting the Saint John’s Cancer Institute.
Approximately 85 runners participated, donating $15 and receiving white t-shirts prior to the start of the race. The course was a loop that started on North Quad, went around God Quad and the Basilica of the Sacred Heart, crossed St. Mary’s Lake and finished back on North Quad. Flaherty volunteers were stationed on the course,
holding encouraging sign and cheering loudly for the runners as they passed by. They held cups of pink powder which were thrown at the runners in celebration of the cause. Additionally, passersby who were on campus from the football game cheered on runners as they saw bursts of pink being thrown.
Freshman participant Arielle Andrade Ramirez said that the run was a “two-inone” for her.
“I got to give to a great cause while also getting my workout for the day. I also loved the pink powder part. I am looking forward to more events like this one across campus,” she said. Runners also supported each other by staying in groups and cheering people
on as they finished.
Saint John’s Cancer Institute is a California-based charity dedicated to understanding and curing cancer. The event honors Mary Flaherty, the hall’s donor and Fr. Theodore Hesburgh’s niece, who was a breast cancer survivor.
Flaherty Hall’s vice president, junior Brynn Wilary, wrote in a statement to The Observer that the race “pays homage to her fight and is continuation of her personal donations and support for St. John’s after receiving treatment there. The donations help to advance research and treatment for Breast Cancer patients.”
Wilary also said her “favorite part about the tradition is
getting to cheer on the runners with all of the Flaherty girls! We always have high dorm participation, and it’s so fun to see all of the grade levels come together to support the cause.”
Flaherty Hall’s president, junior Lauren Whitlatch, said they plan the run specifically in October to recognize Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
“We give our money to Saint John’s Cancer Institute because they’re doing research on breast cancer and treatment,” she stated.
She also mentioned that her favorite moment centers around individual pictures taken before and after the race. “We give everyone a free t-shirt, and by the time they
come back to the finish, they are covered in red and pink powder. So it’s always fun seeing them before and after the race,” she said.
Whitlatch said the event honors Mary Flaherty and provides for an important cause.
“[It] gives back to our community and is a nod to Mary Flaherty, as it recognizes her as our founder, and it gives to a charity that she is really passionate about,” she said. “It is a good cause because we are a women’s dorm and it focuses on a women’s medical issue. It is a nice thing to do in the month of October to raise awareness.”
Contact Julia Connolly at jconnol5@nd.edu
JULIA CONNOLLY | The Observer
Flaherty Hall hosted its annual signature event, “Flaherty Fights 5k” as a fundraiser for Saint John’s Cancer Institute, a California-based charity and treatment center for cancer. The event also aimed to honor Mary Flaherty’s fight against breast cancer with various volunteers and approximately 85 students participating in the run around Notre Dame’s campus.
COVID
Continued from page 1
However, Macedo emphasized during the lecture that the COVID-19 pandemic politicized many institutions, which ultimately undermined the public’s trust in them and their mandates.
While Macedo recognized that the pandemic was perhaps the “biggest global crisis since World War II,” he also discussed how it was not entirely an unprecedented or unexpected event.
“There were actually a couple decades of documents planning for future pandemics,” he said. However, few of those plans were followed amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Instead, governments adopted measures that were often improvised, frequently stifling dissent and limiting open dialogue on several COVID-related policies.
Macedo also discussed the
OIT
Continued from page 1
purpose of the Congregation of Holy Cross and the ethical precepts represented in Martin Luther King Jr.’s concept of ‘beloved community,’” the website states. “Guided by love and compassion, our office partners with individuals and entities across
varying responses to the coronavirus pandemic among individual states. One of the most significant examples of the political divide between states manifested itself in the debate over school closures.
By late March 2020, all public schools in the United States had shut down. While many Republicanled states reopened schools in fall 2020, following the model in many European countries, other states kept their schools closed for longer.
“Half of the U.S. public schools were still closed in March 2021,” Macedo said.
Significant emphasis was given during the lecture on whether or not the mandates imposed during the pandemic, such as school closures and mandatory masking, actually made a difference. By examining recent data, states with extended school closures were shown to lack a significant improvement in health outcomes over states that had more
campus to address issues of belonging, engagement, mission, and growth for all faculty, staff, and students.”
Web captures from prior to the renaming show language now absent from BEAM’s homepage. In 2024, the homepage said, “We partner with colleagues across campus to implement an integrated diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice strategy.”
Princeton University professor Stephen
ship & Constitutional Government
evidence to show that they did work. We’re supposed to learn from policy successes and policy failures. And the learning, so far, seems to have been pretty flat.”
Macedo emphasized that these consequences particularly affected
It also described its work as creating a community which “dismantles systems of injustice and creates space for those who have traditionally been excluded.”
In the email explaining the name change, Hugh Page, vice president for BEAM and professor of theology and Africana studies, said the new name aims to clarify the office’s work.
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Saint Mary’s College Graduate Programs
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Black and Hispanic students, as well as those in high-poverty districts.
“We’re not arguing that the measures [taken during COVID] did not work. We are arguing that there is an absence of evidence to show that they did work,”Macedo said.“We’re supposed to learn from policy successes and policy failures. And the learning, so far, seems to have been pretty flat.”
“In assessing our work to date, we have taken note of two concerns: confusion about the meaning of “transformation” for Notre Dame; and the need for nomenclature — in all University endeavors — aligning unambiguously with our identity, core values, and objectives as a Catholic research university,” he wrote.
Notable BEAM
Contact Will Prisco at wprisco@nd.edu
programs include the BEAM Community of Practice, which consists of more than 200 faculty and staff members, along with consultations, departmental reviews, the Inclusive Leadership Colloquium Lecture Series, presentations and facilitated discussions.
Contact Jane Miller at jmille95@nd.edu
With a variety of options to choose from, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to explore campus and discover why graduate programs at Saint Mary’s College are right for you.
GRADUATE ADMISSION ON-CAMPUS VISIT DAYS
You’ll have the opportunity to hear from members of the Office of Graduate Admission and Student Financial Services, take a tour of campus, and see academic centers and labs. Lunch will be hosted by current graduate students, and your day will end with a visit to your specific graduate studies department where you’ll meet faculty and staff.
Friday, October 10
Friday, November 7
VIRTUAL INFORMATION SESSIONS
In these program-specific virtual sessions, faculty from your department of interest will provide a short presentation followed by a Q & A session. A member of the Graduate Admission team will also be there to answer any admission or financial aid questions.
Visit the Register Today QR code for information regarding session dates and times.
If you can’t attend any of these visit days, we invite you to request a virtual or on campus visit.
VISIT AWARD
All prospective graduate students who attend an on-campus visit (regular daily visit with our team or an event) will earn a one-time $1,000 award added to their graduate financial aid package if they enroll.
