Babers UT Press Conference

[Falcon137]

In 2013, we played Toledo on a Saturday in late October last year. More than 21,000 came to watch.

I wouldn't mind doing that again next year. There is a long tradition of playing this game in October, and I wouldn't mind going back to that, at least when Bowling Green hosts.

2011 and 2012 were also both Saturday games.

2005 is the only time BG and UT played in Bowling Green where the game was not the day after thanksgiving or on a Saturday.

Toledo has hosted a weeknight BG game in 2006, 2012, and now 2014.

I do wonder how things will shake out, once the MAC gets rid of the unbalanced schedules.

[bg1984]

It's hard to read this article because of the outcome, but no question about how much it mattered in 2004:

http://www.bcsn.tv/news_article/show/44 ... _id=986280" target="_blank

At the end of the article, Linebacker Javon Burkes sums up what this rivalry should be about:

Even 10 years later — after diplomas, weddings, new jobs, babies — there still is one constant for the players who played in that game: they still don't like each other.

“Man, I’m not even going to sugar-coat it for you: I hate Toledo,” Burkes said. “Ten years later I still do. I still hate Toledo.

“And I still can’t believe we gave that damn game away.”

I have been on the Orange and Brown side of this rivalry since my freshman year in 1980. I was there on October 8th 1983 when the MAC record crowd of 33,527 saw that Evil Empire up north win 6-3 with the game ending in a steady rain.

The switch to November started in 2000 and other than 2011 and 2013 that is where it has been.

I agree to an extent that making this game the last game of the season would be nice, but I think having it on a Saturday is the most important factor regardless of the month. I still believe that gives us the best chance to allow the most number of people to attend. The reality is that our fan bases are fair weather fans for the most part, so an earlier date would give us a better chance for good weather.

I don't have THE answer, but it seems as if a Saturday date is a good place to start, and if I have a chance to talk to Chris Kingston this afternoon in the Anderson Club at the basketball game that's the message I'm going to deliver.

[Schadenfreude]

Weeknight games, nice to watch but I'll opt for a tradition.

To be clear: I accept the November weeknight games. I just don't know that we have to play Toledo on a November weeknight.

[Schadenfreude]

2005 is the only time BG and UT played in Bowling Green where the game was not the day after thanksgiving or on a Saturday.

That game is seared into my memory. It was cold that night, and it ended badly for us, a 44-41 overtime loss. I guess it looms larger than life for me now.

It feels like we've been playing Toledo on a Tuesday or Wednesday night for years. I didn't realize it was only at their place.

[jpfalcon09]

Black Friday is the best option for this game to try and accommodate TV and attendance, plus its played the day before Ohio State/Michigan and people are usually more geared up for it. Hopefully next year It's back in this slot.

[BGFan]

The problem with Black Friday and Thanksgiving weekend in general is that all of the students are gone. It really takes away from the game day atmosphere. The last game of the season seems like it should be the rivalry game but it really doesn't work for us. Late October or early November when it's still warm enough for people to want to come out is a better option.

[Flipper]

I think the two biggest crowds we've had were for October games. The 1983 game with Toledo was nuts with 33,000+ people there and the 2003 game with NIU had to be close to that. Both were Saturdays in October...hell ESPN did Gameday and showed the game nationally and it was on a Saturday...

I've never seen as electric an atmosphere at the Doyt as the NIU game in 2003. There was a kind of a roar from the crowd 30 minutes before kick off.

[Schadenfreude]

These are the ten biggest football crowds ever in Perry Stadium:

1. 33,527 vs. Toledo, Oct. 8, 1983
2. 31,007 vs. N. Illinois, Oct. 25, 2003
3. 29,724 vs. Toledo, Nov. 29, 2003
4. 29,210 vs. Toledo, Oct. 2, 1993
5. 28,110 vs. Toledo, Nov. 16, 1985
6. 27,333 vs. Toledo, Oct. 19, 1991
7. 26,860 vs. Toledo, Oct. 9, 1971
8. 26,483 vs. Toledo, Nov. 23, 2001
9. 25,616 vs. Miami, Nov. 15, 2006
10. 25,057 vs. Akron, Sept. 30, 1989

I see many October games on that list.

