It was bound to happen. With so much traffic on the interstate, someone was going peel off, bounce through the grass and head for the freedom of the access road.
Facing the biggest opening day in college football history (USC-Alabama, Clemson-Auburn,LSU-Wisconsin, Georgia-North Carolina, Oklahoma-Houston, UCLA-Texas A&M) Texas and Notre Dame jointly announced Friday they have moved their game from Saturday, Sept. 3 to Sunday, Sept. 4. Time and network have yet to be determined, but expect a primetime kick and a network audience.
"Having worked in both programs, I have a deep appreciation of the great football pride, tradition and passion at Texas and Notre Dame," Texas head coach Charlie Strong said in a statement. "This is a game we're obviously very excited about and really looking forward to. I think moving it to Sunday with no NFL games when it can really be in the spotlight will make it that much more special."
"A game of the magnitude of Notre Dame-Texas, played on the opening weekend of the college football season, deserves a special place on the Labor Day sports calendar. With this move we have secured that place and by doing so are providing a greater opportunity for fans of college football to enjoy what is sure to be another great game in a classic rivalry that dates back to 1913," added Notre Dame athletics director Jack Swarbrick.
In a marketing sense, this is the absolute right move. Texas-Notre Dame will be the only dish served to a nation of hungry fans.
But in a football sense, moving to an exclusive window puts a 10,000-watt spotlight on Charlie Strong and his program. Last seasons, of course, opened with a 38-3 flattening of the Longhorns by these same Irish. It was a beatdown so thorough that Texas' entire season was knocked off course after just 60 minutes of action -- and in reality, it was clear after only a quarter that whatever offensive plan Texas had desperately needed about six sticks of dynamite.
Those sticks of dynamite turned out to be wide receivers coach Jay Norvell for the short term and Tulsa offensive coordinator Sterlin Gilbert for the long. But now Texas will have to break in a new offense, quarterbacked by (most likely) either a true freshman or a fourth-year senior working on what would feel like an eighth chance.
It's the football equivalent of a band playing its new single for the first time to open the Grammy's.
If the song's in tune and all the instruments fit together, it'll be the springboard to a double-platinum season for Strong, Gilbert and Texas. But if the song's out of tune and the singer can't find the right tempo, there'll be nowhere for the Longhorns to hide.