I have to give a HUGE shout out to all Huskie fans in attendance at the Orange Bowl. It will give me chills forever remembering the energy of the crowd pre-game especially but during the entire game. We had Sun Life absolutely rocking. I was in Section 107 lower corner end zon@e and could not keep my eyes off the lower bowl end zone fans. I have never seen more enthusiasm in my life and literally got choked up. As a dedicated Huskie fan fo"r so many years, I never could imagine the scene we created at the game ever in my life. It was frickin awesome and it is what I choose to remember for the trip. The hair on my neck is rising just posting this message. Seriously, it was downright amazing and made the trip worth it. If we were in the game til the end of 4th quarter I cannot even imagine the reaction. Hats off!!!!

To the team, you battled hard and made this Huskie very proud. Do not hang your heads, instead celebrate a great and landmark year.

+1, what he said. Hat off to all of you Huskies, had a blast looking at our student section.

I was in section 107 too, lots of energy in the whole endzone area by me, usually started by the students. Sounded good and loud.

It was amazing seeing all the red. I was in sec 207. The FSU fans next to me were in complete shock with how many people traveled for the game.

(01-02-2013 07:14 PM)HuskieRak Wrote:  It was amazing seeing all the red. I was in sec 207. The FSU fans next to me were in complete shock with how many people traveled for the game.

FSU fans by us said we were coming out of the woodwork.

I was in section 409 the first half. 90% of the Huskies fans up there couldn't get off their asses to cheer on the defense on 3rd and long for FSU. Drove me crazy. Move down to 117 for the 2nd half. It was better until the Lynch INT. Then they got quiet. Can't say I blame them.

As someone who was NOT able to go, I'd like to say THANK YOU to all that did.

It took a lot of time, money and especially EFFORT on your part and I just want to say you made a DIFFERENCE. The crowd shots were just great to see on TV and also in the Trib etc. And hearing NIU chants in the background was great.

Just one favor. If you or someone you know did make it to the OB and you haven't been a regular out at Huskie Stadium, please keep it going and come on out to DeKalb this Fall. It's a lot of fun out there too!

Thanks again and Go Huskies!

Now if we could get some butts in seats at soldier field.

(01-02-2013 09:59 PM)HuskiemobileMan Wrote:  Now if we could get some butts in seats at soldier field.

And Huskie Stadium.

Yeah, I really was just amazed at the crowd. I wish I walked around to the other side just to get a better view of all the NIU fans. Let's hope we can not only build on this experience with the team and recruiting, but also with an energized fan base.

Too bad our home schedule next year sucks A$$.

(01-02-2013 09:18 PM)thxjoenovak Wrote:  As someone who was NOT able to go, I'd like to say THANK YOU to all that did.

It took a lot of time, money and especially EFFORT on your part and I just want to say you made a DIFFERENCE. The crowd shots were just great to see on TV and also in the Trib etc. And hearing NIU chants in the background was great.

Just one favor. If you or someone you know did make it to the OB and you haven't been a regular out at Huskie Stadium, please keep it going and come on out to DeKalb this Fall. It's a lot of fun out there too!

Thanks again and Go Huskies!

I'm in total agreement.......it was great to see the NIU fans in the stands, the energy

Students, alumni, and fanbase all deserve props for bringing fans despite relatively small fan base. Made the pregame atmosphere a lot more exciting.

If I'm an FSU fan, I'd be outraged. It was a defacto home game and they couldn't or wouldn't fill up the rest of the empty seats. Maybe it was NIU, maybe it was being in Miami, maybe it was the ticket prices.....not sure. Didn't look good.

Talked to a few at the OB that said they're in for season tickets next year, have never had them before, I think we'll see a decent increase.

It was impressive...no doubt.

I was in section 450 and was able to see all of the Huskie sections and agree, great showing!

We were the only Huskie fans in our section, and my wife and kids all couldn't care less about football (even fell asleep in the 4th). I don't have the energy to keep up with the lower level crowd. Due to a couple of diseases that I am fighting sitting during the game is a must and was absolutely miserable in pain the next day from the uncomfortable seats and extra activity. On the forced fumble in the 1st my youngest daughter told my wife that she had never seen me jump up so fast lol!

