With its championship teams, thrilling commercials and star-studded halftime show, Super Bowl XLVI's Giants 21-17 win over the Patriots left students screaming in both joy and grief.
Sophomore Giants fan Nick Lupica said the game kept him captivated until the very end.
"It came down to the last quarter, which makes all games interesting," Lupica said.
Watching the game with both Giants and Patriots fans made for an exciting atmosphere, and regardless of the winner, Lupica said he was happy both teams made it to the championship.
"It was a split room," he said. "[But,] I was happy to see anyone but the Green Bay Packers or the Chicago Bears make the Super Bowl," he said. "Notre Dame has too big of a fan base for both of those."
Junior Adam Wisbrock, a Packers fan, said he watched the game as a neutral third party, but was happy when the Giants won.
"I wasn't invested in either team, but I think I subconsciously wanted the Giants to win," he said.
Wisbrock said the final drive was the most exciting part of the game.
"It was most intense when Ahmad Bradshaw scored at the end instead of running out the clock for a field goal as time expired," he said.
Sophomore Olivia Gutsgell, a Colts fan, said the Patriots' defeat was consoling.
"I'm glad the Patriots lost," she said. "We were screaming at the only Pats fan in the room, and [everyone was] happy."
Sophomore Leo Mironovich said he watched the Super Bowl, but not to see which team came out on top. Instead, it was the Super Bowl ads that drew him in and he said he was satisfied with most.
"It's great bonding with friends, and the commercials with babies are always a fan favorite," he said. "And since I'm a history major, the end of prohibition in the Budweiser commercial was funny, too."
Mironovich said the Super Bowl is about much more than winners, losers and ads.
"It's great bonding with friends," Mironovich said. "I just wanted to see a good game."
Lupica said he also enjoyed watching the game with a group of his male friends.
"It was a straight bro-out," he said.
Some students watched the game primarily to see its halftime show. The performance featured Madonna, NickiMinaj, LMFAO, M.I.A. and Cee Lo Green.
Sophomore Nicole McMillan said she enjoyed the halftime show and thought the choice of performers appealed to a wide audience.
"Madonna was a good artist to pick for the Super Bowl because she speaks to different generations," she said. "But I was sad that NickiMinaj and M.I.A. didn't get to say much more than a few lines."
McMillan said the technology and spectacle of the halftime show lived up to the hype.
"I loved the stage and screens on the field because the visual effects were amazing," she said.
