Goal: To attend a game at every FBS (Division-1) college football stadium. STADIUM COUNT: 70/130
Often regarded as the Big Ten’s wildest and most thrilling venue, Camp Randall Stadium never disappoints. Once a Civil War training site, this massive structure is crammed in a beautiful residential area among dorms, frat houses, campus buildings and bars. The Camp is the perfect college venue with views of the state capital and Madison’s surrounding lakes (Mendota and Menona).
100 and 10-0 – milestones in preparation for Michigan.
This year marks 100 years of Camp Randall Stadium, and Wisconsin’s first ever 10-0 record. The Big Ten title game appearance was set for the Badgers, but the opportunity for the college football playoff loomed. ESPN’s College Gameday set up their show on Bascom Hill in Madison signifying the magnitude of this conference tussle.
Ryan Field in Evanston, Illinois is known as the “Wrigley Field” of college football. It doesn’t quite have the history of the Cubs, but boasts a very classic and old school stadium atmosphere. For a while now, NU has been calling themselves Chicago’s Big Ten Team. Attempts to market this slogan are popping up around the city, and the evidence is beginning to show with more rumps in the seats in Evanston. Perhaps because Chicagoans are slowly realizing that Northwestern is true Big Ten football. It’s the real deal, especially lately.
A seemingly routine Big Ten slugfest turned into a Pandora’s box of points in an overtime thriller. The Wildcats and Spartans were tied at 10-10 at the onset of the fourth quarter. Then, offensive complacency turned into a panic, as though each team suddenly realized how important this late conference contest meant to their overall seasons.
Continue reading “Game 265: #16 Michigan State @ Northwestern”
The Fifth Quarter is a nationally renowned tradition that takes place at Camp Randall Stadium after every home game, win or lose. The Wisconsin Marching Band remains on the field postgame playing everything from “On Wisconsin” to “Time Warp” to “Tequila” to “Swingtown.” Fans remain in the stadium and dance with all the traditional choreographed moves. Legendary band director, Mike Leckrone, created this postgame event in the 1970s to keep fan interest strong during the years of poor on-field football performance. Even with Wisconsin’s resurgence in football, The Fifth Quarter has remained a unique spectacle in the world of college football. Today, for homecoming during Camp Randall Stadium’s 100th year in existence, Mike Leckrone invited another legend, Steve Miller, to direct his own “Swingtown” during The Fifth Quarter.
A precipitous forecast became a much drier reality for the Badger Boiler battle in Madison. Ponchos were still the fashion, however, as the clouds released wetness on our walk to and from the stadium (nothing a beer and brat couldn’t distract from). From kickoff to final gun, we were spared rainfall. So much attention was given to the weather channel, that many fans forgot about Purdue’s resurgence, but were reminded during this gray day in Camp Randall.
Hurricane Irma had canceled, postponed, or relocated games for all the college football teams in the state in Florida, except for Florida Atlantic. The Owls traveled to Madison the day prior to the game and two days prior to the storm making landfall. The team felt more comfortable doing so since the University of Wisconsin offered to house and take care of the team as the storm passed through. Needless to say, a football game was not the main concern for Florida Atlantic.
Continue reading “Game 258: Florida Atlantic @ #9 Wisconsin”
All September afternoons need to be this beautiful. Temperatures in the low seventies and sunshine that glistened off Lake Michigan provided the perfect environment for our 7th Annual College Football Tour Northwestern Tailgate. Colleagues and family, old friends and new all joined for food, drink, and games. Tailgating at Northwestern is spread out, but there are some magnificent spots that can rival any Big Ten venue – we found one today.
At the end of September, Penn State Football appeared ripe for mediocrity. One blocked kick against Ohio State brought them back to the surface of national relevancy. One blocked kick returned for a touchdown that toppled the potentate of the Big Ten launched Penn State into the conference title game where Wisconsin was waiting.
The Chicago Cubs just won the World Series – a 108-year streak without this feat. Ryan Field celebrated by flying the W atop the towers rising over the upper deck. The NU band played “Go Cubs Go” to an all-crowd sing along. Breaking streaks like this are always cause for major celebration. Another streak was on the line as well. It’s not quite 108 years of suffering, but the Badgers have not experienced success in Evanston since 1999. Today, that W flag would also stand for Wisconsin.