WILL PRISCO | The Observer
Macedo speaks in Jenkins-Nanovic Halls for the Center for Citizen-
on the decline of public trust in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Dear Domer: Zach Bryan, tailgates and situationships
By Zora Rodgers Columnist, “Dear Domer”
Every week or so, Opinion columnist Zora Rodgers responds to anonymous advice submissions. To get advice, scan the QR code at the end of this column.
Dear Domer, I did not feel anything after my romantic night at Zach Bryan. Do I even like men? Advice?
Dear Domer, if you didn’t have an “all night revival” with that man at Zach Bryan, then I may have some bad news for you. I, too, once wondered if I was gay after an Ohio State weekend rendezvous. Turns out I wasn’t talking to the right man. Just because one man didn’t satisfy you at a concert doesn’t make you a homosexual … I get the ick from people at concerts (myself included), so you could suffer from the same ailment as me. I suggest breaking things off with that man and finding higher quality ones. Like master’s and Ph.D. students. Just not my Ph.D. student. Hope this helps!
Dear Domer, my situationship from last fall spawned out of nowhere at a tailgate and personal space was NOT in the room with us. Now he won’t stop bringing me up to my friends ... I don’t think he would ever confess feelings to me since I rejected him last year, but now I’m really confused. I’m tempted to rekindle, but I’m scared to reach out first if even I
don’t know how I feel ... Advice?
Dear Domer, this is a lot to unpack. You rejected him but you want to rekindle? Are you bored? Also, he’s a situationship for a reason, and in the past is where he shall stay. Not knowing how you feel is a feeling — uncertainty means no. If he was worth your time and it was the right thing for you, you’d be dating by now. Go find yourself a townie so you have a lesser chance of getting caught up again. <3
Dear Domer, a gay man tried to kiss me at the bar this weekend. What should I do?
Dear Domer, are we sure
he’s gay? That’s not gay behavior. I think it’s weird and misleading when people who aren’t attracted to a certain sex pursue them anyway. It seems like a waste of time and energy. I hope you didn’t kiss him back. Those aren’t cute optics. You’re not a real beard if the man is out, but a PCOS one.
Dear Domer, I texted this guy on Snap a week ago. He responded then, but I’ve left him on delivered since. I feel deprived by the touch of a man. What should I do?
Dear Domer, no hate, but this is lowkey your fault. You can’t complain about being
touch-deprived when you’re actively blocking your blessings. Hope this helps!
Dear Domer, all of my friends have romantic flings, situationships or actual real adult relationships. What should I do to not feel lonely?
Dear Domer, I struggle with this too. You are real and valid. The loneliness doesn’t go away, and I don’t care what people say, your fAmILy and FrIeNdS and platonic relationships will never fulfill that romantic urge. In the meantime, put yourself out there! Go out, go on dates, go on the apps and meet people. Holing yourself up in
Adults don’t get friends
By Carlos Basurto Columnist, “Eudaemonic Banter”
What is a friend?
When this question is asked, we already know what the answer is. It is, after all, a matter of common sense what a friend is. One can provide a wide array of traits, of roles that such an individual ought to fit: A friend is someone whose loyalty will shine bright in your times of need, or maybe a friend is someone you can confide in as safekeeper of your secrets, or perhaps there is nothing more to being a friend than to placidly coexist in a moment of time, melting away in the company. Whichever subset of characteristics is selected is a matter of personal preference. Some have much higher barriers of entry than others for the sought out title of friend — opting to reserve it only for a handful of lifelong
compatriots, as opposed to your labmate you frequent
your room will only increase those feelings of loneliness, so be social as a distraction. xx.
Dear Domer, I introduced myself to a guy *twice* at Newfs, and he still doesn’t remember me, I’m pretty sure. My friends tell me to go for it, but I feel like it’s beating a dead horse. Advice?
Dear Domer. Oh. I’m going to hold your hand gingerly when I say this. He remembers, unless he was blackout drunk both times, in which case, don’t go for him if that’s the case! Being white girl wasted is a red flag in men. If he didn’t show interest the first or second time, move on! His loss. You deserve someone who’s interested back, at the VERY LEAST. Wow, the bar is really in hell. And your friends might be preying on your downfall by encouraging you to beat a dead horse. Do some reflection on who really has your best interests at heart. xoxo.
The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
Contact Zora Rodgers at zrodgers@nd.edu
twice a week for an hour and find, to his credit, partially endearing. Ultimately, bestowing the friend title is but an item of mental cataloging: You can arbitrarily divide all outside entities between those who have the friend title and those who do not. That, however, does not immediately materially affect interactions in a significant manner.
Whether your dear labmate proudly bears the friend title on his forehead or you catch sight of the considerably less prestigious title of acquaintance instead will not directly change your greetings … so long as you don’t act on it.
That is, a friend does not exist until we act as if they are, indeed, a friend. A friend is a friend because we behave as if they are a friend,
mentally or physically. What that means and who it applies to is up to you. Further, these definitions are not static: What we expect from a friend will be molded by our culture, experiences and, perhaps above all else, time.
After all, would you say that your childhood friends and adulthood friends are the same kind of friend? What was it like to acquire a friend whilst growing up in comparison to where you find yourself now? Are the rituals, the contracts, the demands, the joys … equal?
Most likely, not in the slightest.
I cannot help but feel as if the kind of friendship that was solidified in the innocence of youth can, for most,
see “Friends” on page 6
REDMOND BERNHOLD | The Observer
CARLOS BASURTO | The Observer
Friends
Continued from page 5
no longer blossom naturally after you reach a certain mutual mental age. Not merely by the evolution of circumstances alone, but by what we comprehend as a friend — the very concept loses power in such meaningful ways to distort it beyond measure. Adults forget what a friend was, adding their clauses and conditionals until their genuine, pure ideas that once sparked have been artificially dimmed.
That is to say, adults don’t get friends. They have loved ones, to be sure, and these can hold true, but we have strayed from our ideal beginnings. We have constantly
recast our bounds of friendship, but at every step the image becomes hazier, for change of something comes at the cost of what it once was. Something important has been lost in the translations over time; in the maturing and realizing, something imperative about what a friend should be has blurred: priority.
For the privileged, to be a child was a playful matter. Once they were deployed to the sanitized halls of elementary school, that was their whole world. Sure, they had family dealings, but friends were the focal point of their existence. Every pivotal moment of their life was achieved hand-in-hand, learning and growing in synchrony. For a child with
Anti-intellectualism
By Sophia Lekeufack Columnist, “Policy & Punchlines”
Day by day, public opinion strays further and further away from higher education. Among all demographics, the public perception regarding the importance of a college degree has reached an all-time low. Social media floods our feeds with anti-college and anti-institution rhetoric that only intensifies the antipathy toward learning. The Trump administration continues to crack down on elite institutions it deems breeding grounds for “woke propaganda.” So yes, anti-intellectualism — without a doubt — is a pressing problem; however, students, professors and scholars are not the sole victims here. In some regards, they might even be the perpetrators.
