Goal: To thoroughly experience gameday at every FBS college football stadium. STADIUM COUNT: 113/134
A sold out Sun Bowl highlighted the anticipation for UTEP’s home opener against instate foe, North Texas. This is Coach Dana Dimel’s 5th year leading the Miners and expectations are soaring. The Mean Green come in with much to prove, as well. In many ways, this game was setting up to be a pickaxe in the road forcing the winner and loser on alternate paths.
Continue reading “Game 316: North Texas @ UTEP”
Two one-dimensional offenses clashed for a laborious slogfest. Both teams relied on their run games and stubborn defenses. Occasionally, a forward-pass page in the playbook would be dusted off. But, these teams knew their strengths and had no intent on entertaining the packed house in Madison. Every play had fans seeking a recline function on their seat backs.
Continue reading “Game 308: Army @ Wisconsin”
The shift from decaying Legion Field to the newly built Protective Stadium has reenergized a program that completely dropped football after 2014, only to have it reinstated two years later after a flurry of protests. The next four seasons saw a program notch two conference titles and build an impressive new stadium in the bustling Uptown district of Birmingham. Gamedays here are building new traditions while integrating everything that makes a college gameday special.
Continue reading “UAB – PROTECTIVE STADIUM”
Second time is a charm?
Certainly for UAB, this can be applied accurately.
Last week’s first game in the newly minted Protective Stadium resulted in a Blazer meltdown at the hands of Liberty. This week, the FAU Owls were much more accommodating house guests. UAB notched their first victory at their new home and posted their fourth victory on what looks to be a successful season ahead.
Temple’s campus rests on the north side of Philadelphia. They’ve been playing their home games in professional stadiums on the south end of town since 1978. Lincoln Financial Field is their current home, and a flurry of cherry and white descends upon “The Linc” on Temple gameday Saturdays converting the outskirts of the arena into a collegiate tailgating oasis.
Continue reading “TEMPLE – LINCOLN FINANCIAL FIELD”
The first home game of the season brought a nice crowd to Lincoln Financial Field for an anticipated duel against Boston College. Most of the fans were shuttled down students from the north campus and they brought the noise. Many other Temple faithful showed a more disgruntled side as they didn’t have to wait long for their Owls to crumble against the Eagles.
Continue reading “Game 305: Boston College @ Temple”
Tulsa may not be woven as tightly into the fabric of college football’s landscape like some Power 5 conference schools. Even in their own state, they often get eclipsed by the Oklahoma Sooners or Oklahoma State Cowboys. However, Tulsa is a city that should not be overlooked when it comes to building a fan base that exudes its own unique passion for the team and town.
Continue reading “TULSA – H.A. CHAPMAN STADIUM”
Tulsa is a better team than their under-.500 record suggests. This game against the back-to-back American Athletic Conference champion UCF Knights would be supporting evidence. UCF not only has dominated the conference the past two years, but also represented all “Group of Five” conferences in the 2018 Peach Bowl and 2019 Fiesta Bowl. Although the Knights already dented two notches in the loss column this season, they still represent the conference elite. A win over UCF would be groundshaking.
Continue reading “Game 297: UCF @ Tulsa”
Football in Boca Raton was born in 2001, but they already have a legend. Coach Howard Schnellenberger built this program from scratch, lifted it to FBS status, achieved two bowl appearances, and rightfully has a statue resting outside FAU Stadium. “Winning In Paradise” is the montra and the new expectation at Florida Atlantic.
Continue reading “Florida Atlantic – FAU STADIUM”
In the postgame press conference, Coach Lane Kiffin remarked that he would refrain from commenting on what he perceived as poor officiating in the game. You could tell he really wanted to. He did speak hyperbolically in mentioning that it took the refs ‘5 hours’ to discuss calls. He said he didn’t think he could get fined for that. In the end, his frustration with the loss robbed the best of him, and he tweeted a photo the next day of referees with blind canes and guide dogs. He was fined $5000.
Continue reading “Game 293: Marshall @ FAU”