Author: Andrew

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Game 132: Citadel @ #7 Wisconsin

Appalachian State has sparked belief in the creampuffs of the nation that they have the power to upend any juggernaut on the top 25 slate. The Division I-AA Mountaineers shocked the #5 Michigan Wolverines in Ann Arbor two weeks ago leaving fans to believe that anything is possible. The Citadel, hailing from the same conference as Appalachian State, harbored similar aspirations entering Madison this past weekend. The #7 Wisconsin Badgers didn?t see the Bulldogs? bite coming. A 21-21 tie at halftime had the Camp Randall crowd booing the teams off the field.

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CENTRAL MICHIGAN – KELLY SHORTS STADIUM

Central Michigan University is an unexpected surprise hidden among the nothingness in the middle of Michigan. Driving into Mount Pleasant provides immediate clues that you have arrived onto a college campus. Folks decked in maroon and gold trickle around the area and it all flows toward Kelly Shorts Stadium where just outside awaits a massive party in preparation for game action. Live bands, loud music, dancing on trucks, and other common college behavior electrifies the area around the stadium. It’s a concentrated gaggle of young adults crammed together making it difficult to walk through and get to the stadium.

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Game 131: Toledo @ Central Michigan

Having just arrived from Ypsilanti and the yawner that transpired there, Mount Pleasant was a pleasant surprise. The drive toward the stadium offered more excitement than the entire game played down at Eastern Michigan. Enthusiasm dripped from all corners of the campus with the epicenter of the action being the stadium parking lot. Nothing could have prepared me for the wild college party that blanketed the area around Kelly Shorts Stadium. Kids dancing on cars, wall to wall bodies, live bands and college spirit absolutely drenched the surroundings. Central Michigan easily could have been confused for a major college team. We couldn’t wait to punch our ticket and pass through the gates.

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Game 130: Ball State @ Eastern Michigan

The entire state of Michigan focused their attention on the Michigan Wolverines and their response to the earth-shattering upset they endured a week earlier to the Appalachian State Mountaineers. If only the folks in Ypsilanti could care that much about their football team. Eastern Michigan University is only ten minutes from the University of Michigan, but they couldn’t be further apart in fan support and devotion. Attendance numbers for their home opener at Rynearson Stadium did not even surpass the 6,000 mark. The scene looked more like a spring game than a home opener. The highlight of the afternoon probably came at halftime when the 1987 California Bowl champion, Eastern Michigan Hurons, were honored on the field. Twenty years since Eastern’s last bowl game and the empty seats in the stands provided solid proof. As the game continued, it became clear that their streak of bowl absences would continue.

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Game 129: Washington State @ #7 Wisconsin

First game jitters were not a factor in the opener for the Badgers and Cougars. Both teams had every right to be anxious. Wisconsin held its highest preseason ranking in seven years and title talk has swept the state. Washington State had to play their opener over two thousand miles from home in a hostile environment. Yet, no nervousness could be detected as the Cougars silenced the 81,000+ partisans in Camp Randall Stadium with a solid opening march for a touchdown. Undaunted, the Badgers returned the favor on the next drive. The way these two teams fired out of the gate made them seem more like well oiled mid season machines.

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Game 128: Kentucky @ #19 Tennessee

An aura of relief filled Knoxville, Tennessee last weekend. The feeling stemmed from the knowledge the Volunteer football had returned to national prominence. Last year, Tennessee experienced a rare losing season with no bowl game. Now ranked in the top twenty, Vol fans colored the campus orange with the hope of finishing the season strong and improving their bowl status.

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Game 127: Army @ #6 Notre Dame

Army scored first and last, but Notre Dame walloped them in between. Led by Heisman hopeful, Brady Quinn, the Irish made senior day in South Bend a memorable experience for all who packed inside Notre Dame Stadium. The Black Knights had the intensity, but lacked the offense to keep up with the luck of the Irish. Notre Dame came pouring out of the famed tunnel in their rarely worn green jerseys. When the captains met at midfield, Brady Quinn received the largest ovation – one of many to come on this nippy November Saturday…

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Game 126: #1 Ohio State @ Northwestern

Northwestern probably wishes there was a “CNTL, ALT, DELETE” function on this football game. Is there any way we can start over? Perhaps they wish this could be granted for their entire season. With all the trouble the Wildcats have had this year, their matchup with #1 Ohio State would have to serve as their bowl game. With the top ranked team in the nation, all the national attention, and equal amount of fans from both sides, the atmosphere emoted a bowl-like feel. Actually, it felt more like Chicagoland’s personal Ohio Stadium. The gross amount of Buckeye fans drowned out the flecks of purple. The fair-weather nature of the Wildcats fans was purely embarrassing.

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Game 125: Kansas @ Iowa State

Getting back at Kansas should have been the driving force for Iowa State. Last season, the Jayhawks kept the Cyclones out of the Big 12 Championship game with a come-from-behind, overtime victory in Lawrence. For Iowa State, thoughts of revenge may have been clouded by the fact that their team has been suffering through a winless conference campaign in 2006. It quickly became evident that no amount of revenge, redemption, or fan support that shuffled into Jack Trice Stadium could lift the Cyclones toward victory…

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Game 124: #19 Oklahoma @ #23 Missouri

Missouri football has been on the cusp of many breakthrough moments and when placed in the national spotlight, their program crumbles. Carrying one of their best records in years, the Tigers welcomed traditional power, Oklahoma, to Memorial Stadium in Columbia. Again, opportunity knocked and Missouri had a good enough team that could answer the door and storm through. However, the Sooners’ agenda failed to coincide with Missouri’s plan and Oklahoma kept all hopes of a Missouri resurgence bolt-locked.

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