When we see videos of influencers shooting off at the mouth about how useless college is, we often get upset. We ask, “Who does this person think they are criticizing the degree I worked so hard for? How dare they criticize my intelligence?” We call them clueless, idiots or even some more colorful terms. These are completely fair sentiments: Such notions like the one stated above directly attack the values we live by. Yet, if we look inward for just one second, we see that — whether consciously or subconsciously — we equate higher education with intelligence itself. These viewpoints do not always remain internal.
People without degrees are treated as “less capable” or “less cultured.” Even if the argument “college is useless” has some semblance of merit, the moment it comes from someone scholars deem as uneducated, it automatically becomes nonsense political jargon. Scholars don’t want to listen to what these people have to say. Imagine how alienating it must be for intellectuals to dismiss the same group it claims to
such an upbringing, friends were no joking matter: They were their everything. Their laughs, their hurt, their pride and their shame. All revolved around these few companions, and as such the commitment was deeper than anything else there could ever be.
This all changes when adulthood arrives. At once, children are children no more: They must travel far and wide and invest their time for their studies or professions. They commit themselves to romantic partners and families. Their worries are interlinked with currencies and deaths, and suddenly there is not enough time for everything. There is no way for friends to be their highest priority
anymore. Yes, we have friends here and there, but we would never dare sacrifice our careers or relationships for them. They are nice to have, but are, in the end, second place to everything else, to everything more important. When we choose, we do not choose our friends. We construct whatever definitions we prefer, but we do not act as if they are our world, and therefore, they are not. Friends are friends no more. Adults do not know of such wisdoms as true friendships.
While a sad state of affairs, it is hard to blame ourselves for growing up, for learning of what else exists in our not-so-small world. It is not as if one becomes jaded or closed off, but is cursed
with responsibilities and the awareness of them. We know so much, we must feel too little. We can no longer afford such connections.
But if genuine friendship is what we sought at our most primitive, when we had our essential needs covered and our wants were not so exposed, does that make it one of our purest desires? Maybe, in a world without worries, if we found ourselves in a place with childlike wonder, we could learn to be friends again.
The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
Contact Carlos Basurto at cbasurto@nd.edu
is on the rise, and it’s our fault
want to enlighten.
How can we claim to be prodiscourse when we refuse to engage with those dissimilar to us?
I cannot talk about intellectuals as agents of anti-intellectualism without mentioning the classism and elitism present in higher education redefined as meritocracy. The term “merit” masks privilege. It fails to acknowledge the factors out of our control that lead us toward or push us away from higher education like socioeconomic status, legacy status and early educational advantages. Meritocracy does not exist, but when scholars act like it does, they turn failing to attend college from a simple circumstance to a moral failing. They paint those who did not attend college as “lazy” or “uninspired.”
It creates a divide: the “educated” vs. the “ordinary.” It’s no help that learning can be deliberately exclusionary through
papers behind absurdly expensive paywalls or unnecessarily complex jargon in writing for the sake of showing off knowledge, rather than actually trying to inform people. Academia quickly becomes an exclusive club dedicated to feeding the egos of those within it. For the people outside the club? Tough luck.
And not only are “the ordinary” left out of a club they had no way of entering, they are constantly demonized for it. Look at the media around us. It mocks the “ignorant conservative” or “know-nothing hillbilly.” The mockery doesn’t breed reflection within these individuals — it breeds resentment.
I acknowledge that there is some undeniable irony in me, a college student at the University of Notre Dame, writing an article accusing the very institution I am a part of and that I support as the reason for the rise of anti-intellectualism. I want to make it clear that I love higher
education. I love learning. I believe that our desire to decipher our world, to engage with one another to find answers to the unknown, make us better, more perceptive people overall. But that is a very easy belief for me to hold when college was always on the table for me. Even as a single mother who didn’t get a college degree until she was 40, my mom never once made it seem like college was not in my future. I was practically groomed for higher education, whether it was my local community college or Harvard.
I imagine that many other Notre Dame students experienced the same fate, whether it was through elite college preparatory K-12 schools or parents who simply wanted their children to have a better life than they did. Most of us are lucky enough to have been raised seeing the value of education. Nature vs. nurture. It’s as simple as that. Neither I nor anybody at this institution
had any innate ability that made us “worthy” of attending college. In the same vein, people not attending college does not mean they are worth any less. We are all products of our environment. Rather than turning education into “us” vs. “them” slop, we should do what we can to understand one another.
Higher education is not the sole reason for the rise of anti-intellectualism, but it still plays a role. As members of an institution that prides itself on the innate dignity of all people, we should keep that in mind when we engage with others from different backgrounds, especially on the grounds of education.
The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
Contact Sophia Lekeufack at slekeufa@nd.edu
DIONE QUIAMBAO PAHILAN| The Observer
‘100 Sound Effects’: An enthralling auditory journey
By Aislynn Fuller Scene Writer
When looking at the album “100 Sound Effects” by Fred Armisen for the first time, I didn’t understand at first how it could be 39 minutes long. My personal definition of a “sound effect” was a brief sound that stops just as quickly as it starts. As I started listening, however, I began to realize that Armisen’s definition of a sound effect was much more broad, yet nonetheless valid. “100 Sound Effects” is almost exactly what one would expect: a collection of sounds and soundscapes that one would hear in their daily life. According to the album’s Bandcamp page, “100 Sound Effects is an album that can be used as a library, an industrial tool for your own entertainment projects, or simply for brain-stimulating deep listening.” I decided to listen to all of the sound effects in order without any breaks.
One important thing to note: I listened to the album on Spotify. On Spotify, the album’s sound effects are compiled into nine longer tracks, each named after the general category the groups of sound effects fall into, such as “Planes” or “Museum and Travel.” While these compilations are useful if one wants to listen to each group of sound effects in one sitting, as I did, they take away one of my favorite parts of this album: the titles Armisen has given each sound effect. They range from basic (such as “Needle on Record”) to humorous and oddly specific (such as “Terrified
‘Grave
By Kate Shin Scene Writer
There is a stigma that animation is merely meant for children. If you happen to agree with this belief, I urge you to watch “Grave of the Fireflies.”
Directed by Isao Takahata, “Grave of the Fireflies” is a 1988 Japanese animated war film produced by Studio Ghibli. It was screened at the DeBartolo Performing Arts Center on Oct. 2 as part of the “Learning Beyond the Classics: Voicing Intergenerational Trauma in Postwar Korea and Japan through Contemporary Cinema” program.
