5 Things Every Student At A Non-Football School Can Relate To
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5 Things Every Student At A Non-Football School Can Relate To

What's Tailgate Season?

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5 Things Every Student At A Non-Football School Can Relate To
Maura Bonini

Growing up, I went to Stanford University’s football games and saw the tailgates, crowds, and student section and thought that was what college was all about. Little did seven-year-old Molly know, not all schools are football schools, and that’s okay. As a student at Villanova University, I have learned what it’s like to experience football season at a non-football school and I thought I’d share what football season is like for those of us on the outside. So, without further ado, here are five things anyone who doesn't go to a football school can totally relate to.

1. Tailgate Season Doesn't Exist

We've all seen them--those wild Snap Stories and Instagram pics with the caption "Tailgate Szn". While these posts still exist at our schools, they are lies. Our attempts to tailgate are sad, to say the least. Last year, for our homecoming game, t-shirts were made that read, "We pregame harder than you party" and I honestly laughed. So while we watch our friends at Penn State, Notre Dame, and Temple live it up at their tailgates, we go to a small parking lot with a few cars just long enough to snag a cute picture to put a false caption on, hoping that Public Safety doesn't decide it's "too rowdy" and shut it down.

2. No One Knows Who the Football Players Are

When I talk to my friends from the bigger football schools about their classes, they almost always mention if they have a football player in their class. From what it sounds like, those athletes are celebrities on campus. Can't relate. I do not think I could name a single football player off of Villanova's roster, let alone if any are in my classes. Now, throw a basketball player my way and it's a different story...

3. Come Game Day, the Stands are Empty

As part of the Villanova Band, I went to every home football game last season and all the games so far this season. To say that the bleachers of our 12,500 seated stadium (compare to Michigan's that holds over 100,000 people or Notre Dame's at over 80,000 capacity) are a quarter filled is generous. Even at the bigger games during Family Weekend and Homecoming, stands are pretty empty come the second half.

4. The Record of the Football Team Is Irrelevant

Last weekend, Villanova football faced off Lafayette and won 59-0. Yes, you read that correctly. Fifty-nine. To zero. That was on Saturday evening. Come Sunday, I went around asking people if they went to the game and most said no (see #3) then asked me if I had gone, as any polite person would do. Every time, without fail, when I told whoever had asked that I had gone, they did a sort of nod or a quick "cool" was uttered and that was that. No one asked who won. Not. A. Single. Person. Why? Because no one cares. This stinks for our football team, but that's the way it is.

5. If We Do Go to the Games, We Have Zero Spirit

Villanova played Temple a few weeks ago at Temple's home turf at the Lincoln Financial Field. I went to that game to support the Wildcats, and let me tell you, a small non-football school like Villanova going up against a school like Temple that lives and breathes the sport is a time! All the Temple fans had a huge tailgate (see #1) and were chanting, "T for Temple U U-ni-versity! Fight, fight, fight! For the Cherry and the White!" They had hand motions that went with the fight song and everything. I was extremely overwhelmed, as I could confidently sing the first three words of our fight song, which are "V for Villanova" and that would pretty much be it.Once the game started, the Villanovans who had braved to come to the game were nowhere to be seen in the stands (see #3), as they went for the sad excuse for a tailgate to take the picture and left. The Temple student section, on the other hand, was packed and had coordinated cheers. When Temple Owls saw me in my Villanova gear, they would pick fights and yell profanities at me and my friends. The best part? We had no desire to fight back. We didn't care because, let's be real, it's only football season. Come talk to us during basketball.


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This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
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