Which school's football atmosphere worries you when you visit?

[The Cats]

I saw this question on twitter, and thought it would be a good one for discussion on AGS....


What atmosphere in your conference worries you the most when your team visits?

[katss07]

Was Southeastern Louisiana for us.

[DFW HOYA]

I saw this question on twitter, and thought it would be a good one for discussion on AGS....
What atmosphere in your conference worries you the most when your team visits?

Can you explain "worries you the most": intimidated, impressed, or disappointed? A Pac 12 fan traveling to Pullman may be worried, and not in a good way.

[The Cats]

Can you explain "worries you the most": intimidated, impressed, or disappointed? A Pac 12 fan traveling to Pullman may be worried, and not in a good way.

: intimidated, - sorry if it wasn't clear to everyone...

[The Cats]

: intimidated, - sorry if it wasn't clear to everyone...

I think the best example from the Southern Conference was from a team that moved up... Georgia Southern. Their fans were intent on being intimidating, and the GSU student section (which was always filled to capacity) was right behind the visiting team, and the visiting fans were seated next to them and they did their best to intimidate the visiting fans was well. Some very rude and nasty fans back in their FCS days, and I'm sure it's only gotten worse with their move up.

They were so bad, that during FCS playoff games in Paulson stadium, they were required to rope off of the first five or six rows closest to the visiting team.

[DFW HOYA]

: intimidated, - sorry if it wasn't clear to everyone...

Patriot League? Well, none of them.

[Bisonoline]

South Dakota State

Vehicle and tailgate vandalism. Certain elements are always looking to start a fight on the walk to the game. Same at after game bars..

[KPSUL]

Some of the JMU fans tried to be intimidating, but the keyword is "tried". Their student section extended to right behind the visiting team's bench also. Their sound system played too loud. and they didn't always get it shut down before the opponents snapped the ball. Sometimes they would throw those obnoxious purple and yellow party streamers on, or even at, visiting fans. I was at a JMU @ Richmond game which was a battle for 1st in the CAA. The gentile Richmond folks on one side of me, the rowdy and somewhat obnoxious JMU faithfull on the other. It was Virginia's version of the Catholics vs the Convicts.

JMU hated playing at UNH, and they never had many fans when playing us in the Granite State.

UNH used to be the least favorite place for CAA teams to play. The student section was in an endzone and it got rowdy with a lot of insults and profanity emanating forth. The visitors locker room was legendary for cold water, poor drainage, poor HVAC and cramped conditions. The place has mellowed out somewhat with the comfortable new visitor's side. But I should let other CAA fans address how welcome they've felt at UNH.

[Laker]

I've been to 75 different college game venues (not counting bowl games, or neutral sites for tournaments) other than Ridgewater where I played football, Minnesota State where I transferred to, and the Gophers in my home state. Can't say that I've ever felt in danger. One a-hole about my age was with another man and who I assumed were their wives (on the other hand, maybe they were hookers because he would have had to pay a woman to be with him) who asked from a distance when the hell I was going back home before a football game at Northwestern. I told him after we won. We did. After the Gophers won the BIG in MBB in 1997 some people hurled a few insults, nothing major. Walking around before a game in the tailgate area at Ohio State two HUGE guys asked how bad our asses were going to get kicked. I said it didn't matter as long as they beat Michigan. Magic words. I and my much smaller lawyer friend were invited in for food and drink. When they got ready to head into the stadium, one said, "You walk with us- no one with bother you. Some of our fans are assholes." We were safe with them.

On the other hand, I could write pages and pages of how well I've been treated, even at those same places. At Northwestern MBB I was pushing a wheelchair through the snow- they knew we were coming and had courtside seats for us. Couldn't have been nicer. At Michigan I talked to people congratulating me for my team winning the title. At Ohio State at a MBB a dentist sitting next to me bought my concessions- his treat!

I've had Maverick fans that just plain embarrassed me and I've pointed them out to the ushers and administrators. No reason to be a dink. Everywhere has good people, everywhere has bad. Sometimes you are lucky, sometimes you are unlucky.

PS- I've been to UNI, UND, NDSU, UST, USD, SDSU plus Omaha. No problems at any of those.

[bonarae]

For the Ivies: you have to see the in-game student protests disturbing the peace at football games... xsmhx xsighx

[Laker]

For the Ivies: you have to see the in-game student protests disturbing the peace at football games... xsmhx xsighx

I was listening to the radio on my way home from a game when they described the protest at the Harvard-Yale? game that determined the championship when the idiots came down on the field at halftime. I wanted to puke. I can't even remember what they were protesting but I bet they don't either!

[Go Lehigh TU owl]

Delaware 15-20 years was pretty hostile, even nasty towards the opposition's fans; especially those from Lehigh. However, that is loooong gone. I can't think of a single hostile environment, or one that is even close, in the Northeast anymore.

