"I wanted to go to Notre Dame": LSU alum reveals personal admiration for Fighting Irish while putting them on the hot seat 

Notre Dame will play against Ohio State in the College Football Playoff national championship game at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on Monday. The Fighting Irish are looking to win their first national title in 36 years, winning it last in 1988 under Lou Holtz.

While the general belief is that the Buckeyes need to win the game to save Ryan Day from further pressure in his job, Ryan Clark feels otherwise. The former LSU safety thinks the Fighting Irish are the more reputable program that needs the win most.

“I think when we talk about the overall program, and the university, and the football program as it stands, I do believe Notre Dame needs this win more,” Clark said (timestamp 3:18) on Friday. “I don't know if I've ever said this on this show, but I wanted to go to Notre Dame.

“One of my Christmas gifts in middle school was a faux Notre Dame letterman because I wanted to be Tony Rice. I played quarterback growing up and their quarterback looked like me and he ran the option like the high school I was going to go to ran.”

The Irish are slated as an 8.5 points underdog for the highly anticipated championship game encounter. The total points are set at 46.5, creating the possibility of a close game in Atlanta. However, Clark’s words place Marcus Freeman’s team on the hot seat ahead of the game.

Ryan Clark narrates the story of Notre Dame scouting him

With Ryan Clark holding the dream of playing college football at Notre Dame as a young boy; that almost became a reality. The Fighting Irish did scout him while he was at Archbishop Shaw in Marrero, Louisiana. However, fate did not take him to South Bend.

“I remember when I moved to defense,” Clark said (timestamp 3:50). “I'll never forget coach Hank Tierney. He's still at Archbishop Shaw to this day. I went to a Catholic High School and he walked … he said Notre Dame just came to get your highlight tape.

“And I remember running home telling my Mama like they might offer me a scholarship and it never happened and everything worked out the way it did. That's why they were America’s team.”

Clark eventually had his college football career at LSU where he started 36 consecutive games for the Tigers during his five-season tenure in Baton Rouge.