At Notre Dame, the band historically gathered the students with its Friday night march through campus, leading a parade of Irish faithful to the university's Stephan Center.

In 1997, however, the huge crowds meant a move first to outside Notre Dame Stadium and then to Joyce Arena, the school's double-domed home for basketball, hockey and other sports.

The all-time record for pep rally attendance at Notre Dame is 35,000. That rally was held September 5, 1997, in the Joyce Center, and it also celebrated the rededication of Notre Dame Stadium. Television host Regis Philbin was among the speakers that year.

But even a regular pep rally at Notre Dame, even in a year when the team was not off to its best start, featured a packed Joyce Center.

Those who entered the arena an hour before the pep rally's scheduled start were able to get a seat. Those who came 15 minutes later might be fortunate enough to get a seat in the aisles. Later arrivals were turned away.

The parking lot told more of the story. Cars from as far away as California, Montana, Florida and South Dakota joined fleets from Indiana, Ohio and Illinois.