[bulldog10jw]

For the Ivies only the Harvard-Yale game draws enough fans to even have an atmosphere. And it is certainly nothing to worry about.

[Tribe4SF]

In the current CAA the most unwelcoming fans are definitely Stony Brook. Understandable though since they have to be on Long Island. I'd be pissed too!

Delaware fans, even in their days of big crowds, just wanted you to give it back to them. Once you did you were welcomed with open arms and another raspberry!

UNH students (at homecoming in particular) are pretty obnoxious. They're harmless though and most don't even know there's a football game going on.

JMU fans could be pretty bad at times. My favorite interaction there happened around 2000 when their students were just discovering football. I walked out under the visitor side stands at halftime and about six students were coming in the same tunnel. Band playing and lots of noise. JMU coed (clearly inebriated) in her best Valley-Girl voice takes in the scene and proclaims... "Wow! Look at our school! We've got like spirit!".

[caribbeanhen]

In the current CAA the most unwelcoming fans are definitely Stony Brook. Understandable though since they have to be on Long Island. I'd be pissed too!

Delaware fans, even in their days of big crowds, just wanted you to give it back to them. Once you did you were welcomed with open arms and another raspberry!

UNH students (at homecoming in particular) are pretty obnoxious. They're harmless though and most don't even know there's a football game going on.

JMU fans could be pretty bad at times. My favorite interaction there happened around 2000 when their students were just discovering football. I walked out under the visitor side stands at halftime and about six students were coming in the same tunnel. Band playing and lots of noise. JMU coed (clearly inebriated) in her best Valley-Girl voice takes in the scene and proclaims... "Wow! Look at our school! We've got like spirit!".

Probably the most accurate summary you will read on the CAA thread all year especially the Stony Brook one, Long Island is the Amityville horror of a place

Go ahead with the rest of the league

Ive got one

Monmouth fans are definitely one sided

[FUBeAR]

As a Player - did not feel safe from the drunken fans and their array of empty glass projectiles @ Marshall, but it was fun & funny because FUBeAR was invincible and immortal (in his mind) in those days.

As a Fan - did not feel safe at GaSou - felt like the drunken NASCAR-ish crowd there could turn ugly at the drop of a trucker cap and as Mrs. FUBeAR was in tow, didn’t feel that FUBeAR’s prior invincibility and immortality were relevant in those latter days. Went once. Would never return.

[OL FU]

As a Player - did not feel safe from the drunken fans and their array of empty glass projectiles @ Marshall, but it was fun & funny because FUBeAR was invincible and immortal (in his mind) in those days.

As a Fan - did not feel safe at GaSou - felt like the drunken NASCAR-ish crowd there could turn ugly at the drop of a trucker cap and as Mrs. FUBeAR was in tow, didn’t feel that FUBeAR’s prior invincibility and immortality were relevant in those latter days. Went once. Would never return.

Yes I was going to say that during the 80s it was Marshall. Georgia southern didn't join til the 90's. but it was always interesting. football there was kinda scary. but when I went to the Socon BB tournament in Asheville some of the nicest people I ever met were Marshall fans. Strange.

[UNHWildcat18]

In the current CAA the most unwelcoming fans are definitely Stony Brook. Understandable though since they have to be on Long Island. I'd be pissed too!

Delaware fans, even in their days of big crowds, just wanted you to give it back to them. Once you did you were welcomed with open arms and another raspberry!

UNH students (at homecoming in particular) are pretty obnoxious. They're harmless though and most don't even know there's a football game going on.

JMU fans could be pretty bad at times. My favorite interaction there happened around 2000 when their students were just discovering football. I walked out under the visitor side stands at halftime and about six students were coming in the same tunnel. Band playing and lots of noise. JMU coed (clearly inebriated) in her best Valley-Girl voice takes in the scene and proclaims... "Wow! Look at our school! We've got like spirit!".


Accurate lol

[BigBlueMU]

Probably the most accurate summary you will read on the CAA thread all year especially the Stony Brook one, Long Island is the Amityville horror of a place

Go ahead with the rest of the league

Ive got one

Monmouth fans are definitely one sided

What do you mean by "one sided?" They know nothing outside of WLB?

[JacksFan40]

South Dakota State

Vehicle and tailgate vandalism. Certain elements are always looking to start a fight on the walk to the game. Same at after game bars..
Depends on the bar you are at.

