Is your school a football school?

[Pard94]

For years Lafayette was considered a football school. Then, when the foolish admin pulled the rug out from under the program by "exploring" DIII, coupled with a number of strong years from the Basket Ball team, things changed for a while. I think the pendulum is swinging back to its rightful place now.

How bout your schools? Is football the top attraction? I know Villanova takes a distant back seat to their BB team (as well as Georgetown). I suspect some of the northern teams might even bow to hockey.

Lehigh's football team is second only to their square dancing squad (sorry, couldn't help myself). ;)

[MR. CHICKEN]

DOY!.........:nod................................. ..BRAWK!

[GannonFan]

Delaware couldn't be any more of a football school than it is - everything else takes a distant backseat to the football program. An autumn in Newark wouldn't be complete without a large tailgate party followed by a likely UD win on the gridiron, followed by another large tailgate party. I'm not sure we play a lot of other sports - I'll have to check! ;)

[grizbeer]

Montana has traditionally been a football school, but for about 20 years from the early 70's to early 90's was more of a basketball school. Back in the 80's Washington was going to Oregon for a big Pac 10 match up and a reporter asked Detlef Schremph if he was worried about the crowd. Detlef said he had already played in Missoula, he wasn't worried about anything anymore.

Montana's women's basketball team is also one of the best supported in the nation.

[Pen Guin]

http://www.joebocko.com/Frank/pics/al___football_4.jpg

You mean there are men's college sports other than football? Since when?

[LBPop]

I know Villanova takes a distant back seat to their BB team (as well as Georgetown). I suspect some of the northern teams might even bow to hockey.



You know, until Big John (Thompson II) showed up, I do not recall basketball being such a big deal at Georgetown. While Patriot League football will never really compete with Big East basketball, with some success the football team could develop kind of a cult following. I can tell you the players are popular on campus. If they can hang up a few wins, they can become popular on the field as well.

[Tribe4SF]

W&M is definitely a football school, although Xcountry, soccer(men's and women's), men's gymnastics and women's tennis are perennial top 25 teams.

[blur2005]

I would say JMU is becoming a football school, considering the success of the team this past season. What has also caused this development is the awful decline of its once-proud basketball program. Where has the "Electric Zoo" gone, I ask you? It's certainly not at the Convo anymore.

[Retro]

http://www.retro-sports.com/images/productlineitem/1611006885.JPG

[Eaglegus2]

Georgia Southern is definitely a football school.

Saying that, baseball & basketball is very popular. The golf team is nationally ranked.

The volleyball team has played in the NCAA's.

I am proud to say that GSU may be a football school, but we have other sports that draw national attention.

[Ivytalk]

Harvard's most noteworthy student athletic trend is apathy!

Actually, we have 41 varsity sports -- more than any other school -- and have been very competitive in football, ice hockey (men's and women's), women's basketball, baseball and swimming. I think FB and men's hockey have the largest followings.

[colgate13]

If football is a 10 at Colgate (and it is), hockey is a 9. We're a football school that really likes it's hockey. For the record, using that ranking, Basketball is a 4.

[Hansel]

Football School

[ISUMatt]

We are a basketbal school I guess, definetely not football!!!

[Sly Fox]

In general, Liberty has traditionally been a football school. But basketball success in recent years has put that distinction in some question. Even a Sweet 16 trip by womens hoops hasn't helped that program draw big crowds on campus.

[rcny46]

New hampshire is definitely not a football school.It's about as far away from being a football school as you can get.Last season prior to the game with Montana,a couple of students decided to promote the use of a wide screen TV in the student union building..12 people showed up,and one of the students,a junior,admitted to having never attended a game,while the second one had been to one.Hockey is king here.Hopefully,last season's success will help to change things.

[RichH]

lehigh traditionally a wrestling school with everything other than beer being a distant second. Now football , mens and womens Bball, softball ,baseball, soccer and lacrosse all very successful . but wrestling still #1

[Umass74]

UMass is definitely a basketball school. There are about 25 basketball posts on our board for every football post.

However most of those posts are basketball "fans" flaming each other...

