This is what went down when College GameDay came to East Lansing

Attending a school with some of the best sports in the nation is just one of the MANY perks that Michigan State University students get to experience. Not only are our athletics fantastic, we are lucky enough to be in an atmosphere that has some of the best fans in all of college sports.

As a freshman, being able to see some of the athletic achievements firsthand has been made it an unforgettable start to the coming years as a part of the Spartan family. While it may seem a little overwhelming at times, being on a big campus surrounded by incredible sports has always been a dream of mine.

Kicking off the beginning of football season playing the Oregon Ducks came with the news that ESPN’s College Gameday would be on campus to broadcast their annual Saturday morning show. This brought a buzz of excitement among students and myself. I immediately took to social media to share the thrill with my followers as a typical college student would do.

Munn Field was filled with trucks on Friday setting up the stage, as well as activities for students. A sign making contest was held by Pizza Hut with a prize of VIP tickets to the show the next day and a $600 Pizza Hut gift card. There was also a corn hole contest with a similar prize for the winning team.

Pizza Hut sign making contest winners from left to right: Jacob Bloom, Andrew Martin, Ian Johnston and Nate Dahl

I decided to stop by the set up a day early to see what College Gameday was all about. After being there briefly, I left feeling completely full of excitement. I kept thinking, how cool is this, my first home college football game ever and ESPN is going to be here to broadcast it! 

Plans for camping out and waking up before sunrise were made by students. Signs were drawn up and everyone was ready for some TV time.

Me with the College Gameday set Friday during the day before the show.

The 8pm game time start allowed plenty of time for tailgating festivities all over East Lansing. As this was my very first tailgate, I really did not know what to expect. One of the neat things that I noticed about game day was that all of the families with generations of alumni were out celebrating. I found that this really adds to the idea of being a Spartan family. With the size of MSU, I figured game day would be just as great as everything else had already been and I was right.

Hundreds of students gathered outside the gates up to hours before kick off, trying to get the best seats in the section. Being this was my first game, I was unaware of many of the student section traditions once getting to my seats. Of course I wasn’t alone, there were other clueless freshmen around me pretending to sing along to the fight song and catching on to the crazy chants everyone was yelling.

Me with my roommate Whitney Chandler prior to kickoff at the Oregon game.

The game was a series of ups and downs for the Spartans, as well as an emotional roller coaster for us fans. The win would be an important one for the Spartans because it would make a statement to College Football that the Spartans, as well as the Big Ten, were a force to be reckoned with.

Halftime at the Oregon game with the Michigan State Marching Band

As the end of the game neared and it was clear the Spartans solidified their win, celebrations in the student section began. I realized that over the span of game, I had transitioned to become a part of the Spartan family. I feel like most students can agree that the feeling of family is one of the best things about being at MSU. You can walk anywhere on campus and yell “Go Green” and there will always be someone who yells back “Go White” without hesitation. Being able to feel this sense of family truly makes Michigan State like home. It is definitely important to have that feeling as a freshman because it helps make the college shift easier.

Not only has Michigan State’s football team excelled this year, the men’s basketball team is one of the top in the nation. It makes for a match made in heaven here in East Lansing. Being at a school with two of the top teams in 2 of the biggest college sports has been an actual dream for me. I never would have expected to experience this in my very first year!

For over 20 years, the Izzone has been supporting the men’s basketball team. It’s one of the traditions at MSU that makes the basketball program as great as it is. Experiencing yet another strong student section gave me more reasons as to why Michigan State is now my home.

MSU Basketball at the Breslin Center taken from the Izzone

Football coach Mark Dantonio talked all season about the team’s goal to “reach higher”. The idea of reaching higher applies to all aspects of being a Spartan. MSU sets high expectations for it’s athletics and those expectations are the driving force behind all of the success they’ve had thus far this year. Seeing and experiencing all of the successes as a freshman has truly been unbelievable for me. It makes me excited for the next couple years and has left me wondering how MSU could possibly top the time I have had already.

Being a student at Michigan State this year has been pretty fun to say the least. I mean seriously, what a time to be alive in East Lansing!