Goal: To thoroughly experience gameday at every FBS college football stadium. STADIUM COUNT: 113/134
A slow start for James Madison turned into an explosive day for quarterback Jordan McCloud who threw for a career high 457-yards and led the Dukes to a 44-6 flattening of Connecticut. Purple and gold streamers colored the skies above Bridgeforth Stadium especially in the second half as JMU outscored the Huskies 31-3. The Dukes moved to 10-0, but a bigger fight lies ahead.
Continue reading “Game #346: UConn @ #21 James Madison”
Boone, North Carolina is set within the Blue Ridge Mountains which embrace the picturesque Appalachian State University. Few settings can rival the rolling peaks and rising bluffs that beautify Boone. It’s no wonder they are the Mountaineers – a geographically fitting name that equally embodies the spirit at App. The raucous fanbase that crowds Kidd Brewer Stadium on gamedays showcases this fervor for the black and gold.
Continue reading “APPALACHIAN STATE – KIDD BREWER STADIUM”
Homecoming in Boone featured unseasonably warm temperatures and clear skies. The Blue Ridge Mountains often receive varied forecasts, so an appreciative App State crowd arrived in Boone ready to party. Southern Miss strode into Kidd Brewer Stadium playing the underdog role and hopeful spoiler of the Mountaineer festivities.
Continue reading “Game #344: Southern Miss @ App State”
Founded in 1946, Charlotte was originally the Charlotte Center of the University of North Carolina. Its purpose was to serve the academic needs of veterans returning from World War II. In 1949, schools of this nature were closing, but the university’s founder, Bonnie E. Cone, fought to keep it open. Her valiant fight was successful and in honor of the year 1949, the University adopted the 49ers nickname. Today, Charlotte continues to grow, and their football program is the epicenter of that evidence.
Continue reading “CHARLOTTE – JERRY RICHARDSON STADIUM”
This game had a must-win feel to it for Charlotte. Coming in with just two victories, the 49ers couldn’t afford many more losses before facing bowl ineligibility. Florida Atlantic couldn’t give away wins either. Seeking the postseason, both teams were set to clash on this Friday night of Halloween weekend.
Continue reading “Game #343: FAU @ Charlotte”
Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium becomes a “ZOU” on gamedays. Throngs of fans extend the perimeter of its walls with black and gold. Tailgates are adorned with tiger stripes and tails. The atmosphere flickers with festivity while passersby greet each other with an “M-I-Z!” call and a “Z-O-U response. A towering statue of Don Faurot welcomes fans into the stadium where the field bears his name. Faurot coached at Missouri and left a great legacy during the mid 1900s. He would be proud of how Mizzou continues to grow as a college football hotspot.
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Missouri and South Carolina – the annual battle to determine which is the better Columbia. The top 20 Tigers have the record and ranking as evidence that Mizzou is the 2023 title holder of this unofficial contest. But, that didn’t stop several fans to collaborate and paint letters that spell out “MIZ – BETTER COLUMBIA” on their chests. It’s a young rivalry, but already has a celebrated trophy – The Mayor’s Cup. The mayor of the winning Columbia awards the prize.
Continue reading “Game #342: South Carolina @ #20 Missouri”
Torrents of rain crept into West Point canceling much of the pregame pomp that traditionally precedes kickoff. But, soggy turf and slick stands didn’t keep the sizable crowd from filling Michie Stadium for Boston College’s visit to Army. Even though favored to win, the Black Knights would require a formidable effort against the scrappy Eagles.
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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 it 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 no longer The Big Ten’s little brother.
Continue reading “NORTHWESTERN – RYAN FIELD”
A summer of tumult in Evanston set the football program on shaky ground. Hazing allegations resulted in the ousting of legendary head coach, Pat Fitzgerald and the hiring of interim coach, David Braun. However, the Wildcats have already exceeded expectations. After suffering a 12-game losing streak, Northwestern has notched impressive victories over UTEP and Minnesota. But, highly ranked Penn State stood as a formidable obstacle on this Saturday.
Continue reading “Game #339: #9 Penn State @ Northwestern”