Corby's Irish Pub is usually closed in the morning, but not today. There was a full house at 8:00 a.m. with fans cheering on the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.
"We've never opened up this early before, so this is the first time we've done this. I couldn't be happier with the crowd we got," says employee Joe Mittiga.
And a crowd there was. Students and locals cheered as they watched their favorite team take the field in the season opener.
"I'm so excited, it's my senior year, this is going to be the best. We're in Ireland, we're at Soldier Field, we have great rivalries," says fan Meghan Cronin.
"It is the best, I love football season. The fans are the greatest part of it. Even if we don't win, we still have a great time, and we still always support them," says fan Dominic Corsaro.
"You gotta start tailgating early, you gotta start it off right," says fan Alex Meyer.
The game brought in fans of all ages.
"I have been an Irish fan for 77 years and I love it," says Barb Cichocki.
And why wouldn't she love it? The excitement here is contagious!
"That's what the Notre Dame experience is. Football is such a huge part of our culture and what we're known for and I'm so happy to be a part of it," says Cronin.
A part of the Notre Dame legacy and the season is only just beginning.
"We just count the days until the Irish have another game on their schedule, but it's clearly not good enough until the Irish have a home game. So we're counting down 7 days until next week," says fan Danny Kinasz.
And that game will be against Purdue.