[UNH_Alum_In_CT]

Not going to dispute rcny46's assessment, UNH is most definitely an ice hockey school. Just going to add a little historical perspective.

Until about 1995, I would have put football on just about equal footing with hockey. Football probably drew nearly as many people in 5-6 games as hockey did in their 12-15 games. But when the new hockey facility opened increasing capacity by I think 3K or so, hockey took off and the team started becoming a regular in the NCAA Tournament and made multiple Frozen Four appearances. At the same time, the football fortunes slipped as the A-10 became more competitive and decisions were made that hurt football (tailgating restrictions, dropping of Baseball, LAX and Wrestling, etc.). Only time will tell if last year's success will continue and how much that increases football's following. Unless hockey slips I don't ever see football becoming a near equal to hockey at UNH.

[Cocky]

We are more football than anything, but as my old tagline suggested we have been good in several sports. We have NCs in football, basketball, baseball, and gymnastics. We are have runner ups in football, baseball, and rifle. Most were in the D2 level.

[galojay]

UMass is definitely a basketball school. There are about 25 basketball posts on our board for every football post.

However most of those posts are basketball "fans" flaming each other...


Don't worry, with Travis Ford as your basketball coach, your football should gain some ground!


WKU is definitely a Basketball school.

[mineral griz]

Of course.................Unless you go to MOOOOOOOOOOOU in Bozeman

[89rabbit]

Basketball school.

[TheValleyRaider]

If football is a 10 at Colgate (and it is), hockey is a 9. We're a football school that really likes it's hockey. For the record, using that ranking, Basketball is a 4.

I wouldn't rank hockey below football at Colgate. You're easily going to get more students to show up at the hockey games. The 2003 team made football more of a topic of conversation, but I'd say hockey is at least the same, if not higher up, than football, especially the weekend of the Cornell games. Of course, general student apathy hurts them all.

[thirdgendin]

Furman is definitely a football school. We're very successful in a number of other sports as well (M+W soccer, M+W golf, M+W tennis), but football rules. Basketball used to draw great fan support, but we have a terrible arena with a decade plus of losing.

[Grizo406]

I'm gonna' go out on a limb here and say that there are some people that think The University of Montana is a football school, including myself. It wasn't always that way as grizbeer pointed out in his post, but it sure looks like it is now.

At the beginning of September there is magic in the air in and around Missoula, and I can't help but think that that magic is produced by nothing more than the anticipation brought on by the start of Grizzly Football. So I'd say yes, once again, we are a football school. :)

[wkuhillhound]

Western Kentucky couldn't be anything other than a basketball school. 19 NCAA appearances and 1 Final Four proves their worth. The women's basketball is not as strong but has a stronger history in terms of Sun Belt Championships (7) and Final Four appearances (2).

[blackfordpu]

Sam Houston has gone back and forth over the past few years. With the success of the football team in the early 90's and since 2000 the football program and its followers have grown.

Same goes with the basketball team. Since 2000 the basketball team has done well and the student body and alumni have come to expect great things from the basketball program. Especially since they made the NCAA tournament in 2003 and had a great season in 2004.

[bulldog10jw]

Since Walter Camp of Yale practically invented football. Of course.

[Go Lehigh TU owl]

but wrestling still #1

Having never attended Lehigh and looking in from just a fan perspective i would say that is debatable. I would have said before 1998 that, that was 100% certain. However since the PL's inclusion in the 1-AA playoffs i actually think football has taken over. The success of the football program over the last 7 years and the abilitly to compete at the highest level in it's NCAA division i think has really pushed football. Wrestling prior to that was the only 1st tier or 2nd tier sport at Lehigh that held national prominance. The best the football team could do prior to '97 was win the league and beat Lafayette. An undefeated season would have resulted in an irrelavent Top 25 finish that no one would have took notice to. Even if someone saw it, they most likely wouldn't have recognized or cared about 90% of the teams also ranked. However that has all changed and people follow Lehigh football 365 days a year. Fans analyze recruiting classes and worry about coaching changes. Those things never occurred in the past, in fact if coaches other than the HC came and went it probably wouldn't be noticed until the first game. I think Lembo now has more pressure on him than Stoble does. There's more irritability i believe among Lehigh sports fans when the football teams goes 8-4 and loses to Lafayette compared to if the wresting team finish's outside of the top 20. To me Lehigh-Lafayette alone carries more weight than any wrestling match Lehigh ever has If you ask some alums would they prefer football lose to Lafayette and wrestling win the team national title they might pause for a second. I know a couple current students at Lehigh, both sports guys, and they say football is pretty big. Student turnout is hit or miss, but they do show up and come in to the game, not tailgate and leave, for big games.This is just a view from a-far.

