Category: MWC

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Game 96: Colorado State @ Colorado

Every edge of every seat at Folsom Field would be worn thin by the conclusion of this heart-halting contest. For me, this game would complete a major first in my tour – watching two division one games in one day. Part one of the double header had Cal devouring Air Force in impressive fashion. Tonight’s game served up a heaping helping of hate as the green and gold and black and gold collided in every imaginable way. Flags staked in the ground bearing the CU emblem welcomed fans as they traveled up the Boulder Turnpike toward campus. The energy intensified as Boulder appeared framed breathtakingly against the Rockies. Tailgating and parking was as competitive as on the field action as fans crammed into the city and billows of smoke emanating from grills signaled the opening of a fresh season. Colorado students belted the fight song and interrupted themselves with harsh heckling of CSU fans that passed by. Dusk settled in and the stadium reverberated with anticipation.

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AIR FORCE – FALCON STADIUM

Air Force fans traveling along I-25 suddenly experience a traffic jam about two miles from the exit to Falcon Stadium.  The cause of the slow crawl becomes evident upon exiting as several military personnel guide cars down different pathways toward the game site.  Many security measures have been taken here and an escort by the Air Force is one of them.  Open spaces surround your journey to the stadium – all except for one large aircraft that greets you and points in the desired direction.

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Game 95: #13 California @ Air Force

September 4th would be a day of many firsts for me. Among those included my first Mountain West Conference game, my first time seeing California, and above all, my first double-header day. This game in Colorado Springs required early alarm bells as kick off commenced at ten in the morning. Following the Cal/Air Force contest, I would be driving up I-25 toward Boulder to be a spectator for the in-state hate fest between Colorado State and Colorado.

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Game 85: UNLV @ #14 Wisconsin

The whole novelty of seeing UNLV’s legendary head coach John Robinson wore off rather quickly on this particular Saturday afternoon. To begin, not one part of anyone’s clothing failed to stick due to the slow, but steady cloud leak that fell from the gray skies in Madison. Ponchos offered a flimsy defense against the rain, especially with the chilly breeze that made the drizzle feel like a monsoon. The Rebels, who are more accustomed to triple digit temperatures and bone dry air masses, appeared undaunted by the unpleasant weather. They probably could have played underwater and still managed to speed through this game.

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Game 75: Fresno State @ #25 Wisconsin

August kickoffs are becoming a standard in Madison. Two years ago, the Badgers experienced their first Thursday night game with a win over Western Michigan on August 31. Last year, Wisconsin participated in the Eddie Robinson Classic and defeated Virginia on August 25. This year, Badger fans cram Camp Randall to witness the earliest kickoff in school history in the John Thompson Foundation Classic.

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Game 67: #19 Fresno State @ #22 Wisconsin

September has barely been dented and the Bulldogs are being called a fairy tale story. With two impressive victories in their pockets over Colorado in Boulder and against defending Pac Ten co-champ Oregon State, they seemed to fit into Cinderella’s gown rather well. Fresno State head coach Pat Hill has glued the motto, “anyone, any time, any place” to his squad. Led by touted quarterback David Carr, the Bulldogs were aiming at carving another notch in their resume of monumental upsets. Badger fans were warned of Fresno State’s power, but a west coast team from a mid-major conference posed little threat to the Camp Randall crazies gathering in Madison.

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Game 63: Air Force @ #19 Notre Dame

Fans that venture to South Bend, Indiana and only watch the game are not real college football fans. Notre Dame is the capital of college football tradition. Walking the campus and visiting the symbols that represent this program are practically part of the ticket price. Prior to the game, we viewed the Golden Dome, Touchdown Jesus, the Grotto, a band concert on campus, and the Basilica of the Sacred Heart. It was at this chapel where the team gathers for prayer before going to battle on the gridiron. Our timing was impeccable because the team exited the basilica as we arrived. Led by head coach Bob Davie, the Fighting Irish walked through a tunnel of fans on their way to Notre Dame Stadium.

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Game 38: UNLV @ #14 Wisconsin

Call it a come from behind victory without the dramatics of the 1997 season. UNLV came in to Camp Randall Stadium wearing a Boise State outfit, but you can’t copy an original. Everyone (except the newly hazed freshmen) thought of last year’s dreadful game with Boise State when on Wisconsin’s opening drive, QB Mike Samuel had his pass intercepted at the line of scrimmage and returned half of the field for a touchdown. Against Boise State, the opening play was a fumble return TD for the Broncos and it took three quarters for the Badgers to recover.

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Game 29: Boise State @ Wisconsin

Boise State and I had one big thing in common when entering this game. We both were experiencing our first game at a higher level. For me, this was my first game as a student at UW-Madison. For Boise State, this was their first game playing a Division I-A team as a member of the same division. I suppose you could say that we were both freshmen. My brother, who got all of us tickets in the senior section, made that fact abundantly clear by chanting, “FRESHMAN!”, while pointing at me. My face turned a Badger red.

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