’Canes, Irish desperate for win

CORAL GABLES — For a memorable stretch during the 1980s, it was an epic college football rivalry.

The pre-game brawl in South Bend. Catholics vs. Convicts. That third-and-43. A phantom fumble.

There used to be a time when Miami and Notre Dame would meet with national-championship hopes at stake, when careers of both players and coaches would be defined, when fans across the country tuned in to see which powerhouse program would emerge from the latest slugfest victorious.

That hasn’t been the case for years and it won’t be today when Miami makes its first visit to South Bend since 1990. Instead, few outside South Florida and South Bend will likely pay much attention as the Hurricanes and Irish renew their rivalry with much different stakes on the line.

After winning four straight and climbing to No. 10 in the AP Top 25, the Hurricanes are reeling, having lost three in a row. Notre Dame, meanwhile, started the season as a top-10 team and has lost five of seven games, turning the pressure up on coach Brian Kelly, who has faced heavy criticism.

The teams’ struggles aren’t a recent phenomenon. Miami and Notre Dame have been trying to work their way back among college football’s elite for years. While 2016 won’t help either’s cause, players and coaches on both sides understand that regardless of what’s happened in the past or how rare these matchups are today, this game still matters.

“[Our players] are being told that at Miami, you get judged by whether you beat Notre Dame or not. If you don’t beat Notre Dame, it’s a failure. It’s a big deal. It’s a big thing in this university. It’s a big thing in this town,” said Hurricanes defensive coordinator Manny Diaz, a Miami native.

With the history lessons likely now completed, it’s time for the Hurricanes (4-3) to focus on the task at hand, and that’s finding a way to snap a frustrating slide.

“It’s kind of now or never. We’ve got to turn the page,” said receiver Braxton Berrios, who caught his first touchdown of the season last week in Blacksburg on a 25-yard pass from Brad Kaaya.

Like Miami, Notre Dame (2-5) is hoping a win will get the season back on track and hopes its home crowd can give the Irish an edge.

“It’s another opportunity for us to play the game of football and to have a performance that we’ll all be proud of. … We know there’s a lot of history in this one,” UM coach Mark Richt said.