[ngineer]

That was nice view from afar, TU. IMO not far off the mark. Here's a view from 'in close'. Lehigh has a storied past in both sports. Wrestling has long been most successful and nationally prominent; whereas the football program has had some major peaks and valleys;wrestling has had only one lull in the early '90's when the lack of athletic scholarships caught up with the program. Once, schollies were institutied, the program is now stronger than ever, also due to a tremendous HC, Greg Strobel. Lehigh's all-time record is 746-351-21 and ranks 5th all-time in the number of National Champions (26).
Football has had it's longest sustained run of overall success for the last 35 years.(yes, there were a few years in the mid-80's and to mid-90's where the records were just 'mediocre', but when compared to some of Lehigh's horrific runs back in the 1930's, 40's and 60's, at least they were still competitive). Frequent appearances in D-II playoffs, an NCAA Championship,and competitiveness at the I-AA level have maintained a sustained interest in the program. We expect to win, now. When I started in 1970, a 6-5 season was viewed with jubilation. Wrestling expects to be in the top 10 every year, with the 'Big Boys'. Certainly football puts more people in the seats--although one could argue that a couple thousand more tickets could have been sold last year for the Okie State match (gym only holds 5800).Wrestling ranks in the top five, nationally, every year in attendance. Both program have strong booster clubs--wrestling's now has over 1,000 dues paying members (maybe the largest in the country), and football is close.
Due to not "knowing the sport", the great majority of undergrads gravitate to football over wrestling-especially from the female perspective. But at Lehigh, if a team is doing well, and needs support for the 'big game' a good number of students will show up. A school of about 4500 undergrads that averages attendance in the 10-11,000 range is certainly a football school. At the same time, all the wrestling matches are virtually sold out. Conclusion--
At present, I'd say it's a dead heat in terms of interest. Historically, wrestling is #1 and football 1A. IF Lehigh could get to the next, and final level in football, then, that could reverse.

[smarterray]

UC Davis is more of a study-all-day-at-the-library school than a hardcore football school, I'd say. However, I think football is probably the largest draw when the kids finally get tired of their organic chemistry books.

[OrneryAggie]

Considering our football team hasn't had a losing season in 35 years and our Cal Aggie Marching Band-Uh! hasn't missed a football game, home or away, in 75 years I'd say football is definitely a priority at UC Davis.

[Husky Alum]

Northeastern is most definitely NOT a football school. I'd have to say we're known more for men's ice hockey, men's basketball, men's crew, and field hockey than anything.

Without an on campus facility, this isn't likely to change. Hopefully the on campus facility will be built in the next 3-4 years to capture some of the student momentum shown recently for hoops and hockey.

That being said, student attendance at football games did increase significantly in 2004.

[polsongrizz]

I'm gonna' go out on a limb here and say that there are some people that think The University of Montana is a football school, including myself. It wasn't always that way as grizbeer pointed out in his post, but it sure looks like it is now.

At the beginning of September there is magic in the air in and around Missoula, and I can't help but think that that magic is produced by nothing more than the anticipation brought on by the start of Grizzly Football. So I'd say yes, once again, we are a football school. :)
And you and me showing up so all can revel in our glory... :D

[polsongrizz]

I think you could also add our Womens Soccer team to the mix. They have the unfortunate problem of playing alot of their games on football days. I go watch them whenever the opportunity presents itself.

