No team, no problem

    It is that time of year again. The sports sections of the newspapers are being filled with football and most college students probably had a great weekend because of it.
    College football rules  Saturdays, from Labor Day weekend through Thanksgiving, and, with over thirty bowl games, the postseason extends through the New Year.
 As GCSU students and football fanatics are well aware that the school’s football team, though undefeated, does not exist.
    That said, which teams do GCSU students cheer for? Surely everyone was pulling for the team from Boone, N.C., in one of the greatest upsets in all of college sports. A reference, of course, to Appalachian State University. It is a tiny school in the mountains of North Carolina, which went into Ann Arbor, Mich., and  dominated the No. 5 ranked Wolverines at “The Big House” in front of 110,000 fans.
    The most important game of the day took place in Blacksburg, Va., where the Hokies took the field for the first time since the shooting in April.
 “I’m a huge college football fan and furthermore, I’m a Virginia Tech fan,” said Senior Jason Maddox, a Community Assistant for The Village at West Campus. “Being born and raised in Virginia, I followed the tragic events of last April very closely. After four long months, it was good to see The Hokie Nation get to cheer on their team.”
    The abundance of red and black on campus suggests that most of the students are No. 11 University of Georgia fans. Many made the trip up Highway 441 for last Saturday’s home opener.
    Dustin Binns, a junior, psychology major, is a USC Trojans fan who traveled to Athens this weekend. Although he did not have tickets to the game, he was not dissapointed.
    “Even though I am not a UGA fan, I have respect for the atmosphere on game day, and the fans’ enthusiasm made me cheer for the ‘Dawgs – almost.”
    Georgia Tech,  the University of Auburn, The University of Alabama, and the University of Florida also kicked off their seasons in style, each posting big wins.
    Will these teams be well-represented on the GCSU campus this season?
    A few students were asked how their weekends played out, and answered in a variety of ways.
    “I went to the Florida vs. Western Kentucky (University) game, and it was awesome, even though it was really hot in The Swamp (the nickname for Florida’s home field). There were a surprising number of people there for a 12:30 game,” said Leigh Allen, a junior, business major. “I usually get to see Florida play about twice a year.”
    The defending national champion, the Gators, are currently ranked No. 5.
    Brad Quarte, a junior, accounting major, is an Auburn Tigers fan.
    “I don’t have the money or time to drive three hours and buy a ticket,” he said. “But I can still have a beer and watch the game here on TV.”
    Quarte certainly saw a great game, as the Tigers came from behind with two late touchdowns against Kansas State University. Though he is certainly more than just a casual fan, Quarte’s laid-back approach is popular among GCSU students, who have no team of their own to support, but still show a strong passion for college football.

Posted by Colonnade Archives on Sep 6 2007. Filed under Sports. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry