Dublin, Ireland-- Saturday, September 1, you don't need to adjust your television when you see a college football game on at 9am on WFMY News 2.
Your eyes are not deceiving you. One of the oldest American rivalry games in college football is on...Notre Dame and Navy. The game is in Dublin, Ireland.
According to the Irish Times, Notre Dame and Navy faced each other 16 years ago at Croke Park in Dublin. The Navy vs. Notre Dame showdown was dubbed "The Shamrock Classic," drawing over 2,500 American fans and over 40,000 spectators.
This season the Emerald Isle Classic at Dublin?s new Aviva Stadium is expected to draw 48,000 fans, including over 10,000 travelers from the U.S. and Canada. This game is the first time an American college football game sold-out on non-U.S. soil, according to the Irish Tourist Board.
What about that rivalry? Navy vs. Notre Dame's long tenured rivalry, dates back to 1927. The two teams have faced each other annually, with Notre Dame holding a 71-12-1 advantage. Prior to 2007, Notre Dame held a 43-game winning streak over Navy from 1963-2007.