[Pantherpower]

UNI has traditionally been a Football school. However, with back to back NCAA Tournament appearances in Men's Basketball, we are stirring up a considerable following there as well. If the Football team has a season like I think they will, UNI will maintain it's rep as a Football school. Really looking forward to the season!! xprost2x

[colgate13]

I wouldn't rank hockey below football at Colgate. You're easily going to get more students to show up at the hockey games. The 2003 team made football more of a topic of conversation, but I'd say hockey is at least the same, if not higher up, than football, especially the weekend of the Cornell games. Of course, general student apathy hurts them all.

You're still at 'gate right? That maybe the view now on campus but hockey hasn't always been as big as it's been the past few years. We had a great run in 1990 and then after Slater passed away we hit a lull that Andy McDonald finally got us out of. We had some great players in the 90s but attendance was not as great as it's been lately.

Hockey is certainly neck and neck with football, I just think that if hockey were #1 we'd draw more fans than we do for games.

[TheValleyRaider]

You're still at 'gate right? That maybe the view now on campus but hockey hasn't always been as big as it's been the past few years. We had a great run in 1990 and then after Slater passed away we hit a lull that Andy McDonald finally got us out of. We had some great players in the 90s but attendance was not as great as it's been lately.

Hockey is certainly neck and neck with football, I just think that if hockey were #1 we'd draw more fans than we do for games.

Got 2 years still to go in Hamilton. For the time I've been here, the students do turn out with some regularity for hockey. The only problem is that they don't show up until midway through the 2nd period, except of course for Cornell. Honestly, I can't see many students at the football games compared to hockey, but that may be because of where I sit/stand at both games. For me at least, it seems to be easier to get people's attention with the hockey games, probably because they're at night, and therefore a good way to lead into other weekend activites. Also, I get the feeling that the OT win over Cornell two years ago really made an impact on students, especially juniors and seniors from this past year, making the games a little more desirable.

OTOH, it'd probably be more honest to say students are fairly apathetic about the games going on, and the majority of crowds at games are alumni/parents/townsfolk.

[ngineer]

UNI has traditionally been a Football school. However, with back to back NCAA Tournament appearances in Men's Basketball, we are stirring up a considerable following there as well. If the Football team has a season like I think they will, UNI will maintain it's rep as a Football school. Really looking forward to the season!! xprost2x

Actually, I always thought of wrestling, first, whenever I heard of UNI years ago. Seems like you're always a perennial power...

[Pantherpower]

No question UNI has a storied history in wrestling, much like Lehigh's. Women's Volleyball is nearly always ranked as well. I was simply comparing the two "major" sports found at most universities in Football and Basketball.

[Lapper]

Coastal has become one, but we are good at everything else too. :cool:

[SoCon48]

Hell, Presbyterian would look good at everything in the Big South.

[ccujacket]

Hell, Presbyterian would look good at everything in the Big South.
Blah, blah, blah. Maybe Appy will be ranked in the top 25 in something, someday.

[kats89]

Sam Houston has gone back and forth over the past few years. With the success of the football team in the early 90's and since 2000 the football program and its followers have grown.

Same goes with the basketball team. Since 2000 the basketball team has done well and the student body and alumni have come to expect great things from the basketball program. Especially since they made the NCAA tournament in 2003 and had a great season in 2004.


Man what are you talking about. Sam Houston's main sport is football. I mean, look where we are located. Football is king in the State of Texas. Are you xprost2x

[blackfordpu]

Man what are you talking about. Sam Houston's main sport is football. I mean, look where we are located. Football is king in the State of Texas. Are you xprost2x

I know that but with the success of the Basketball team over the past few years it has become a big part of the sports program at Sam.

Yes, football is the main sport but basketball is on the rise. :)

[Fordham]

Hoops.

:(

[813Jag]

we've had good football teams but I personally think that we're a baseball school.

[UMgrizzlies]

Montana has traditionally been a football school, but for about 20 years from the early 70's to early 90's was more of a basketball school. Back in the 80's Washington was going to Oregon for a big Pac 10 match up and a reporter asked Detlef Schremph if he was worried about the crowd. Detlef said he had already played in Missoula, he wasn't worried about anything anymore.

Montana's women's basketball team is also one of the best supported in the nation.

