A sea of Notre Dame fans celebrated shoulder-to-shoulder in South Bend on Saturday night after their team defeated Clemson in a two-overtime thriller. School administrators are not pleased that fans rushed the field, and they have implemented some strict new health protocols as a result.
The day after hundreds of fans stormed the field to celebrate, Notre Dame president John I. Jenkins issued a letter to students informing them they are not permitted to leave South Bend until they are cleared from COVID-19 testing. Any student who disregards the protocols will face a registration hold.
In addition, students were told there will be a zero tolerance policy for social gatherings that do not follow health and safety protocols. Students who violate the protocols will “face severe sanctions.” You can see the full letter below:
Notre Dame defeated No. 1 Clemson by a score of 47-40. Star quarterback Trevor Lawrence did not play in the game, but the Tigers were still favored to win by as much as a touchdown. NBC announcers Mike Tirico and Tony Dungy provided some great commentary when fans stormed the field. You can see the video here.
You can understand why Notre Dame students and fans were so excited. The game drew higher TV ratings than any Notre Dame game in 15 years.
Many students who partook in the celebration will likely feel the additional health and safety guidelines they have to follow are worth it.
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