[POD Knows]

South Dakota State

Vehicle and tailgate vandalism. Certain elements are always looking to start a fight on the walk to the game. Same at after game bars..
Been to multiple games in Brookings but 2015 was the last game that I attended there and their fans, a lot of the them, not just a few, were complete assholes. Almost got into an altercation at a SDSU tailgate hosted by friends of mine that worked for the same company as I did. Quite a few belligerent younger drunks looking to start ****. Spent maybe a half an hour at that clown show. On the walk back to the Bison area, SDSU fans were literally coming out to the road/path to talk **** to us multiple times. It was my son, who was an NDSU student at the time, a friend of mine and me and these dip****s would recognize the NDSU garb would walk right up to us on the path and get in our faces. Not a single invite to join their tailgate, not one. There were 8 of us that sat in the middle of SDSU fans. That section was mostly adults with young children and a pretty large group chanted the **** the Bison most of the game until we went up 28 to 0 in the second half. We were close to the press box so I think these assholes wanted to be heard on the radio or TV or something.

Never had a single bad thing happen in any of my visits to games down there prior to 2015, nothing, but the vibe at that 2015 game was very dark I thought. It was a later game and I think these lightweight clowns couldn’t handle their alcohol. It is a fact that NODAKS can drink these SODAK clowns under the table any time and any place and still maintain composure. 🤘

[Go Green]

I imagine that playing at Penn and Columbia was quite intimidating back in the days when Philly and NYC were really not nice places to visit...

[bulldog10jw]

I imagine that playing at Penn and Columbia was quite intimidating back in the days when Philly and NYC were really not nice places to visit...

Are they nice places to visit now?

[Go Green]

Are they nice places to visit now?

I suppose your mileage may vary on that. But Philly and NYC have got to be nicer now than they were in the 1960s through early 1990s.

There are reasons why "Death Wish" resonated with audiences and took place in NYC in 1974, but not in 2018.

[caribbeanhen]

What do you mean by "one sided?" They know nothing outside of WLB?

My answer is in Your avatar pic….

[caribbeanhen]

Are they nice places to visit now?

no

[bulldog10jw]

I suppose your mileage may vary on that. But Philly and NYC have got to be nicer now than they were in the 1960s through early 1990s.

There are reasons why "Death Wish" resonated with audiences and took place in NYC in 1974, but not in 2018.

Haven't been to a game at Columbia or Penn since the eighties. I never felt uncomfortable at either stadium, although I certainly didn't eat at the local restaurants.

[lucchesicourt]

Fresno State has got to be the worst place to go! You never feel safe even after driving 100 miles in a northern direction

[lionsrking2]

For SLU, the most concerning road trip is probably UIW, but more because of the long bus ride and lack of atmosphere, especially as they have improved on the field in recent years. It lulls you to sleep. Anywhere and anytime we play Nicholls it's a great atmosphere. Historically, McNeese is a tough place to play but the atmosphere has waned the last three or four times we've been over there. HBU, Lamar, and NW State are non-threatening. We haven't been to Commerce yet.

[ElCid]

Been to multiple games in Brookings but 2015 was the last game that I attended there and their fans, a lot of the them, not just a few, were complete assholes. Almost got into an altercation at a SDSU tailgate hosted by friends of mine that worked for the same company as I did. Quite a few belligerent younger drunks looking to start ****. Spent maybe a half an hour at that clown show. On the walk back to the Bison area, SDSU fans were literally coming out to the road/path to talk **** to us multiple times. It was my son, who was an NDSU student at the time, a friend of mine and me and these dip****s would recognize the NDSU garb would walk right up to us on the path and get in our faces. Not a single invite to join their tailgate, not one. There were 8 of us that sat in the middle of SDSU fans. That section was mostly adults with young children and a pretty large group chanted the **** the Bison most of the game until we went up 28 to 0 in the second half. We were close to the press box so I think these assholes wanted to be heard on the radio or TV or something.

Never had a single bad thing happen in any of my visits to games down there prior to 2015, nothing, but the vibe at that 2015 game was very dark I thought. It was a later game and I think these lightweight clowns couldn’t handle their alcohol. It is a fact that NODAKS can drink these SODAK clowns under the table any time and any place and still maintain composure. 🤘

That's unfortunate. As much as people have trashed Georgia Southern, the last time I went to a game their, we couldn't walk 20 feet through the heart of the Ga So tailgate area without getting an invite for food and drink. There are always idiots, but generally fans are good, almost every where.

[BigBlueMU]

My answer is in Your avatar pic….

Ha, had a feeling you were going there. Can't argue that.

[POD Knows]

That's unfortunate. As much as people have trashed Georgia Southern, the last time I went to a game their, we couldn't walk 20 feet through the heart of the Ga So tailgate area without getting an invite for food and drink. There are always idiots, but generally fans are good, almost every where.
Yea. 2015 at SDSU was not good but my other experiences there were fine. Also had a great time tailgating at Montana and EWU with their fans. Zero issues. There are a lot of places in the MVFC that I have not been to, both ISU’s, SIU, WIU, USD, and I have not been to UND since their move to the conference.

[wapiti]

: intimidated, - sorry if it wasn't clear to everyone...