Audience at an Authoritarian Nation Official Event”), and add even more character to an album that is already full of it. All of the titles are on the album’s Bandcamp page. I kept consulting this list of titles as I listened to each compilation track.
Despite what they take away, the compilations do provide a pleasant framework for review. Here are some of the compilations that stood out to me the most for one reason or another.
“Theater and Glass”
This compilation includes multiple variations of two of life’s most ubiquitous sound effects: crowd reactions and glass breaking. Among the numerous soundscapes of audiences talking and drinkware shattering into pieces,
there is a pair of sound effects titled “Fake Applause” and “Fake Booing.” Both start with the sound of a director going, “And … action!” Staged applause/booing follows and only ends when the director says, “Cut.” I find these two particular sound effects serve as an interesting contrast to the other instances of applause and booing in the compilation. They are both more obviously staged than the sound effects that accompany them. Perhaps Armisen is trying to make a point here about the general nature of sound design and the inherent difference between artificial and natural sounds.
“Campfire and Leisure”
This is my personal favorite compilation because of how genuinely human it is. It includes some of the album’s
most mundane sounds, from “Jacket Zipper” to “Basketball Bouncing,” but it also includes my favorite sound effect on the album overall: “Campfire Conversation,” which is exactly what it sounds like — a conversation between two people around a campfire. The topic is basic: the absurd security practices of an unknown place they both attended. It’s something that one wouldn’t particularly think of as a “sound effect.” After all, people have conversations every day. Yet those conversations produce sound all the same.
“Haunted House”
This compilation has some of the album’s most unusual inclusions, in my opinion. They stick out to me because the sound effects on the rest of the album feel more grounded
in reality and off-the-cuff, whereas these sound effects are more purposefully constructed. I doubt Armisen entered an actual haunted house to record these. Still, they are delightful to listen to. Mix them with some spooky music and you’ve got some perfect ambient backing tracks for your own haunted house. My personal favorite sound effect from this compilation was “Haunted House Ghost but Nobody is Home.”
“Museum and Travel”
The name of this compilation is a bit misleading; there is only one sound effect that takes place in a museum, titled “Walking into a Video Room at an Art Museum and Walking Out Quickly,” which is exactly what it sounds like. That aside, this compilation has many sounds that I had never heard before, such as “Dublin Street Crossing” or “European Hotel Elevator.” They answered questions that I didn’t even know I had. As a bonus, this compilation includes a surprise 101st sound effect — “Fred Walking to Control Room.”
Overall, I viewed the album as a sort of pleasant meditation on noticing the world around oneself. There are so many sounds that we hear in our daily lives that we think of as simply blending into the background, and yet these sounds are what make up the background of daily life. It was nice to be reminded of that fact.
Contact Aislynn Fuller at afuller01@saintmarys.edu
of the Fireflies’ and the weight of war
Studio Ghibli’s portfolio includes beloved films such as “Howl’s Moving Castle,” “Spirited Away” and “My Neighbor Totoro.” Yet, unlike these works, which embrace fantasy and spiritualism, “Grave of the Fireflies” remains unflinchingly grounded in human suffering during war.
The film centers on Seita, 14, and his toddler sister, Setsuko, children of an Imperial Japanese navy captain. When American bombers devastate their city during the days of the Pacific War, the pair are orphaned and thrust into a brutal new reality. We follow their desperate struggle to survive as helpless civilians trapped within war.
The animation itself becomes a devastating contradiction: The signature beauty of Studio Ghibli is seen through the film’s meticulous attention to light filtering through trees and the delicate rendering of fireflies dancing in summer darkness. However, we learn that such scenes serve to heighten rather than soften the tragedy. These moments of breathtaking artistry make the horror more visceral. We watch young Setsuko play innocently with fireflies, creating temporary magic in the
abandoned shelter she and her brother call home, unaware of the grim symbolism these creatures will later represent.
Unlike the sweeping orchestral scores that often accompany other Studio Ghibli films, “Grave of the Fireflies” uses sound as a weapon of emotional restraint. The first half of the film unfolds in haunting silence, broken by the cries of children and echoing with unbearable clarity. The silence that dominates many scenes is not empty but weighted with absence as though the very air has been robbed of joy, music and the rhythm of everyday life. When music does surface, it mimics the wail of air raid sirens, forcing audiences to confront the unvarnished horror war inflicted upon the innocent. This also amplifies the innocence of Setsuko through highlighting her laughter, humming or cries as the “musical” moments of the film.
This contrasts heavily against the oppressive stillness of the world around her. Takahata reframes her voice as the true score of the film, emphasizing a reminder that war impacts human life of the innocents.
Director Takahata has resisted labeling the film as anti-war, arguing that his true focus lay in exploring the stubbornness and pride of Seita rather than issuing a direct condemnation of war.
Yet, from my perspective as a viewer, I find it difficult to separate the film from its wartorn setting. The devastation of conflict is not just a backdrop, but a force that shapes the tragedy Seita and Setsuko endure. Their hunger, isolation and ultimate decline are inseparable from the collapse of society brought on by war. The film emphasizes the impact that war has over the lives of the powerless and innocent.
“Grave of the Fireflies” demonstrates the profound
capacity of animation to be able to capture the rawest dimensions of human suffering. It delivers a sobering reminder of how war devastates not only nations but the most vulnerable lives within them. Whether one interprets it as a meditation on pride or an implicit anti-war statement, its power lies in forcing us to confront uncomfortable truths about loss, survival and the human cost of conflict.
Such themes remain profoundly relevant today, as I reflect on nations in the midst of war and recognize that, time and time again, it is innocent families and children who bear the heaviest burden.
To diminish animation as a childish art form is to overlook works such as these: works that deserve to be remembered, not only as cinema, but also as testimony.
Contact Kate Shin at kshin2@nd.edu
DIONE QUIAMBAO PAHILAN | The Observer
Key moments: Notre Dame 28, Boise State 7
By Claire Watson Associate Sports Editor
On a sunny Saturday afternoon, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish took on Boise State at home, coming off two straight wins. This game marked the first meeting between the two teams. Here are four key moments that led to the win over the Broncos.
Notre Dame holds the Broncos in the first quarter
After getting the ball to kick off the game, the Irish were looking strong as they took the ball downfield seamlessly. All was going to plan for the offense until the final moments, when they stood at the Broncos’ one-yard line looking to score the first touchdown of the game. After a costly false start penalty pushed them back on third down, they got back within a yard of the end zone on fourth down. The Boise State defensive line, however, was able to push back junior
running back Jeremiyah Love, causing a turnover on downs.