[MarkL]

These are the ten biggest football crowds ever in Perry Stadium:

1. 33,527 vs. Toledo, Oct. 8, 1983
2. 31,007 vs. N. Illinois, Oct. 25, 2003
3. 29,724 vs. Toledo, Nov. 29, 2003
4. 29,210 vs. Toledo, Oct. 2, 1993
5. 28,110 vs. Toledo, Nov. 16, 1985
6. 27,333 vs. Toledo, Oct. 19, 1991
7. 26,860 vs. Toledo, Oct. 9, 1971
8. 26,483 vs. Toledo, Nov. 23, 2001
9. 25,616 vs. Miami, Nov. 15, 2006
10. 25,057 vs. Akron, Sept. 30, 1989

I see many October games on that list.

That 2006 mud bowl probably had a tenth that actual attendance. Greg Christopher did an admirable job marketing ticket sales and apparently sold over 25,000 tickets but the freezing rain scared away most fans.

And the game ... oh boy ...

[Flipper]

Yeah...the way Sean Ellis tiptoed out there to try that last FG...you knew he was going to miss. Can you think of a more embarassing thing to do than literally fall on your ass like that on national TV? I remember his dad was on here after that season just ripping on Brandon. Classic stuff...

[thewebboy]

Yeah...the way Sean Ellis tiptoed out there to try that last FG...you knew he was going to miss. Can you think of a more embarassing thing to do than literally fall on your ass like that on national TV? I remember his dad was on here after that season just ripping on Brandon. Classic stuff...

What I remember most from that game was that some student buried a 30yd field goal at halftime for free tuition. Then our kicker trots out there at the end of the game and misses one in the same conditions. Sad times....

[Schadenfreude]

Yeah...the way Sean Ellis tiptoed out there to try that last FG...you knew he was going to miss. Can you think of a more embarassing thing to do than literally fall on your ass like that on national TV? I remember his dad was on here after that season just ripping on Brandon. Classic stuff...

Here it is:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0UOZwFhxYkY" target="_blank

Four years later, the fog rolled in.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZtapDfh0MpM" target="_blank

[MarkL]

Man, I forgot how dominant AT was running the ball in that game. He had that beautiful long run late in the first half for the TD. Then for whatever reason the coaches called lots of pass plays in the second half. If the coaching staff had any common sense, they would have kept the ball on the ground with AT, Barnes, and Bullock because our offensive line was dominating their front 7 and AT and Bullock were getting it done.

Woulda ... coulda ... shoulda ...

[bgsufalcon24]

Man, I forgot how dominant AT was running the ball in that game. He had that beautiful long run late in the first half for the TD. Then for whatever reason the coaches called lots of pass plays in the second half. If the coaching staff had any common sense, they would have kept the ball on the ground with AT, Barnes, and Bullock because our offensive line was dominating their front 7 and AT and Bullock were getting it done.

Woulda ... coulda ... shoulda ...

These were the days when the Miami Whammy truly was alive and kicking, unlike now. Nowadays the MAC has to take our matchup with Miami away in order for the Redhawks to avoid being humiliated by BG.

In other news, 2006 Miami was the only home football game I left early in my time as a student. That was a miserable night...give me snow over freezing cold rain any day.

In terms of actual butts in seats, (I don't care what the actual figures say) 2005 Toledo and 2008 Minnesota were definitely the best attended games during my time as a student. 2009 Boise State was in that class also. I don't think we've had a true sellout feel at the Doyt since then...arguably I was expecting 2012 Kent State and 2014 Indiana to be sellouts but they weren't.

[Redwingtom]

Yeah...the way Sean Ellis tiptoed out there to try that last FG...you knew he was going to miss. Can you think of a more embarassing thing to do than literally fall on your ass like that on national TV? I remember his dad was on here after that season just ripping on Brandon. Classic stuff...

What I remember most from that game was that some student buried a 30yd field goal at halftime for free tuition. Then our kicker trots out there at the end of the game and misses one in the same conditions. Sad times....

Not to defend that horrible kick or anything, but no way the conditions at half were the same as at the end of the game. And it was only at the North end of the field that had the real drainage problem that night. Which way did the student kick, if you remember?

And like bgsufalcon24, that was the earliest I ever left a game in all the games I've seen at BG. I left just after halftime I believe as I had my 6 year old daughter with me and she was soaked to the skin...I could no longer as a father subject her to those conditions...or horrible football for that matter . I was able to catch the debacle on television when I got home.