SOUTH BEND — After last year's lackluster season that saw the Irish finish at 3-9, will renewed excitement and optimism be enough to turn things around for the Fighting Irish and for local businesses?

Fans packed into Notre Dame's Joyce Center Friday night, crossing their fingers that a resurgent Fighting Irish team will help bring new excitement to Notre Dame football.

"I am very excited for the upcoming season. There's a lot of redemption to be done, and the optimism level is at its highest point right now," said Notre Dame fan Shane Little, who traveled from California to see the Irish take on San Diego State.

"There is definitely a chance [for redemption]," agreed Notre Dame fan Conrad Rubinkowski, who came to the rally Friday from Springfield, Illinois.

"I'm ready to see them off on the right foot," said Notre Dame fan Robert Thieret, of St. Louis. "Really excited."

They're not alone.

Local businesses are hoping a rebound will help last year's lackluster profits return to normal. But with kickoff just a few hours away, some are already singing a familiar tune that sounds a lot more like "the blues" than "the gold."

Across the area, hotel parking lots and restaurant tables told a different story of excitement early Friday night. It's a story filled with last season's all too familiar flavor of uncertainty.

At South Bend's The Vine restaurant downtown, the reservation sheet Friday night was full, but not full enough.

"It's a little lighter than it usually is," admitted restaurant manager Scott Albright.

The signs were equally disturbing at some local hotels.

"For the first game, we're not doing very well at all," said Roseland Howard Johnson front desk employee William Golembieski. "We usually book up completely, but we still have plenty of rooms available. We have maybe 13% of what we'd normally have."

Sales were even slow at the one place they never are on opening weekend: the box office.

By late Friday night, single tickets to Saturday's game were still available for sale in person at the Notre Dame box office and online at Notre Dame's official athletic department website.

Even so, loyal fans and their fans aren't giving up hope.

"I think we're taking a wait and see attitude, and I think most people coming to the games are taking a wait and see attitude," said Albright.

"For most of the year, we're pretty much looking at sold out, except for this first game," agreed Neal Wright, an employee of South Bend's downtown Holiday Inn who spent his Friday afternoon holding a sandwich board near the Notre Dame Toll Road exit, advertising that rooms were still available for the weekend at his hotel.

The question now, from nearly everyone watching the field with anticipation: will the faith of the faithful be enough?

"We'll have to see tomorrow when they start playing," said Golembieski.