I first thought you meant dangerous as a visiting fan.

[caribbeanhen]

Ha, had a feeling you were going there. Can't argue that.

I passed by the Stadium about a year ago, very upscale neighborhood leading into… very nice

[BigBlueMU]

I passed by the Stadium about a year ago, very upscale neighborhood leading into… very nice

No Doubt. Its a beautiful campus and the school did the most with what there were working with as far as space. I have even heard of intentions of building a visitor side where the FH field is today, but that will be a long strung out battle with the city of WLB. Notice there are no lights? That has been a fight with the city since day 1.

[Milktruck74]

As a Player - did not feel safe from the drunken fans and their array of empty glass projectiles @ Marshall, but it was fun & funny because FUBeAR was invincible and immortal (in his mind) in those days.

As a Fan - did not feel safe at GaSou - felt like the drunken NASCAR-ish crowd there could turn ugly at the drop of a trucker cap and as Mrs. FUBeAR was in tow, didn’t feel that FUBeAR’s prior invincibility and immortality were relevant in those latter days. Went once. Would never return.

On BOTH of these assessments FUbie and I agree. 2 trips to Marshall...only place I've ever been spit on (and may have actually also been hit with a tooth that was spit out with the tobacco juice...maybe from a cheerleader also) or hit with a liquor bottle (albeit and airplane bottle, but...). The second trip they had put a net over the area where you come out of the locker room....

As for GaSo....we had a bus window spidered by a rock. Those fans do have pretty good arms....

[Milktruck74]

So, for the current SoCon....probably going to say the students at ETSU have a decent atmosphere and can impact an outcome...now, I'm not sure how that contiuses given their HS coach and the losses from last season....we will see.

[OL FU]

That's unfortunate. As much as people have trashed Georgia Southern, the last time I went to a game their, we couldn't walk 20 feet through the heart of the Ga So tailgate area without getting an invite for food and drink. There are always idiots, but generally fans are good, almost every where.

When I went back and reread my post I realize I may have seemed to mention Georgia southern as bad. that wasn't my attention. I agree with you .never a problem . the students could get a little wild but what the hay. Marshall on the other hand.....

[FUBeAR]

When I went back and reread my post I realize I may have seemed to mention Georgia southern as bad. that wasn't my attention. I agree with you .never a problem . the students could get a little wild but what the hay. Marshall on the other hand.....
Nah - they were bad.

Felt unsafe driving into the dirt lot with kids running at the car with FU markings and banging on the back as we passed. Was surprised it was not vandalized. Was vomited upon by a sloppy-drunk coed in the concession line - felt bad for her, but c’mon - you ain’t gotta puke ON people! In the stands, had to step between some locals and a pair of FU blue hair couples whose husbands felt obligated to protect the honor of their wives. Fortunately a few other 30ish-40ish former FU Players then stepped in ‘the ring’ with FUBeAR and the locals withdrew, ceasing their profane verbal assaults on the genteel elderly female Paladin fans…or at least kept it to a loud murmur.

So…nope…FUBeAR finds it hard to imagine why he would ever want to attend another game in StinkBurro

[Gil Dobie]

A UND grad friend was punched after a UND game in Grand Forks. They thought he was a NDSU fan because of the Fargo dealership tag on his pickup truck.

[SDFS]

A UND grad friend was punched after a UND game in Grand Forks. They thought he was a NDSU fan because of the Fargo dealership tag on his pickup truck.

A friendly fire incident you say...

[Catamount87]

As a Player - did not feel safe from the drunken fans and their array of empty glass projectiles @ Marshall, but it was fun & funny because FUBeAR was invincible and immortal (in his mind) in those days.

As a Fan - did not feel safe at GaSou - felt like the drunken NASCAR-ish crowd there could turn ugly at the drop of a trucker cap and as Mrs. FUBeAR was in tow, didn’t feel that FUBeAR’s prior invincibility and immortality were relevant in those latter days. Went once. Would never return.

Two places back in the day, I didn't enjoy visiting as a fan. It was like they tell hockey players, keep your head on a swivel. The polar opposite are the folks in Macon. On that note, we saw really great people at Texas A&M and Alabama while ECU fans rank right there with Marshall and Ga Sou.

[Ivytalk]

Haven't been to a game at Columbia or Penn since the eighties. I never felt uncomfortable at either stadium, although I certainly didn't eat at the local restaurants.

I never felt threatened at any Ivy road games. Penn students were by far the most annoying, but they don’t know how to trash-talk effectively.

[Tribe4SF]

I never felt threatened at any Ivy road games. Penn students were by far the most annoying, but they don’t know how to trash-talk effectively.

Penn fans: "Yo Paulie, ya sistas wit me!"

[Go...gate]

Patriot League? Well, none of them.

PL fans tend to be pretty well obeyed.