Fans torn between Sooners and Irish

The school wanted the cheerleaders to welcome the Irish to Oklahoma.

“My mother was furious with the nuns,” Moisant told The Oklahoman in an email. “She made a point to let them know I was a Sooner before I was a Catholic.”

Historically, growing up Catholic meant that the Catholic university located in South Bend, Ind., was the one to cheer for.

It was like a default.

Check here for Catholicism and earn eternal Irish fandom.

Not Moisant. However, some Catholics in Oklahoma that were Sooner born and Sooner bred are torn between rooting for their state team or their religious team this Saturday when No. 5 Notre Dame plays No. 8 Oklahoma.

THE STATE TEAM

Michael Patlan chose the state team. Raised Catholic, Patlan and his family moved to Oklahoma in 2000. He fell in love with the Sooners. He attended Oklahoma for his undergrad degree but is currently at Notre Dame studying for his law degree.

On Saturday, he'll be sitting in Section 18 of Gaylord Family — Oklahoma Memorial Stadium, cheering for the Sooners.

“All of my friends have been giving me a playful teasing this week, saying ‘Go Irish' and ‘Have a good time, enjoy the loss,' things like that,” Patlan said. “It's pretty well known up here that I'm an OU fan.”