For more than a decade, the Fighting Irish Poet has made occasional appearances on these pages, offering a little rhyme, a little humor and a different perspective on Notre Dame football. And after what happened in Provo last Saturday, I figured it was time for another visit.
The Irish have a bye week to regroup after their first loss in 399 days. So, while the team gets some much-needed rest, here’s a little verse about a remarkable winning streak, a troublesome Bear and a season that still has plenty of promise.
The Streak and the Bear
Six games, six wins, what a glorious sight,
The Irish were rolling, and all seemed right.
Sixteen straight in total, each by ten or more,
The Irish looked mighty — with so much more in store!
Wisconsin, Rice and Michigan State,
Purdue and Carolina met the same fate.
Then Stanford fell, and the Irish stood tall,
Six wins, no losses — the Irish had it all!
But high in the mountains, beneath the Utah sky,
A Bear named Bachmeier made Irish hopes die.
The Irish fought back and took the lead late,
But the Cougars struck back to seal ND’s fate.
The streak was now over, the perfect record gone,
And Irish fans wondered what on earth had gone wrong.
A fumble, missed chances, and one second denied,
Twenty-eight, twenty-four — the Cougars survived!
But one loss, dear friends, does not end the fight,
There’s still time for the Irish to set things right.
Five games remain, and the stakes are sky-high,
No room for mistakes as November draws nigh.
So rest up, regroup, let the wounded ones mend,
Then come back determined to win to the end.
The road may be narrow, the challenge steep,
But count out the Irish, and beware what you may reap!
Enjoy the bye weekend, Irish fans. There’s plenty of football left to play, and something tells me the best part of this season may still be ahead of us.