Cody Native Living Dream As Notre Dame Makes Run For College Football Title

It’s not often a Wyoming athlete gets in the national spotlight, and it’s even more unheard of for a player from one of the most storied programs in college football to come into the limelight at one of the most important times of the season.

Cody native Luke Talich is in his second season playing for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, fulfilling a dream he’s had since childhood to play for the blue and gold.

Knute Rockne, Tim Brown, George Gipp (aka The Gipper), Johnny Lujack, Paul Hornung, Joe Theismann, Jerome “The Bus” Bettis, Joe Montana. 

Luke Talich?

The former fill volumes in the college and pro football halls of fame. The latter is a Cowboy Stater tasked with upholding the Notre Dame name while living out his own dreams as one of the few privileged enough to run out the tunnel for the Golden Domers.

A standout for the Cody Broncs, Talich led the team to two state titles as a quarterback and safety, as well playing varsity all four years of his career. He also was a three-sport athlete and won three individual state titles his senior year in track. 

Talich turned down scholarships with other programs to walk on at Notre Dame with no guarantee of making the team. Now he’s a scholarship player on one of the best college football teams in the country.

He was on the field for special teams Friday when fifth-seed Notre Dame beat eighth-seed Indiana 27-17 in the first round of the College Football Playoff.

Talich isn’t a starter and isn’t talked about much by commentators. Most of his action comes on special teams and spot duty on defense.

But he makes the most of his opportunities.

His entire family and Cody football coach Matt McFadden were among the 77,622 people in the stands for the Irish win at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, Indiana.

“It was incredible,” said his mother Jen Talich. “An electric atmosphere for sure. Tons of Notre Dame fans with gold rally towels and we never sat down.”

Talich's Cody High School football coach Matt McFadden was also in attendance on Friday night, calling the experience "surreal."

"Proud of him for following his dream, for taking a chance in himself and watching him live it out," McFadden told Cowboy State Daily. "Proud that when I ask Notre Dame personnel and they say what a fine young man he is. Still the same young man — humble, authentic, still Wyoming."

How’s He Doing?

Not only has Talich played for Notre Dame this season, he’s played well.

He’s had time in every game for the Irish this season while playing at the safety position, even logging an interception, touchdown and 17 tackles, no small feat for a sophomore from Wyoming playing against some of the best teams in the country week in and week out. 

His most notable highlight came in week nine, when Talich intercepted a pass against Florida State and returned it for a touchdown with his dad and two brothers in the stands watching.

Talich told Cowboy State Daily the play seemed “surreal.”

“I’m so blessed for my brothers, my dad, and a couple family friends to have been there to watch it happen,” he said.

Talich said he became laser-focused when he got the pick-six, solely focused on not getting tackled by the quarterback before he could earn his pick-six. But he also said his body stiffened up, unused to running with the ball now that he plays on defense.

“All I was thinking was, ‘I better not get caught by this quarterback because I will never hear the end of it,’” Talich said. “I was honestly surprised I was able to make it to the end zone. I wasn’t moving that fast.

When asked about Luke’s touchdown after the game, Notre Dame football coach Marcus Freeman called it a “huge play” and said the Wyoming native is a “vital” and “important” part of the team with a bright future.

“Luke works tirelessly, he’s been a great member of our team,” Freeman said during the postgame press conference. “He embraces and values his role. We need everybody in our program to not be satisfied, but embrace the role for this week.”

Coming Present

Talich told Cowboy State Daily before Friday’s game that playing in the college football playoffs was another dream of his growing up.

“Hopefully we can make a run this year,” he said.

Talich also said that when deciding where he wanted to go to school, getting experiences like these was a top priority. He knew that Notre Dame would give him the opportunity.

“I wanted to play for a team that was at the highest level of college football,” he said. “That was part of the decision to come to Notre Dame. I wanted to prove to myself I could play at this level.”

Talich said he’s significantly improved this season by being more assertive on the field and understanding the Notre Dame playbook better. 

Notre Dame advances in the playoffs with a 12-1 record and will play in the quarterfinals against No. 2-ranked Georgia on New Year’s Day in the Allstate Sugar Bowl. Georgia (11-2) had a first-round bye.

The Fighting Irish finished 10-3 in 2023, ending with a 40-8 win over Oregon State in the Tiger Sun Bowl.

Talich said he knew from the moment his team gathered for practice in July that they had the potential to be special. Now, Notre Dame is two games away from playing for a national championship.

“I knew we were a really good team, and I knew we would do everything in our power to put ourselves in a good position to make the playoffs,” he said. “I knew we would have a chance.”

Leo Wolfson can be reached at leo@cowboystatedaily.com.