The Broncos took the ball back, but the Irish defense did not let them advance past their own 20-yard line. After forcing the Broncos to punt the ball away, Notre Dame found their way back down the field for the second time in the first quarter.
Freshman quarterback CJ Carr hit senior wide receiver Will Pauling for the 19-yard touchdown pass to put the Irish ahead 6-0.
While the Broncos offense took the ball back again after a failed extra point attempt from the Irish, they were unable to find their way back down the field as the Irish defense again forced them to punt, leaving them scoreless in the first 15.
Broncos return the favor
While the majority of the second quarter was quiet as the ball went back and forth between the two teams, Boise State made its
comeback late in the quarter. The Broncos strategically took the ball downfield to add on their first touchdown of the game. After getting down to the oneyard line, quarterback Maddux Madsen used a well-designed fake to waltz into the end zone untouched. With a successful extra point, the Broncos took the 7-6 lead over the Irish with 4:03 left to play in the second quarter.
Later in the quarter, Notre Dame would respond with a touchdown of their own, thanks to Love’s four-yard dash from in close. After a successful twopoint conversion, the Irish found themselves ahead 14-7 going into halftime.
Notre Dame continues to keep Boise State quiet
Entering the third quarter, the Notre Dame defense managed to keep Boise State at bay despite their best efforts. This gave the Notre Dame offense a chance to keep the scoring going.
Midway through the third quarter, senior wide receiver Malachi Fields received a solid pass from Carr for a touchdown, or so he thought.
Minutes later, after the play was put under review, the pass was ruled as incomplete as the ball did come out of Fields’ hands as he hit the ground. There was a pass interference on the play, however, which advanced the ball 15 yards for the Irish.
Immediately following this incident, the team lined back up six yards from the end zone. The ball was snapped and Carr connected with Fields to make up for the previous play. The extra point from junior kicker Marcello Diomede put the Irish up 21-7, giving them some breathing room.
Jadarian Price adds on the final touchdown
In the fourth quarter, with 7:54 left to play, the stands watched in anticipation as they hoped to see
Notre Dame score again. Junior running back Jadarian Price was determined to make that happen.
Carr dumped off the ball to Price, who weaved his way through the Boise State defense to run 52 yards into the end zone. This touchdown would put the Irish up 27-7. After a well-executed extra point from Diomede, they held a commanding 28-7 lead, which they would hold onto for the rest of the game, moving to 3-2 on the season. Head coach Marcus Freeman explained how the team made it happen in the post-game press conference.
“We were able to be more consistent. We were able to win more one-on-one battles,“ Freeman said.
The Irish will stay at home as they prepare to face off against NC State this coming Saturday, Oct. 11 at 3:30 p.m.
Contact Claire Watson at cwatson7@nd.edu
Lytle: Playoff hope is back, and so is Notre Dame
By Henry Lytle Associate Sports Editor
The 28-7 victory over Boise State re-ignited a sentiment that Irish fans had waited to feel all season: hope. While sloppy at times, the defense finally boasted its best performance of the season with four interceptions and four sacks en route to a dominant effort reminiscent of the defense in the national championship game last season. Adding an improving and maturing defensive unit to an already explosive and consistent offense is the ticket for the Irish’s playoff hopes come December and now it’s starting to seem possible.
This performance, while not flashy, showed the grit, toughness and competitive character the Irish had been lacking. After a 0-2 start, losing to Miami on the road and Texas A&M at home, the odds of the playoff sat at 5.4%. That not only seemed bleak but appeared virtually impossible given the play of the defense. The Irish have begun to turn the season in the right direction, steadily improving over the last three victories. Each victory has shown a different aspect of the team, and this one most clearly displayed grit.
The Irish defense held Boise State to a season-low seven points after only one touchdown and 13 points against Arkansas. It is a far cry from the 41 points it allowed at home against Texas A&M, and Notre Dame feels the effects firsthand. After the victory, Marcus Freeman said, “to play that
way, to play like they played last week, play like they played this week — and it’s not perfect; it’s not perfect — but to get that type of outcome and the number of points you give up, I’m extremely happy for them.”
This was most evident from the linebacker position for the Irish. Losing Jack Kiser to the NFL certainly left a big hole at the middle linebacker position, and the group effort from younger players tasked with a bigger role is beginning to fill in those gaps. Sophomore linebacker Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa recorded his best game in blue and gold, co-leading the team with junior Jaiden Ausberry with eight tackles. ViliamuAsa also got a key pass deflection on a fourth down that helped the Irish stay in front. Drayk Bowen, Jaylen Sneed and Boubacar Traore also caused critical sacks with the other linebackers, stepping up from the position most needed in Chris Ash’s defense. Four sacks is the most for an Irish defense that struggled immensely with generating pressure at the start of the season.
The defensive impact of Leonard Moore also cannot be understated. With three interceptions on the season all in critical moments, the standout corner has proven to be a game-wrecker when healthy. After Moore’s return and a pair of interceptions for the Irish, Marcus Freeman added, “Leonard got enough work that he can go out there and do his job. And it’s just a confidence, I think, that we as a coaching staff, the team has, when he’s
out there.”
It’s not perfect just yet. There is still some sloppiness from the Irish offense and special teams. While Marcus Freeman is known for discipline, the Irish earned their most penalties of the season with 11, totaling 112 yards. This issue would have been more glaring if not for the 13 Bronco penalties for 112 yards on the other side. Additionally, Notre Dame missed another PAT and switched kickers mid game, electing for junior kicker Marcello Diomede who finished the game 2/2 on extra points. Junior wide receiver Jordan Faison and junior running back Jeremiyah Love also both fumbled the ball, the former twice, but none were recovered by Boise State.
On offense the Irish were sloppy on 4th down. The opening drive saw Love surprisingly stuffed on 4th & goal from the 1-yard line. In addition, redshirt freshman CJ Carr notably missed a pass on 4th & 8 which saw senior wide receiver and captain Will Pauling unguarded on a deep post in the end zone. These mistakes are slightly out of character for an Irish team that has been a well-oiled machine in the previous three contests. However, even with these issues the game was not particularly close.
The Irish offense had a margin for error, needing only a
mediocre performance to win. Reminiscent of last year’s early season struggles, it was the Irish defense causing a huge turnover margin that won physical and tight games. This year, the offense has been asked to carry more of a burden scoring, which they have delivered on, but the recipe for the playoffs requires a dominant team — finally manifesting this week. The consistency of the nation’s best backfield was once again on full display as they accounted for 186 yards. With Carr’s help on an explosive third down run, the team totaled 200 yards on the ground for the third straight game. Carr also passed for 189 yards and no interceptions. Freeman said, “We need to have a complementary football team to reach our full potential,” and the Irish are on their way.
