page_title: Notre Dame Fighting Irish football
section_title: Gameday traditions
hierarchical_section_title: Notre Dame Fighting Irish football / Gameday traditions
caption_attribution_description: English: The helmet raising tradition after an ND win, after the conclusion of the 2006 Notre Dame vs Penn State game Français&#160;: Les joeuurs de football américain de Notre Dame rendant les honneurs aux étudiants de leur université en fin de match
context_page_description: The Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team is the intercollegiate football team representing the University of Notre Dame in Notre Dame, Indiana. The team is currently coached by Brian Kelly and plays its home games at the campus's Notre Dame Stadium, which has a capacity of 77,622. Notre Dame is one of six schools that competes as an Independent at the National Collegiate Athletic Association Football Bowl Subdivision level; however, they play five games a year against opponents from the Atlantic Coast Conference, of which Notre Dame is a member in all other sports except ice hockey.
  The school claims 11 national championships, but the NCAA recognizes them with 13.
  Moreover, Notre Dame has 22 national championships recognized by all major selectors; this is tied with Alabama for the most in the FBS. Notre Dame, Oklahoma and Ohio State share the record of seven Heisman Trophy winners. Notre Dame has produced 102 consensus All-Americans, 34 unanimous All-Americans, 52 members of the College Football Hall of Fame, and 13 members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, all NCAA records. Notre Dame has had 495 players selected in the NFL Draft, second only to USC.
context_section_description: Due to its long and storied history, Notre Dame football boasts many traditions unique to Notre Dame. Some of these are:
  The tradition of having 23.9 karat gold in the helmet paint continues, with the painting process provided by Hydro Graphics, Inc. and no longer by student managers. The gold particles that are used on the helmet were collected from the re-gilding on the Notre Dame dome in 2007.  During the 2011 season, however, a new helmet paint scheme was introduced; while retaining the basic gold helmet and grey facemask look, the "new" gold is much more reflective than the "old"; there have already been several variations of this new "gold chrome" look, including "brick" and "fish-scale" texturing.
  Formerly, prior to the start of the game, the team attended mass in semi-formal attire at the Sacred Heart Basilica. At the conclusion of mass, fans formed a line that the team walked through from the chapel to the stadium. However, in 2011 the team changed its movements prior the game, instead taking buses back to The Gug for final meetings. In 2013, Mass was moved to Friday night; as a result, the walk now originates from the Gug.
  Earlier on game day, the Band of the Fighting Irish trumpet section plays Notre Dame, Our Mother & the Notre Dame victory march under the Golden Dome, with visitors standing at the bottom of the rotunda, and behind the band members on each upper floor.
  Coming out of the locker room, players slap the famous "Play Like a Champion Today" sign.
  Prior to the start of the game, with around 15–30 seconds left on the pregame clock, a clip of Cathy Richardson singing "Here Come The Irish" is played, followed up by I'm Shipping Up To Boston, which continues to play until the football is kicked off.
  Between the third and fourth quarters of home games, the Notre Dame Marching Band plays the finale to the 1812 Overture, as the crowd reacts with synchronized waving of arms, with their fingers in the shape of a "K" for Kelly. ("W" for both Weis and Willingham and "L" for Lou Holtz)
  Since 1960, Sergeant Tim McCarthy for the Indiana State Police has read out a driving safety announcement to the crowd during the fourth quarter. When Sergeant McCarthy begins his announcement, the crowd goes silent to hear his message, which invariably ends with a pun. Sergeant McCarthy retired from this duty in the 2015 season after 55 years of fan-favorite messages. He was honored on the field on September 26, 2015, to deliver his last in-person address, in which he repeated the same announcement he did on his first gameday.
  At the conclusion of every home game, the team turns to the student section to salute them by raising their helmets in the air. They do this after a win or after a loss. Then, the band plays the Alma Mater, "Notre Dame, Our Mother". Those who stay link arms and sing the lyrics.
caption: Team raising their helmets to the student section after a win (or loss)
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