Arch Rivalry game excites fans
by Thomas Mershon, posted Sept. 5, 2008
The doors to the Edwards Jones Dome in St. Louis open and a virtual wall of sound hits with such power it makes your head spin. The intensity in the building is so thick one can almost taste it. The glares that black-and-gold-wearing fans exchange with those wearing blue and orange are priceless each time. This is the Arch Rivalry Game.
Both teams, MU and Illinois, have such high hopes for the upcoming season. It was announced at the game that 66,000 people, an Edwards Jones Dome record for a collegiate sport, showed up to watch the football game. With Mizzou ranked No. 6 coming into the season and Illinois fresh off its BCS bowl berth, both teams could not be more excited for this year. And, no one felt the excitement more than the fans.
“You could really feel the excitement from everyone around you, including the people you don’t know,” freshman Tucker Smith, said. “This was especially true with so many big plays happening.”
Big plays included wide receiver Jeremy Maclin’s kickoff return for a touchdown and linebacker Sean Weatherspoon’s strip ball that also went back for six points. With so much enthusiasm from the crowd, it’s no wonder that the arena was so loud.
The noise inside the dome was indescribable. With nowhere to go, it felt as if the sound waves continually slammed into the ranks of spectators over and over.
“It was so loud that even during timeouts it was hard to hear anything, even from the person sitting next to you,” freshman Tyler Grindstaff said.
The game itself was exciting and entertaining. With a 52-42 finish, there were few dull moments.
“The game was really exciting and very fast paced,” Smith said. “It felt like Mizzou was always in control, which made it better for Tiger fans.”
The 10-point win was a good beginning for the Tigers, but the environment and exciting start to the season was even better for the fans.
