Mizzou fans may have tough competition against SEC fanatics

by Katlyn Britt-Rankin, posted Dec. 7, 2011

Tuscaloosa, Ala., was ready for some football on Saturday, Nov. 5. The town's population, which is normally 100,000 people, reached 250,000 people according to WVTV, a local news station affiliated with CBS. Columbia could face population surges like this with Mizzou's switch to the SEC. Much like Farout Field on game days, cell phone signals were jammed at Bryant-Denny stadium during the game. Unlike Mizzou, cell phones were inoperable throughout the entire town.

"This happens every game," said Joe Terry, Tuscaloosa citizen. "Normally it is just near the stadium."

The Louisiana State University vs. Alabama game is a tradition that started in 1964. The real rivalry started in 2007 when the University of Alabama hired Nick Saban as head coach because Saban had previously coached at LSU.

Bryant-Denny Stadium had an attendance of 101,821 for the LSU vs. Alabama game, according to the Crimson Tide officials. www.rolltide.com states that 101,821 is the holding capacity for the stadium. Faurot field is miniscule in comparison, only holding 71,004. The switch to the SEC will require major renovations and additions to Faurot Field.

"In the Quad, there will be 40,000 people who never come in," Elieen Walker, Alabama fan, said. "They sit out there and watch it on projection screens"

As packed as the stadium was, it was incomparable to the masses in the streets of Tuscaloosa. The streets were filled with people and the tailgating surpassed any Mizzou tailgating. Reserved parking started over two miles away from the stadium and RV parking nearly four miles away behind a local mall. Coach busses ship people to and from the game because of the crowds. Vendors in tents sold T-shirts, Paul 'Bear' Bryant hats, trading cards and everything in between. These vendors lined the streets a mile before the stadium. Concession stands opened and served the masses before and after the game.

Alabama fans put our 'MIZ' to shame with their notorious 'Roll Tide' after every first down. Roll Tide is a way of life in Tuscaloosa. Fans greet each other with a nod and 'Roll Tide' every chance they get. During the game, the crowd reached the record high noise level of 115 decibels, according to the stadium's noise meter.

LSU has won the last 9 of 12 matchups between the two schools. A bystander would not have guessed this by the defeated look that Alabama fans wore across their faces after the loss. The generalized passion these fans share for football cannot be found around the Mizzou stadium.

Mizzou has a lot of catching up to do if we plan to parallel the enthusiasm toward football in the SEC. Faurot Field would have to add more than 30,000 seats to hold the normal capacity of Bryant-Denny Stadium. While it is possible to become another great football program of the SEC, it will take monumental time and effort.

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