OT - Which Non-Michigan NCAA Football Games Do You Plan To Attend?

Submitted by UNCWolverine on

While nothing beats a big matchup at the Big House I very much enjoy attending games on other campuses across the country. What non-Michigan games do you plan to attend this fall? Here is my 2016 and my planned 2017 lineup:

2016

LSU vs. Wisconsin @ Lambeau

Flordida @ Tennessee

Ooops, forgot one:

Stanford @ Cal

 

2017

LSU @ Mississippi State

Auburn @ LSU

Oklahoma @ OkState

And more than likely at least one USC or UCLA game if I feel like attending a local game that Saturday.

What's your list?

ijohnb

August 10th, 2017 at 12:35 PM ^

want to take my two year old son to a college football game, but he is super-hyper and cannot sit still in confined spaced, for seriously any period of time.  He would be a wreck at a Michigan game due to the size of the crowd and how little room he would have to move around.  So I actually may take him to a Michigan State game where he can have the entire upper section to himself to roam around.

evenyoubrutus

August 10th, 2017 at 12:46 PM ^

I took my son to an EMU game when he was 2. We walked in through an open gate near the back of the stadium and nobody was there to sell or take our tickets. I felt so guilty I went and bought a whole bunch of food at the concession stand. Anyway, my son acted the way you could imagine a 2 year old acting at a football game like that. And I'm really glad I didn't waste any money or time taking him to a Michigan game. 

On the other hand, he's seven now and has absolutely no interest in sports, so I may have done some irreparable damage by making Rynearson stadium be his first sporting event.

ijohnb

August 10th, 2017 at 12:57 PM ^

I have already decided I am not going to take him to a Michigan game yet.  Nobody would win in that circumstance.  Not me, not him, not the people near us trying to watch the game while he destroys things.  I took him to a Clarkston game last year and that was enough of a debable to know that a Michigan game is not in the cards for another couple of years.

evenyoubrutus

August 10th, 2017 at 1:22 PM ^

Ha yeah, honestly I have decided to not even try forcing it anymore. I took him to the UCF game last year (he was six at the time) and he literally only cared about watching the overhead camera hovering over the field, and hearing Jake Butt's name on the PA. Other than that he was asking to go home every five minutes. My plan is to just be patient and wait for him to ask me about it. It just can be tough at times because I know that I went to my first games when I was five years old and instantly fell in love with it.

stephenrjking

August 10th, 2017 at 1:27 PM ^

I enjoyed football from 5 years old and up, but I didn't really understand the game enough to really focus on it at the stadium until I was older. My dad took me to fourth quarters occasionally and I think a full game early, but the first time I remember really going to a game and following it the whole way through in person was when I was 9. 

I think it can be fun to take kids that are younger (I took my daughter to Michigan-Minnesota in 2012 when she was 6 and we had a great time) but you have to accept that the football itself will be hard for the kid to follow, even if they like football. We enjoyed the experience--eating before the game, getting popcorn, the band, all of that stuff. And it was great.

My older kids (oldest now 11) aren't huge sports fans but the enjoy doing stuff together, and they consider themselves Michigan fans. I don't force them to spend 3 hours in the afternoon watching a game, but they'll sit with me for a bit and sing The Victors and yell "Go Blue!" when prompted. It works out.

Stevedez

August 10th, 2017 at 12:35 PM ^

None because I live in Switzerland. I am hoping to bring my wife to her first ever Michigan v. OSU game this year, but I fear it will take a personal loan to afford flights, rental car, hotel, tickets, beer....

UNCWolverine

August 10th, 2017 at 12:51 PM ^

Oh live a little. There's so much out in the world to see, variety is the spice of life, etc. I've been to non-Michigan games at the following locations and always have a blast:

(5) LSU home

many at USC/UCLA/UNC

Texas A&M

(2) Purdue @ ND

UGA vs. Florida

Arkansas @ Georgia

Florida @Tenn

LSU vs. Wisky @ Lambeau

LSU @ MState

WMU, Hope, Albion, etc. 

HenneGivenSunday

August 10th, 2017 at 12:52 PM ^

I usually attend 1 MSU game per year with my wife and her family (they go every week).  That one is shaping up to be their big family tailgate and Michigan is on a Bye that week.  

I actually don't mind tailgating and hanging out in EL when it isn't for a UofM/MSU game.  

OwenGoBlue

August 10th, 2017 at 12:56 PM ^

I'll probably hit Evanston for a random B1G game. The stadium isn't a crazy CFP environment but it's convenient (for me), cheap, and I dig the "we're all just here because we like football and learning" vibe at the tailgate.

NittanyFan

August 10th, 2017 at 12:58 PM ^

I just moved to Denver, so looking for a new "secondary favorite team."  I'm not a big CU Buffs fan (and I've been to Folsom Field before anyway) - so focusing on the local MWC teams.

May also try to get down to see AFA - dependent on timing, whether their games don't conflict with games I want to see on TV and such.