The 12-team College Football Playoff accounts for imperfections and improvement. The Irish moved up five spots to No. 16 in the AP Poll ahead of all other 2-loss teams this Sunday. The opening losses to now–No. 2 Miami and No. 5 Texas A&M appear to help the Irish more and more each week. Penn State and Texas, the other 2-loss contenders and top teams in the pre-season, dropping completely out of the top 25 after losing to unranked UCLA and Florida, respectively. Notre Dame is significantly ahead of the next closest 2-loss team, Florida
State, at No. 25.
There is no reason why the Irish won’t continue to advance in the rankings as more top teams cannibalize each other in conference play. The path to the playoff now feels firmly in the hands of Notre Dame, for the first time since its consecutive losses to open the year.
So, what are the biggest tests ahead? In two weeks, the Irish will take on USC at home. If the Trojans can knock off the Wolverines next week, they may return to the rankings and give the Irish another chance for a marquee victory at home on Oct. 18. With Jayden Maiava leading college football in quarterback rating at the helm, the Trojans have been dangerous throwing the ball, which will obviously be a concern for the Irish defense. The Irish will also take on Boston College, Pitt and Stanford on the road which cannot be overlooked.
As slim as the opportunity seemed back in September, Notre Dame’s easy schedule coupled with Marcus Freeman’s track record of improvement, once again leaves the Notre Dame playoff chances in the team’s hands to continue winning. Now with the Chris Ash defense beginning to fall in place, hope is turning into optimism for the Irish future.
Contact Henry Lytle at hlytle@nd.edu
QUESTION OF THE DAY:
How many midterms do you have?
Daniel Rowan freshman Siegfried Hall
“Seven.”
Victor Jorge Pano freshman St. Edward’s Hall
“Two.”
Flora Wang senior Fisher Hall
“Three.”
CROSSWORD | WILL SHORTZ
Annie Fuller freshman Flaherty Hall
“Three.”
Cecilia Belej freshman Farley Hall
“Two.”
SOCIAL MEDIA POLL
Have an idea for a poll? Email dstangel@nd.edu
What is your favorite movie genre?
A recent poll conducted by The Observer via Instagram asked students what their favorite movie genre is. There were 137 respondents. The plurality of students replied comedy, with 39.6% of the vote total. Romance came in at a close second with 33.1%. 21.6% chose action-packed films, while horror trailed behind with only 5.8% of students claiming it as their favorite. Clearly, Notre Dame students do not see a need for any more fright during midterm season.
THE NEXT FIVE DAYS
Want your event included here? Email news@ndsmcobserver.com
Monday
Red Cross Blood Drive
Blood drive hosted by the Red Cross Club. Duncan Student Center, 8th floor
10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Tuesday
Notre Dame men’s soccer vs. Green Bay
The Fighting Irish face off against the Phoenix. Alumni Stadium 7 p.m.
Wednesday
Stories of Justice from Death Row
Panel with Klau Institute and Catholic Mobilizing Network. Auditorium, Hesburgh Center for International Studies 4 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.
Thursday
Community Engagement Fair
Meet with 30+ local community outreach organizations. Outside Geddes Hall
4 p.m. - 6 p.m.
Friday
“Hope, Global Stability, and the Role of the United States” A fireside chat with General Martin Dempsey. 215/216 McKenna Hall
4 p.m. - 5 p.m.
PHOTO OF THE DAY
DECLAN LEE | The Observer
A Notre Dame helmet sits on the sideline, shining especially golden during Saturday afternoon’s football game against Boise State. The Fighting Irish defeated the Broncos 28-7, improving to 3-2 on the season.
Football
Continued from page 1
Boise State attempted a 40-second drive to cut the lead before getting the ball after halftime. After a 20-yard first-down run from Dylan Riley, the Broncos were intercepted by freshman safety Tae Johnson two plays later, preventing any more damage in the first half. Head coach Marcus Freeman spoke about Johnson’s play after the game.
“He’s been close the last couple of games in getting some of those picks, and it was good to see him get one today.”
The Irish defense opened the second half in a physical manner, forcing another punt on thirdand-long. Starting at their own 21, Notre Dame marched the ball down the field, converting a critical third-and-7 with a pass to the reliable Faison, who ended the game with 83 yards on six receptions. The drive ended with a jumpball to the 6-foot-4 senior wideout Malachi Fields for a 6-yard touchdown pass to give the Irish a more comfortable 21-7 lead. Fields caught four passes for 44 yards and a touchdown in the contest.
Boise State attempted to respond and put together a much-needed scoring drive in the second possession of the half, but once again, was stymied by the Irish defense. At midfield on third-and-4, sophomore cornerback Leonard Moore,
back after missing the Arkansas game with a high ankle sprain, intercepted Madsen’s throw. This was the first of Moore’s two interceptions in the game and gave the defense a huge boost on the back end.
After a punt and Boise turnover on downs, the Irish got the ball back with 8:37 remaining in the fourth quarter. Handing the ball to junior running back Jadarian Price, it only took two plays to pay out the drive. Price navigated between the tackles and outran the Broncos’ secondary en route to a 49-yard, gut-punching touchdown run. That gave the Irish a commanding 28-7 lead. Price ended with 83 yards and a touchdown.
Already up two in the turnover margin, defensive coordinator Chris Ash could be satisfied with his group’s effort through three and a half quarters, but the intensity only increased. The next Bronco possession ended in Madsen’s third interception. This time, junior safety Luke Talich jumped in front of a fourth-and-10 desperation play with 4:26 left in the game. To make matters even more demoralizing for the Broncos, their next drive ended in another Moore interception, as Madsen once again tested the pre-season All-American corner in man coverage. The game ended 28-7 in Notre Dame‘s favor after the dominant defensive display.
Commenting on the turnover margin and defensive effort,
Marcus Freeman said, “Proud of the way we took care of the football. And we got four takeaways, which is huge. You win the turnover margin plus-four, you’ve got a great chance to be on the right side of the outcome.”
The Irish will take on the 4-2
NC State Wolfpack in one week at home. In the best defensive effort of the season, the Irish proved their ability to compete in lower-scoring and gritty efforts against a talented offense. As both sides of the ball mesh together, this team has an opportunity to hit its stride before taking on rival USC in two weeks, looking to keep its Playoff hopes alive. Tune in to Notre Dame and NC State at 3:30 p.m. on NBC on Oct. 11.
Contact Henry Lytle at hlytle@nd.edu
2025 Dean’s Speaker Series Presents: ROBERT ISOM
DECLAN
Freshman quarterback CJ Carr makes a pre-snap signal during Notre Dame’s 28-7 defeat of Boise State at Notre Dame Stadium on Oct. 4, 2025. Carr finished the contest with two touchdown passes and no turnovers.
