Eric Sorenson
If at first you don’t succeed try and try again.
It’s the approach Arizona State Vice President for Athletics Steve Patterson took when Notre Dame attempted to wiggle out of their agreed upon and signed contract to visit Tempe in 2014.
After months of haggling and some legal processions between both schools it became official…again. The Fighting Irish will play ASU at Sun Devil Stadium on November 8. Both schools are still scheduled to face-off in Arlington, Texas on October 5 but the 2017 return game to South Bend has been cancelled.
“I kind of amazing the sanity that prevails when you go hire three law firms,” Patterson quipped to Brad Cesmat in a recent interview on ‘Big Guy on Sports.’ “We’re glad that Notre Dame were able to work out their scheduling issues. We’re looking forward to playing them in the fall down in Dallas and again when they come to Tempe next November.”
The announcement of keeping the 2014 home game is a huge win for Patterson and the university. It gives ASU the type of marquee non-conference home game their fan base has craved and adds a nice follow up to the Wisconsin home game September 14.
Patterson expressed the Irish will move some games around to accommodate their trip to the desert and wished these types of conversations took place before the original deal was struck. In short it would have avoided months of haggling and indecision when Notre Dame first announced they were looking to break the agreement.
He said the Devils were all set for a trip to play under “Touchdown Jesus.”
“If you sign a contract your institution is supposed to stand for something,” Patterson explained to Cesmat. “If you have an obligation you need to fulfill it. At the end of the day they came back and said we don’t want you to come play football at our house.”
ASU opens play this fall hosting Sacramento State on September 5.
