NC State Football
A STUDENT'S PERSPECTIVE: Students, It's Time For Us To Step Up
October 5, 2017
3,423
It’s finally here.
Fall break is a welcome interruption to the academic life for every student on campus. After weeks of tests, projects, interviews, job fairs, and all of the other stressful moments that come with school, NC State students are finally given a chance to take a breath and relax.
This year, us Wolfpack students have also been given the gift of a fantastic football game.
In case you haven’t heard, NC State football is off to an incredible start. Opening the season with a disappointing loss to South Carolina, the Pack has responded admirably, rattling off four straight wins, including an upset victory over 12th ranked Florida State on the road. After last week’s win over Syracuse, NC State vaulted into the Top 25 of the AP and Amway Coaches polls (No. 24 in both) for the first time since the end of 2010.
This week, No. 17 Louisville comes to Raleigh to keep its hopes of winning an ACC Championship alive. The Cardinals lost a few weeks ago to a tremendously talented Clemson team, but with Heisman Trophy winner Lamar Jackson at quarterback, Louisville is confident they can rebound and pull off a much needed victory against an NC State program that is on the rise.
Given NC State’s recent success and Louisville’s dynamic talent, Thursday night’s contest will be one of the most exciting games for NC State in recent history. The Wolfpack hasn’t participated in a ranked matchup at home since 2000, and they haven’t won one since 1992. The atmosphere in Carter-Finley stadium will undoubtedly be an electric one, with the Pack sporting their new “Black Howl” uniforms under a full moon against a Heisman winning quarterback. The Pack has a real chance to get another “breakthrough” win on a national stage with a passionate home crowd cheering them on.
Having said that, “The Carter” and the home field advantage it provides can only be so strong without the passion that NC State’s students bring to the table.
The students here at NC State have developed a reputation for showing up in full force at the start of State games, only to leave for the parking lot at halftime. It’s understandably tempting to leave: we’re very proud of our tailgating abilities, and with cold beer, food, and friends waiting outside, it’s no surprise that so many students opt to not go into the game or to take off at the half.
Trust me, this is not an indictment on Tailgating. Tailgating is a staple of collegiate football culture, and it’s one of my absolute favorite things about Fall. It is perfectly fine to get out to the game early, tailgate in the Trinity lot with all of your friends, and have plenty of fun beforehand.
However, it’s apparent that tailgating and the desire to party and drink has become problematic with regards to keeping our students at the games. As I sat in the south end zone last Saturday against Syracuse, I couldn’t help but notice that the vast majority of the student section, which was completely full not even forty five minutes prior, had filed out by the end of the third quarter. Syracuse went on to make a comeback that fell only eight points short, largely without the noise and support of the student section.
This Thursday HAS to be different. Our football program is on the verge of a breakthrough season that students past and present have been yearning for. That season can take another step towards coming to fruition with a statement win against Louisville, but that will be a difficult feat without a passionate student base there from start to finish.
It’s incredibly important that we, the student body that makes up this school, show our support from the very beginning and stay until the very end. This is our chance as students to have a direct impact on the outcome of this game. NC State’s student athletes work tremendously hard to represent this school in a superior manner on and off the field, and it’s only fair that we return the favor.
What I’m asking of you is this: make sure you’re ready to get into your seats and support the team when kickoff rolls around. Get loud, yell at the top of your lungs, say whatever you want to say. No matter what you decide to do while you’re at Carter-Finley, make your presence known and continue to support the Pack through the end of the game.
NC State’s football program hasn’t yet achieved the level of success that Dave Doeren set out to achieve when he first arrived in Raleigh, but it’s becoming increasingly apparent that this year has the potential to be special. With an opportunity like tomorrow night’s game against Louisville looming, we have an obligation to do our part as students and create an incredible environment for our team.
Let’s get out there and do this thing, and have a ton of fun in the process.
Fall break is a welcome interruption to the academic life for every student on campus. After weeks of tests, projects, interviews, job fairs, and all of the other stressful moments that come with school, NC State students are finally given a chance to take a breath and relax.
This year, us Wolfpack students have also been given the gift of a fantastic football game.
In case you haven’t heard, NC State football is off to an incredible start. Opening the season with a disappointing loss to South Carolina, the Pack has responded admirably, rattling off four straight wins, including an upset victory over 12th ranked Florida State on the road. After last week’s win over Syracuse, NC State vaulted into the Top 25 of the AP and Amway Coaches polls (No. 24 in both) for the first time since the end of 2010.
This week, No. 17 Louisville comes to Raleigh to keep its hopes of winning an ACC Championship alive. The Cardinals lost a few weeks ago to a tremendously talented Clemson team, but with Heisman Trophy winner Lamar Jackson at quarterback, Louisville is confident they can rebound and pull off a much needed victory against an NC State program that is on the rise.
Given NC State’s recent success and Louisville’s dynamic talent, Thursday night’s contest will be one of the most exciting games for NC State in recent history. The Wolfpack hasn’t participated in a ranked matchup at home since 2000, and they haven’t won one since 1992. The atmosphere in Carter-Finley stadium will undoubtedly be an electric one, with the Pack sporting their new “Black Howl” uniforms under a full moon against a Heisman winning quarterback. The Pack has a real chance to get another “breakthrough” win on a national stage with a passionate home crowd cheering them on.
Having said that, “The Carter” and the home field advantage it provides can only be so strong without the passion that NC State’s students bring to the table.
The students here at NC State have developed a reputation for showing up in full force at the start of State games, only to leave for the parking lot at halftime. It’s understandably tempting to leave: we’re very proud of our tailgating abilities, and with cold beer, food, and friends waiting outside, it’s no surprise that so many students opt to not go into the game or to take off at the half.
Trust me, this is not an indictment on Tailgating. Tailgating is a staple of collegiate football culture, and it’s one of my absolute favorite things about Fall. It is perfectly fine to get out to the game early, tailgate in the Trinity lot with all of your friends, and have plenty of fun beforehand.
However, it’s apparent that tailgating and the desire to party and drink has become problematic with regards to keeping our students at the games. As I sat in the south end zone last Saturday against Syracuse, I couldn’t help but notice that the vast majority of the student section, which was completely full not even forty five minutes prior, had filed out by the end of the third quarter. Syracuse went on to make a comeback that fell only eight points short, largely without the noise and support of the student section.
This Thursday HAS to be different. Our football program is on the verge of a breakthrough season that students past and present have been yearning for. That season can take another step towards coming to fruition with a statement win against Louisville, but that will be a difficult feat without a passionate student base there from start to finish.
It’s incredibly important that we, the student body that makes up this school, show our support from the very beginning and stay until the very end. This is our chance as students to have a direct impact on the outcome of this game. NC State’s student athletes work tremendously hard to represent this school in a superior manner on and off the field, and it’s only fair that we return the favor.
What I’m asking of you is this: make sure you’re ready to get into your seats and support the team when kickoff rolls around. Get loud, yell at the top of your lungs, say whatever you want to say. No matter what you decide to do while you’re at Carter-Finley, make your presence known and continue to support the Pack through the end of the game.
NC State’s football program hasn’t yet achieved the level of success that Dave Doeren set out to achieve when he first arrived in Raleigh, but it’s becoming increasingly apparent that this year has the potential to be special. With an opportunity like tomorrow night’s game against Louisville looming, we have an obligation to do our part as students and create an incredible environment for our team.
Let’s get out there and do this thing, and have a ton of fun in the process.
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