Notre Dame finishes level with Virginia Tech
By Ben Hicks Associate Sports Editor
No. 23 Notre Dame men’s soccer played conference foe Virginia Tech to a 1-1 draw at Alumni Stadium on Friday evening, moving to 5-2-2 on its homestand. The Irish found the scoreboard first through a 21stminute corner kick. The in-swinging service from junior midfielder Nolan Spicer found senior forward Wyatt Borso unchecked at the back post, and the Illinois native made no mistake for his team-leading fourth goal of the campaign. Virginia Tech would find a corner kick header goal of its own in the 83rd-minute to split the spoils.
Summing up his thoughts postgame, Irish head coach Chad Riley said, “I’m really proud of the group. I told them they can be disappointed with the result, but I think the performance was good.” Riley was particularly impressed with his team’s ability to create set piece opportunities and defend pressure from a big, attack-focused Virginia Tech side.
Borso’s goal was Notre Dame’s 17th this season, 10 of which have now come from set pieces, including six from the corner spot. The Irish have been less direct in their attack this season in the absence of
Matthew Roou, leading the program to prioritize converting outside the run of play. Riley noted the efficacy of both aspects of those plays, saying, “The deliveries have been consistent and the guys have done a good job with their runs and creating those little spaces. When those two things go together, you know they’re taking [set pieces] seriously.”
The Irish rode the momentum of set piece goal number 10 towards controlling the middle hour of the match, building up nicely to orchestrate numerous chances on goal.
“We came out in the second half and really did create some great opportunities and on another day, maybe you get that second goal and see the victory through,” Riley said.
With the Hokies threatening, twice hitting the crossbar and forcing Irish sophomore goalkeeper Blake Kelly to bat a potential own goal off his endline, Notre Dame decided to sit back and try to defend their way to three points. Over the final 20 minutes, Virginia Tech sent waves of crosses into the Notre Dame box, eventually capitalizing on their sixth corner kick of the match.
“They’ve got a big team. They’re just going to dump everything in the box and so at some point they might get one on a set piece,” Riley said.
Virginia Tech nearly added another in the waning minutes of the match, but Kelly stretched to full extension for his second save of the evening to secure the draw. All told, it was a relatively even match with Virginia Tech outshooting Notre Dame 14-8. The Hokies moved to 3-2-4 overall and 0-2-2 in league play, while the Irish now sit at 6-2-3 overall with a 2-1-1 conference mark, good for sixth in the ACC.
The Hokies are back in action on
Tuesday evening as they prepare to host in-state opponent Longwood for a non-conference clash. They will continue their ACC slate next Saturday by welcoming Louisville to Blacksburg for senior day.
Notre Dame will conclude its seven-game homestand on Tuesday when they play host to the Green Bay Phoenix. The Irish will then endure a crucial two-game stretch of talented ACC opponents, first traveling to Raleigh to battle No. 2 NC State and
then returning home to South Bend to duel No. 16 Virginia. Commenting on his team’s approach heading into a critical month of October, Riley said, “We’ve talked about being gritty and being tough. At Notre Dame, you’ve just got to be tough. And I think this is a tough group.”
Tuesday’s match against Green Bay is set for a 7 p.m. kick.
Contact Ben Hicks at bhicks2@nd.edu
Wednesday, October 8
12:15 - 1:45 p.m.
Experience Korean Flavors: Food Tasting Jenkins Nanovic Halls Forum
2:00 - 5:30 p.m.
Maedeup - Traditional Knot Tying with Artist Karen Ahn 1030 Jenkins Nanovic Halls (Registration required)
6:30 - 8:00 p.m.
Concert featuring the Korean Performing Arts Institute of Chicago and ASCEND Washington Hall
Thursday, October 9
1:00 - 3:00 p.m.
Culture Booth: Games, Costumes, and Souvenirs On the quad east of Jenkins Nanovic Halls
6:30 - 9:00 p.m.
Film Screening of Mal-Mo-E: The Secret Mission Browning Cinema, DeBartolo Performing Arts Center
Friday, October 10
7:00 - 10:00 p.m.
ASCEND Festival Hesburgh Library Lawn
GABRIELLA MARTIN | The Observer
Senior defender Mitch Ferguson makes a slide tackle during Notre Dame’s 1-1 draw with Virginia Tech at Alumni Stadium on Oct. 3, 2025. Ferguson and the Irish will finish their seven-match homestand on Tuesday.
Irish top No. 23 Louisville for ninth straight win
By Ben Hicks Associate Sports Editor
The second-ranked Notre Dame women’s soccer team came from behind to beat No. 23 Louisville 3-1 at Alumni Stadium on Friday night, extending its winning streak to nine games. The Cardinals, who entered play at 10-2 overall and 3-1 in the ACC, opened the scoring in the 18th minute behind defender Hadley Snyder. The Irish equalized through sophomore forward Annabelle Chukwu in the 26th minute, before sophomore midfielder Ally Pinto and sophomore forward Izzy Engle both scored just two minutes apart on the other side of halftime to secure the victory.
Heading into the match, both sides sat within the ACC’s top six of the table, and also constituted
two of the league’s eight nationally ranked teams. Coming off a disappointing 2024, Louisville opened the campaign with an impressive road triumph at Auburn, before rolling through their non-conference home slate and picking up conference wins over Virginia Tech, Clemson and Miami. Veteran head coach Karen Ferguson-Dayes’ Cardinals employ a balanced offensive attack with four players eclipsing double-digit points. The leader is midfielder Amelia Swinarski, who has found the back of the net seven times and assisted on nine more for a total of 23 points.
For eighth-year head coach Nate Norman and the Irish, 2025 has also been headlined by a potent sophomore class. Engle leads the nation’s second-best scoring offense at 3.6 goals per
game, as she ranks tops nationally, averaging 2.5 points per game. The Edina, Minnesota native is just one of seven sophomores in Norman’s regular starting eleven, as she and fellow Friday goal-scorers Chukwu and Pinto are complemented by forward Lily Joseph, defender Abby Mills, midfielder Grace Restovich, and goalkeeper Sonoma Kasica.
On the pitch, the Irish came out sluggish, with Louisville dominating possession over the first quarter of an hour en route to creating multiple prime opportunities. Snyder’s breakthrough came off a Kasica save that the Notre Dame backline failed to clear, with the Kentucky native calmly slotting the ball into the top netting from just six yards out. Defender Ella Bard was credited with an assist on the play. That seemed to wake the Irish
FOOTBALL
up, as Chukwu’s leveler came less than eight minutes later, cleaning up in front of a barren net on a ball over the top from Mills that Engle touched past Cardinals senior netminder Erynn Floyd. The remainder of the first half was relatively even, with both sides creating opportunities before the intermission came with the score still knotted at one.
