Catholics vs. the Committee? Notre Dame appears to have a new rival after toppling No. 1 Miami

SOUTH BEND, Ind. — Early on Saturday morning here, amid a campus glowing in fall foliage, Notre Dame fans gathered around the “ESPN College GameDay” set.They brought plenty of signage with them for the network’s roaming cameras.But one sign emerged from the rest. This particular message didn’t take umbrage with that day’s opponent, the Miami Hurricanes, nor did it skewer ESPN for something it aired. It didn’t attack GameDay’s divisive central character, Pat McAfee, or any other college football team in the country.With arms outstretched over her head, a woman held high a white board with a few stenciled letters pasted onto it.Catholics vs. the Committee!Hours later, as an autumn chill swept across a majestic scene here in northern Indiana, Notre Dame fans, donning their green hoodies, ski caps and long johns, flooded the field in rampant celebration as playing overhead the stadium speakers boomed the 1980’s hit “Rocked You Like A Hurricane.”At the very end of the season, when the national championship is decided on the evening of Jan. 25 in fabulous Las Vegas, Notre Dame 31, Miami 24 may be an insignificant result. Perhaps neither of these teams advances to the national championship game (like each did the last two years). Maybe neither makes the postseason at all (though that seems unlikely).But for one fleeting night, it meant everything to this place, to these people, the ones hurt most — angered, mad, frustrated, even aghast — by the committee’s decision to rank the Irish, in the top five of every other major poll, at No. 11.Number 11?!Yes, No. 11.Like the Eleventh Hour, a biblical parable meaning the final possible moment. Or what some call the Master Number 11, because it symbolizes high-frequency energy. In fact, did you know that 11:11 — two number 11s! — is considered an “angel number” and is widely interpreted as a spiritual awakening or wakeup call?Don’t tell them that here.There will be no more No. 11, not after this display.“Our job was to leave no doubt today,” Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman said, “and we did.”Notre Dame's Luke Talich celebrates after an interception during the Irish's win over Miami on Saturday. (Joseph Weiser/Getty Images)Icon Sportswire via Getty ImagesThe Irish (8-1) built an angry 21-point third-quarter lead and they managed to stave off Miami’s second-half rally by using both their starting quarterback’s rifle of an arm (CJ Carr threw for 319 yards and three scores) and the swatting right paw of defensive back Luke Talich (the swat heard ’round the college football world, you might say).With Miami tight end Elija Lofton corralling what appeared to be a fourth-down, game-tying touchdown catch in the final minutes, Talich — draped over his back — swung his mighty right hand over Lofton’s shoulder, popping the ball free as the player collapsed out of bounds.Officials reviewed the play.Incomplete pass.Note Dame ball.After a few tense moments on the Hurricanes’ final drive, the celebration erupted here, so much so that Talich himself half-joked that he suffered a minor concussion from the field-storming scene — a rarity from the Irish fans.For that reason and so many others, this one — this one right here — felt different. Even Freeman acknowledges that.“It’s a special moment. It’s a big one. I’m not going to say it’s like the others,” he said. “This is as good of a win as I’ve ever been a part of.”Maybe that’s because of the storied rivalry between these two college football blue bloods. Maybe because it’s the hate that swells within each for the other. Maybe it’s because of last year, when the committee — yes, them again! — picked the Hurricanes and not the Irish to advance as the last at-large selection in the 12-team field.Oh, they have not forgotten.“We left it up to the judges last year and we knew we couldn’t do that this year,” Talich said afterward.The judges were surely watching from their luxurious meeting room in the Dallas suburb of Grapevine.They saw a Notre Dame team jump to a 24-3 lead against a Miami squad without its best player, receiver Malachi Toney (out for at least 4-6 weeks with an ankle injury). They saw them withstand one of the country’s best quarterbacks, Darian Mensah, leading the Hurricanes (8-1) to a roaring comeback — both him and old Duke teammate Cooper Barkate. They saw a defense, early on, stop Miami on five snaps from inside the 5-yard line — a rousing goal-line stand that resulted in only a field goal. And then, on fourth-and-6 from the 18-yard line with less than four minutes left in a one-score game, they saw Talich’s right paw come thundering over Lofton’s shoulder at the Eleventh Hour.Swat!“When I turned around, it was a back-shoulder fade,” Talich said, reliving the play. “We’re taught to fight through play. I was able to get my hands on it.”“We made a big statement,” defensive end Boubacar Traore said. “Tonight showed what we are capable of doing.”The game lived up to its top billing. It was loud here and it was rocking.There were reminders of history, too.At halftime, the school recognized former coach Lou Holtz. Band members formed a message on the field by spelling out “ND (hearts) Lou,” and the video board reminded everyone about the famed former Irish coach who won the 1988 national title. That season featured Holtz’s team beating — guess who? — No. 1-ranked Miami, 31-30, here in South Bend in a duel colloquially memorialized as “Catholics vs. Convicts.”Perhaps this one will take a different nickname?Catholics vs. the Committee.Several Notre Dame fans watching on television even suggested to this reporter that longtime school partner NBC should be ashamed of itself for using the Irish’s CFP ranking in its score bug — 11! — instead of the AP poll’s figure: No. 4.In fact, inside of Notre Dame Stadium, 11 was hard to find. Next to Notre Dame’s name on the stadium’s scoreboard was none other than No. 4.“It really doesn’t matter where we’re ranked,” Freeman said, attempting to downplay the situation. “We learned that last year. It doesn’t matter. We don’t need to focus on it or talk about it.“What a night. What a moment,” he said. “It’s hard to describe.”However you describe it, just don’t mention No. 11.