Goal: To thoroughly experience gameday at every FBS college football stadium. STADIUM COUNT: 113/134
Not much could have prepared me for what I was about to witness. Call it a tale of two halves. Call it an unexpected upset. Call it an epic comeback. However it’s defined, it became the most improbable finish I have ever seen. We had just finished our morning adventure in Chapel Hill and thank goodness that we took a breath in between because we would need the oxygen to support all our screaming. Raleigh was ready.
Continue reading “Game 199: #3 Florida State @ North Carolina State”
Slap on some khaki shorts and a baby blue button down. It’s time for Carolina football. Okay, not everyone here dresses this way, but enough to remind you that this is football in the south. One thing is for certain – the gameday experience in Chapel Hill is one of the best.
No post-season? No problem. Probation hasn’t fazed North Carolina, and witnessing the wild white out that crowded Kenan Stadium, any casual observer would be hard pressed to find clues that this team has suffered a set-back by the NCAA. With the invasion of Virginia Tech and their fans, Chapel Hill was charged up with activity from Franklin Street to the Old Well and beyond. Fraternities spilled over with anticipation, fans climbed the famed bell tower and snapped pictures with Rameses, the band pounded out its pregame routine, and the crowd marched its way over to the stadium. Clearly, the NCAA crackdown wasn’t going to break the stride of gameday on this campus.
Continue reading “Game 198 – Virginia Tech @ North Carolina”
Visiting Western Kentucky raises several questions: What exactly is a Hilltopper? What is the significance of the wild red towels waving around campus? What on Earth is that big floppy red mascot? A visit to Bowling Green on a frenzied gameday will help to answer these questions, and more. Upon arrival to campus you may notice a that it rests on a large hill that rises above it’s surroundings. With Western being atop this 232 foot hill, Hilltoppers became a natural choice. Finding a mascot to depict a Hilltopper posed a greater challenge. In 1979, WKU grad Ralph Carey, created Big Red as a symbol of spirit for the university. Bearing a striking resemblance to many Sesame Street characters and Grimace from McDonalds, Big Red is a big furry loveable blob that has gained national attention and fame. Getting a photo with this mascot is a true honor.
Continue reading “WESTERN KENTUCKY: HOUCHENS INDUSTRIES – L. T. SMITH STADIUM”
Anticipation flooded the Western Kentucky campus for tonight’s matchup. A record crowd showed up for one of the biggest games to ever take place in Bowling Green, Kentucky. The Hilltoppers’ battle versus Southern Miss put rumps in the seats not only because of the name recognition that the Golden Eagles bring to Houchens Smith Stadium, but also because Western is coming off a monumental upset of their instate rival Kentucky. T-shirts documenting the 32-31 upset could already be-spotted all over campus.
Throngs of fans congested the walkway from the team buses to the stadium as they glued their eyes to the band, mascot, and Hilltopper team strolling their way to the stadium. Stunned by the overwhelming amount of fan support for this matchup, one man exclaimed, “This is the most crowded I’ve ever seen Western! This is crazy man!” What can be defined as crazy or crowded is truly relative. WKU’s website urged fans to come early to avoid traffic and secure a parking spot, but the level of activity seemed no different than most campuses on gameday. However, sellout crowds and massive pregame hype are not the norm in these parts yet, so the university is erring more on the side of caution.
There really was no need for worry as all the festivities flowed smoothly. Fans herded toward the stadium to watch the pregame honoring of Jack Harbaugh, former WKU head coach. Coach Harbaugh and his wife, Jackie, had the stadium club named after them during the ceremony and Jack looked up proudly at the jumbotron as his two NFL coaching sons, John and Jim, praised their father for his outstanding achievements at Western. All the excitement that preceded kickoff made this night one of the greatest in Hilltoppers football lore. The outcome of the game would only add to the good memories. With fireworks blasting and red towels waving, Western Kentucky never let up and gave Southern Miss more than they could handle. Score after score piled up, and the Golden Eagles could only wish the clock could have mercy on them. An impressive 42-17 victory by Western poured more respect into the Sun Belt conference, and gave the Hilltoppers back to back marquee wins. After big wins by Western and fellow conference member, Louisiana Monroe (over Arkansas), the new phrase “Fear the Belt” began to spread. For Western Kentucky, a team still brand new to the FBS level, their stock has risen and a new energy has topped the hills in Bowling Green.
Panic is defined by Wikipedia as “a sudden sensation of fear which is so strong as to dominate or prevent reason and logical thinking, replacing it with overwhelming feelings of anxiety and frantic agitation.” Coming off back to back Big Ten titles and Rose Bowl appearances, Wisconsin had little reason to panic. However, the Badgers started this season with a frightening near loss to FCS foe Northern Iowa, which Coach Bielema referred to as a lesson learned without the consequence of a loss. The lesson was not learned as the offense limped through a 10-7 upset loss to Oregon State the following week, dropping Wisconsin from the rankings. Last year’s offense could have scored on many NFL defenses, and this year, the endzone is as frequently visited as Mars. Perhaps reason and logical thinking were compromised as Bielema fired the offensive line coach in hopes to right the ship quickly. Utah State would be the first test.
Built up as the “Brain Bowl” or “S.A.T Bowl,” Vanderbilt and Northwestern is a budding rivalry that produced a rare September showdown between the SEC and Big Ten. Today would also mark the second annual College Football Tour Northwestern tailgate. Thirty of us gathered on a gorgeous day in Evanston – the kind of early autumn afternoon that still is clinging to summer with all its might. Whether by el train or car, our group converged on a spot not far from Ryan Field to toss the football, toss a few bean bags, and banter about our favorite teams and conference supremacy. For half of the Big Ten, today would be a B1G disaster on the gridiron. However, this game provided the conference something to gloat about. Fireworks lit up the evening sky as the Wildcats emerged from the tunnel ready to prove that their thrilling victory over Syracuse a week earlier was a harbinger for even greater action to come. The “N” on both the Northwestern helmets and at midfield were decorated in stars and stripes to honor 9/11. Honoring military and country has been a major point of emphasis at NU and they have executed this quite well.
“Go Green!” “Go White!” All throughout the campus on gameday, Spartan fans see-saw this chant back and forth. The echoes converge on Spartan Stadium where one half of the arena blasts “Go Green!” while the other responds with “Go White!” The cheer is simple, but piercing and at times, intimidating. Watch the Spartan band as they pound and march their way toward Spartan Stadium – Sparty leading the way. They pass the nearly 10 foot tall Sparty statue that has become an icon on campus and a famous place in the area to grab a photo opportunity.
Michigan State should get a lot of credit for scheduling Boise State, a well known giant killer, in the opening game of the year. The Broncos are without much of the talent that took them to such great heights over the past few years, but are known to still never be taken lightly. A packed Spartan Stadium filled with green and white except for a couple bright orange corners that vibrantly represented the visitors from Idaho.
Continue reading “Game 194: #24 Boise State @ #13 Michigan State”
October 22, 2011. An undefeated group of Badgers invade East Lansing with aspirations of a national championship in sight. Michigan State is still feeling short changed from defeating Wisconsin last year, yet still being shut out of the Rose Bowl due to three way tie breaker rules. The Badgers got the nod. On this marquis prime time matchup, the Spartans stun the visiting Badgers with a heart stopping Hail Mary pass that landed in the arms of a Spartan receiver as time expired. “Redemption” became the word plastered all over MSU tshirts and general conversation. I couldn’t help but think – well, what if these two teams meet again in the title game?
Continue reading “Game 193 – #10 Wisconsin vs. #17 Michigan State”
