UC Student Section Ranked 15th Best In Country
By Matt Niehaus
On Tuesday afternoon the “world wide leader” ESPN released their college football rankings for the best student sections in the
Nov 23, 2012; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Cincinnati Bearcats tight end Travis Kelce (18) catches a pass for a touchdown during the first half against the South Florida Bulls at Nippert Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Frank Victores-USA TODAY Sports
country. The University of Cincinnati surprisingly enough cracked the top 25 in 15th place. Not bad for the school everyone looks over.
Nippert Stadium holds a little over 35,000 people. 1/3 of the 35,000 is made up of students. With a little over 10,000 students crammed into a bowl in the ground surrounded by buildings on every side the decibel level in Nippert sky rockets during game time.
Anyone that has attended a game at Nippert knows how loud it can get. Nearly every game you leave with your ears ringing, if you’re in the student section at least. The student section is an intimidating place at Nippert. The corners of the endzone are located roughly a foot from the students. With the students basically on top of the field yelling and just being generally loud it is incredibly tough for opposing offenses to run a red zone offense.
Not to mention the band is essentially on the field with their location in the corner of the end zone, then you have the cannon making noise, just so much noise in that confined area.
Countless times the student section has helped to provide the Cincinnati defense with energy and deafening noise to slow opposing offenses. For the offense the students are alway quiet as Cincinnati executes a red zone offense. The relationship between the team and the student section has been phenomenal, that is part of the reason they are ranked as highly as they are.
UC did beat out on other Ohio school, that school in Columbus didn’t crack the top 25, due to lack of originality and uniqueness.
Alabama topped the list, obviously. The only Cincinnati rival that beat out the Bearcats is Pitt, that is the one ranking that doesn’t make much sense. Apparently ESPN hasn’t seen how empty Heinz field is, and how lackadaisical the student section is.
As for Cincinnati students, keep up the good work. See you August 31st, come early, be loud, wear white. I’m looking at your freshmen, if you want to take rows close to the field wear appropriate colors. Black every game except Ring of Red and the White Out. Pay attention.
As for upper classmen and the super seniors like myself, you know what you’re doing you helped UC get in the top 25, carry on my friends.
Noon Saturday August 31st, Nippert Stadium. UC v. Purdue.