Really looking forward to Laramie.  That's a big get for them, getting Oregon to visit.

jajohnston12

August 10th, 2017 at 12:59 PM ^

Geprgia Southern at IU and Rutgers at IU.  These are weekends IU is at home and Michigan is not so we can see our daughter who attends IU.  Of course we'll be in Bloomington on October 14th as well, when Michigan comes to town.

 

desertwolvie1

August 10th, 2017 at 12:59 PM ^

I live in Phoenix so I try to go to the Fiesta bowl each year. I know it's petty but last season was glorious. Sitting amidst the shocked and awed buckeye fans was great. Watching them file out disgusted after the 3rd quarter was even better.

stephenrjking

August 10th, 2017 at 1:01 PM ^

I might hit a UMD game this year. I have not yet attended a Minnesota game when they aren't hosting Michigan (been to both of those at TCF) but if things came together I would consider it.

But it's probably a D-2 game or nothing for me.

Wolverine In Iowa 68

August 10th, 2017 at 1:10 PM ^

It's here in Iowa City, but I'm perplexed.

I've been to exactly TWO games in Kinnick Stadium.  Both times, the team I've rooted for has lost.

If I go to the game and root for Iowa to pound the Buckeyes (because Iowa is famous for winning a game each year they shouldn't, and this could be the one that Ferentz pulls out of his ass)...I don't want to be the jinx.

What to do...what to do....

M Ascending

August 10th, 2017 at 1:11 PM ^

I have only been to two non U-M college games in my life. The first was Army-Syracuse at the Polo Grounds in 1962, when both those teams were really good. The other was Alabama at UCLA around 2002, when I found myself in LA with nothing to do that weekend. (Weird watching a game at the Rose Bowl that didn't include Michigan.)

Honestly, can't see myself going to another anytime soon unless EMU continues to improve and I take the 7-mile drive from West AA to Rynearson just for fun.

Malum In Se

August 10th, 2017 at 1:15 PM ^

I basically live on Clearwater Beach.  The closest team is USF. Watching a game out doors in Tampa before October is like looking into the Ark of the Covenant, if Raiders of the Lost Ark is as factually accurate as I believe it is.  There is much melting.  

If I am not at the UofM watch parties in St. Pete, then I am watching the games at some other air conditioned beach bar the way God/Random Chance intended.  

Malum In Se

August 10th, 2017 at 2:05 PM ^

I saw the Lions play the Bucs week 1, so early September.  It was the worst football game experience of my life and I attended the Mich/Purdue 5-0 game.  The heat index was well over a 100.  My clothes were soaking wet with sweat just from walking from the parking lot to the stadium.  It was all down hill from there.

I saw the Lions play there in 2010 in December.  It was 60 something and a little rainy.  Felt like Michigan Fall.  The Lions play here this year in November or December.  I might go.  Not sure.

The Fugitive

August 10th, 2017 at 1:36 PM ^

Maybe a GVSU Lakers game.  The problem is most of them over-lap with the Michigan schedule which involves trips back and forth to Ann Arbor or both teams have road games on the same day.

Trebor

August 10th, 2017 at 1:44 PM ^

I live within walking distance of Reser Stadium, so I'll be hitting up at least one Oregon State game, likely several because the team is bad enough that you can Stubhub some tickets for under $10 easily. Mostly to do some all-day tailgating for one of the evening games. Wish I could go to the Minnesota game on 9/9, but I'll be hiking up in the Cascades that weekend. So it'll be either the Washington or Colorado game, and maybe ASU in November if the weather isn't ridiculously awful.

I may also make a drive down to Eugene at some point to see a game at Autzen, but no idea which one yet.

deshawn swimms

August 10th, 2017 at 1:53 PM ^

We've got a group of recent alums that go to a random game during the UM bye week the last few years. Typically try to get there Thursday night to give us some time to hang out on campus/at the locals bars and what not Friday. 

Been to Tennessee, Texas, and Georgia so far. This year is Ole Miss @ Bama. 

MaizeJacket

August 10th, 2017 at 2:38 PM ^

So will be doing all home games except Wake Forest (due to a fall wedding, yes really), and the neutral site Labor Day game against Tennessee.

Doing one Michigan game this year, v Air Force.

My wife has a friend from college in El Paso, so we're taking a trip out there in October.  I politely pushed for us to attend a UTEP game while we're out there, which will be Western Kentucky.  They'll probably get boat raced, but the experience and seeing El Paso and the Sun Bowl will be fun.

My wife and I are thinking about doing the Magic City Classic in Birmingham between Alabama State and Alabama A&M, but it's not certain yet.  Her brother played a couple of season of football for Alabama State a few years back.

 

Stuck in Ohio

August 10th, 2017 at 3:40 PM ^

I will be at every UM home game of course. My wife and I live about 10 minutes from Youngstown State football stadium. If they have a home game that doesn't conflict with me watching UM on tv on the road, we plan on going.

UM Fan from Sydney

August 10th, 2017 at 3:42 PM ^

None, but I keep saying a place I want to see a game in is Baton Rouge at night against a good team. That seems like such an awesome place to watch a game.