The Irish would dominate the final 45 minutes from start to finish, converting on two of their foremost chances of the frame.
The lead was doubled when junior midfielder Morgan Roy found Pinto unmarked at the back post for a free header. The corner kick goal was Pinto’s second of the campaign.
Shortly thereafter, Engle extended the lead again, this time via the penalty spot. She was brought down inside the box by
Floyd, before smoothly sliding a right-footed spot kick into the side netting to make it 3-1.
All told, Notre Dame outshot the Cardinals 22-11, cruising to their ninth consecutive victory and maintaining their unblemished record.
Notre Dame’s gauntlet continues this Thursday, as they welcome the sixth-ranked Florida State Seminoles to South Bend for yet another top-10 matchup. Both teams have yet to be beaten, but Notre Dame currently sits alone atop the conference standings by virtue of being unbeaten and untied in ACC play. Thursday’s critical conference test is set for a 7 p.m. first touch and will be broadcast nationally on the ACC Network.
Contact Ben Hicks at bhicks2@nd.edu
Moore makes an Irish return against Boise State
By Claire Watson Associate Sports Editor
As the Irish prepped to face the Broncos, the idea of going to the College Football Playoff hung in the balance, as it does very week of the regular season. Sophomore cornerback Leonard Moore, who missed last game due to an ankle injury, came out and showed out for a sold-out stadium, demonstrating why the Irish deserve that spot.
Moore’s recovery speaks to his mental toughness, even after missing a game as important as Arkansas. As difficult as it was to watch his team last Saturday, he took it as an opportunity to connect with them on and off the field.
“It definitely hurts, but it helps you not to take it for granted,“ Moore said. “It makes you realize
how many other ways you can help your teammates, whether it’s coaching off the field, whether it’s watching film and stuff like that.”
Head coach Marcus Freeman highlighted Moore’s injury and what it means for him to be back following the victory.
“You talk about a guy that’s, for I think two weeks, right, he’s been out, and haven’t been able to practice much...it shows you he’s a special player,” Freeman said.
Moore’s first interception came in the third quarter with 1:45 left to play. Boise State quarterback Maddux Madsen was looking for his receiver on a crossing route heading toward the left sideline, but rather than hitting his teammate, the ball went straight to Moore’s hands.
Sophomore linebacker Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa also commented on Moore’s interceptions
and what that meant for the team.
“It’s different when 15’s out there,” he said. “I love seeing them getting back healthy. But it’s a great feeling knowing you got guys out there that can play manto-man and play the ball in the deep part of the field.”
The second interception put an exclamation point on Notre Dame’s strongest defensive performance of the season. With 1:45 left in the fourth quarter, Moore smothered his receiver’s route and stole another pass from Madsen to shut down the Bronco offense for the game. The preseason All-American finished the game with six solo tackles to go with his two takeaways.
“I mean, it just comes down to technique and practice reps,“ Moore said. “Doing the same thing every day in practice and when the ball comes to me, just
detect the ball.”
Moore also spoke to the excitement of moments when he and the team generate a turnover.
“It definitely feels good just to see anybody get an interception on the team,“ Moore said. “It ignites the team, and that’s what you want to see.”
Freeman also emphasized the belief that he and the coaching staff have in Moore.
“Leonard got enough work that he can go out there and do his job,“ Freeman said. “And it’s just a confidence, I think, that we as a coaching staff, the team has, when he’s out there.“
But football is a team sport and Moore did not fail to bring that to light. He gave credit to the rest of the defense, saying, “I mean shoot, we [are] just getting our identity in check, we are going out there playing fast and playing
violent.“
When asked about the gains of the defense in the secondary over the past five games, he added, “I think we just understand what we [are] going to get from receivers and understand how they are going to attack us, and I guess we just get into having a mindset of stopping the man in front of us.“
The defense has shown huge improvement after the rocky start. Freeman mentioned the success of the defense, saying, “They work tirelessly to come up with a better output. And I am so proud of them.”
Now 3-2 on the season, Moore and the rest of the Notre Dame football team now prepare to host NC State this weekend, on Oct. 11, with kickoff at 3:30 p.m.
Contact Claire Watson at cwatson7@nd.edu
Saints take down Viterbo, prepare for Mount Mary
By Chris Dailey Sports Writer
The Holy Cross women’s soccer team took down Chicagoland Athletic Conference foe Viterbo 2-1 on Saturday. Inspired by an 83rdminute game-winner from senior captain Mia Garatoni, the Saints improved to 4-5-1 with the win, and 3-1-1 in conference play.
Junior midfielder Casey Hill slotted the ball into the back of the net to provide Viterbo with a lead just before the first half drew to a close. However, the Saints did not break. They remained composed and played sharp football to start the
second half. Their efforts were rewarded when freshman Quinn Pankiewicz scored in the 63rd minute. The Mishawaka native has excelled since stepping into a starting role for the Saints in the past five matches. Since Pankiewicz has assumed a position in the starting 11, the Saints have won three games. Without her, the Saints only recorded one win in the first five fixtures of the year.
From there, the game grew chippy. Junior defender Abigail Fouts received a yellow card in the 70th minute as both teams began to play a more physical brand of soccer.
Eventually, Holy Cross
broke through once again with Garatoni’s goal. The leader of the Saints team, her finish drew an eruption from the Holy Cross dugout.
After dropping its first three games of the season by a combined 7-0, Holy Cross has been on a roll since then. They’ve recorded victories over Goshen, Judson, St. Ambrose and Viterbo since Sept. 3. Their only losses in that stretch are courtesy of Rochester Christian and St. Francis — who they both fell to 2-1.
Holy Cross is situated fifth in the CCAC standings. With a few more dates against several teams nestled towards the bottom of the table on the
schedule, it’s more than likely that they are able to shoot up the standings before the playoffs.
However, the Saints aren’t focused there just yet. For now, their attention is set to conference opponent Mount Mary. The Blue Angels are 0-8 overall this season and 0-5 within the conference. They are yet to score a goal.
On paper, this should be a relatively smooth-sailing game for head coach Duma Magagula’s team. The Saints beat Trinity Christian 1-0, which in turn put five goals on Mount Mary.
It is important to note that this is Mount Mary’s first year in the NAIA. They are led by
head coach Robert Baker, who has a lot of experience in the Milwaukee soccer scene and is laying the foundations for the program.
Seeking another CCAC win, the Saints will once again rely on the play of their talented attackers. Junior Frances Parks currently leads the way with four goals, doing so in only six matches. With Parks in the lineup, Holy Cross has a reliable forward they can expect to score goals.
Kickoff is set for 6 p.m., with streaming on Holy Cross’ athletic website.