I would tend to agree with you, but I have to say that Montana is starting to become a football based school now.

[UMgrizzlies]

Although we have a very good team and a great coach, we are most definitely NOT a football school. The mission of Hampton University will always be education and academics.

Well, of course athletics are the main focus ;) , but what sport takes center stage at HU? Living in the area, I'd have to say football.

Tribe 42, Hampton 35

[Lapper]

Hell, Presbyterian would look good at everything in the Big South.

Where has ASU EVER been #1 in a NCAA regional? Please...take your time.... :cool: I didn't think so. ASU doesn't have an athletic program, only a football program who has never won the NC :confused: . Hopefully this new AD can change that, but I doubt it.

As for PC looking good in the Big South, by the time they get in we will already be upstaging ASU in the SoCon. We do anyway already. :cool:

[MR. CHICKEN]

IS YOUR SCHOOL A FOOTBALL SCHOOL?..............NO DUH!......:boring:........AWK!

[Nyghtewynd]

Football? No chance. Basketball, both genders.

[wkuhillhound]

Football? No chance. Basketball, both genders.

Congratulations on winning the Women's NIT Championship!!!

[Ronbo]

Montana was a Basketball school with very good attendance every season till the early 90's. The football program was so-so till 1986 when the new stadium was built. Then attendance for football started to grow, we started landing better recruits, the administration discovered the football cash cow. Basketball has since taken a distant back seat, although our women's team takes the Big Sky almost every year and averages almost 4000 a game, they outdraw the men. The men used to average 6000, not any more.

[polsongrizz]

Actually, my point was ACADEMICS was the main focus. You live in Hampton Roads. Good. I am a fifth generation Hamptonian, I think I know a little more about my school than you do, wherever you live.
Getting a little touchy are we...The question wasn't if academics are important but "Is your school a football school"?

[Lapper]

IS YOUR SCHOOL A FOOTBALL SCHOOL?..............NO DUH!......:boring:........AWK!

Sorry Mrs. Chicken = Yes...my school is a football school....too.
AND #1 in Tempe baseball regional AND tied for 4th after first round in the NCAA's Golf National Championship. Soon to be in the NCAA Basketball Tourny as well. :cool:

[MR. CHICKEN]

YEAH.......AND?.........:eyebrow:................. ....SQWAK!

[McNeeserocket]

For years Lafayette was considered a football school. Then, when the foolish admin pulled the rug out from under the program by "exploring" DIII, coupled with a number of strong years from the Basket Ball team, things changed for a while. I think the pendulum is swinging back to its rightful place now.

How bout your schools? Is football the top attraction? I know Villanova takes a distant back seat to their BB team (as well as Georgetown). I suspect some of the northern teams might even bow to hockey.

Lehigh's football team is second only to their square dancing squad (sorry, couldn't help myself). ;)
McNeese State is a football school. Yes, we have other sports, but for the life of me I don't know why! Just kidding on other sports, but McNeese's bread and butter is football. We have a good fan base at home and away. We tailagate at home and away (sometimes our tailgaters out numbered the home team's tailgaters). Football, Food and Beer are all sports right? Those are our 3 big sports!

[WYOBISONMAN]

FOOTBALL............FOOTBALL.............FOOTBALL. .........

Did I say FOOTBALL??

[justballn21]

Holy Cross use to have a tradition of great football, going undefeated in 1990 and 1991 and sporting a heisman candidate in Gordie Lauchbaum. As of late the football program has been GREATLY overshadowed by its now prestigious basketball program, who recently beat Notre Dame in the NIT. But I think we're gonna make a comeback, following the HUGE recruiting lass of 40 freshmen this year.

[txstman]

Texas State is a football school. Too bad they havn't had much success. But that is all changing and they should be at the top of the Southland race for years to come if they are able to keep Coach Bailiff around.

[leatherneck177]

Without a doubt. WIU has long been a football school. Our basketball team is in the Mid Continent Conference and is steadily improving, our women's softball program is pretty respectable too, and our bowling team is annually a contender for the National Championship.
Bottom line is that WIU focuses on football, which is just fine with me.