Fans will help football team to keep winning
It goes without saying that the Central Michigan University football team’s 29-27 victory at Michigan State was monumental.
It may not have had the utter shock to it the 1991 and 1992 wins in Spartan Stadium. But that shouldn’t take anything away from what the Chippewas accomplished Saturday.
It broke a four-game losing streak which included three consecutive losses to end the 2008 season. It gave the team some national respect. It was a huge emotional boost after a disappointing 19-6 loss to Arizona the previous week.
Most of all, it brought the Mount Pleasant faithful together. It was not just fans who crowded two sections inside the stadium. The cheerleading and dance teams, along with the CMU marching band, made the trip.
Those who stayed in town, whether they watched the game at home or at the bar, were brought together, too. Memories from the early 1990s surfaced even prior to the game. It was only fitting an upset win in 2009 would jump into the conversation.
All of this should make Saturday’s Kelly/Shorts Stadium opener a big event for the community.
Sure, the 3:30 p.m. game is against Alcorn State, a Football Championship Subdivision school, and not a Mid-American Conference opponent. But fresh off a revitalizing victory such as Saturday’s, the fans, alumni and community should be excited to finally watch their football team in person.
Coach Butch Jones said he expects to sell out the 30,295-seat Kelly/Shorts Stadium during the post-game press conference Saturday. “Why not?” he asked.
That goal might seem a bit farfetched. It has never been too easy to sell out the stadium unless Western Michigan rolls into town. But a lot of buzz is surrounding Central Michigan football now, and fans should be a part of it.
If you are one of those fans, make the trip to Kelly/Shorts on Saturday and show the team your support. After a hard-fought victory that will go down as one of CMU’s greatest football games, it deserves it.