The FSU fans around us were a mix of "ignore the outsider, condescending and rude, or drunk idiots who think they know everything about football but are completely clueless". I was screaming and cheering as loud as I could when we were making plays. I was the only one standing and everyone was silent around me, or inventing some rule why that play shouldn't have counted. This was pretty far out of my comfort zone, since my health problems started I have become kind of introverted and really get self conscious when people are watching me (thinking they are judging me for my cane/walker or disability parking or whatever) but I had a blast. Obviously I was disappointed in the loss but the only other thing that could have been better was the merchandise, it was pretty slim choices and low quality hats, I was 100% planning to buy a hat but they were all cheap.

The thing I was the most proud was the Huskie Nation showing up! Seriously, tailgating was 50/50 between Florida State and NIU fans. They obviously had more game only attendees but we had over 20,000 there...no doubt about it. Absolutely impressed. I ran into people that never go to home games that were sporting gear. Fun stuff.

By the way, I will debate with anyone who says we had less than 35% of the crowd. The 200 levels were full for NIU, are student section and that endzone rocked and was packed, etc.

(01-03-2013 11:12 PM)JB04 Wrote:  The thing I was the most proud was the Huskie Nation showing up! Seriously, tailgating was 50/50 between Florida State and NIU fans. They obviously had more game only attendees but we had over 20,000 there...no doubt about it. Absolutely impressed. I ran into people that never go to home games that were sporting gear. Fun stuff.

By the way, I will debate with anyone who says we had less than 35% of the crowd. The 200 levels were full for NIU, are student section and that endzone rocked and was packed, etc.

We had more than 35% ... Fsu fans were much more spread out than we were.

From a long time lurker, I have to add the police escort from the Fountainebleau was FANTASTIC! They closed down every intersection, the expressway, and watched the Florida people at every section gawk at us and do the Tomahawk chop out the window. When we came into the stadium the first parking lots were for the FSU fans and I said 'oh sh*& they showed up' and then we came around to the NIU side and I said a real 'Holy Sh&%, we showed up with more!' Everyone on those buses were so pumped to see it. Did the tailgaters know that all buses coming in were NIU with a dozen motor cycle police escorts . . . . if you did it had to pump you up big time too??

Fantastic last note, we stayied until Thursday and on Wednesday evening at the Fountainebleau pool about a dozen players strolled by in sweats and the same BCS logo on it as NIU had and I said 'NIU guys still around?', they responded, No we are Alabama!! Just to have our team be there the same week with them??

(01-04-2013 02:12 AM)smartnumber Wrote:  From a long time lurker, I have to add the police escort from the Fountainebleau was FANTASTIC! They closed down every intersection, the expressway, and watched the Florida people at every section gawk at us and do the Tomahawk chop out the window. When we came into the stadium the first parking lots were for the FSU fans and I said 'oh sh*& they showed up' and then we came around to the NIU side and I said a real 'Holy Sh&%, we showed up with more!' Everyone on those buses were so pumped to see it. Did the tailgaters know that all buses coming in were NIU with a dozen motor cycle police escorts . . . . if you did it had to pump you up big time too??

Fantastic last note, we stayied until Thursday and on Wednesday evening at the Fountainebleau pool about a dozen players strolled by in sweats and the same BCS logo on it as NIU had and I said 'NIU guys still around?', they responded, No we are Alabama!! Just to have our team be there the same week with them??

Alabama brought in busloads of fans just as we were leaving the Fontainebleau on Wednesday.

(01-04-2013 08:23 AM)Dog Fan Wrote:  

(01-04-2013 02:12 AM)smartnumber Wrote:  From a long time lurker, I have to add the police escort from the Fountainebleau was FANTASTIC! They closed down every intersection, the expressway, and watched the Florida people at every section gawk at us and do the Tomahawk chop out the window. When we came into the stadium the first parking lots were for the FSU fans and I said 'oh sh*& they showed up' and then we came around to the NIU side and I said a real 'Holy Sh&%, we showed up with more!' Everyone on those buses were so pumped to see it. Did the tailgaters know that all buses coming in were NIU with a dozen motor cycle police escorts . . . . if you did it had to pump you up big time too??

Fantastic last note, we stayied until Thursday and on Wednesday evening at the Fountainebleau pool about a dozen players strolled by in sweats and the same BCS logo on it as NIU had and I said 'NIU guys still around?', they responded, No we are Alabama!! Just to have our team be there the same week with them??

Alabama brought in busloads of fans just as we were leaving the Fontainebleau on Wednesday.

I agree we had SunLife rocking much louder than FSU fans very impressive lets carry this over to Huskie Stadium!!! AWESOME TIME

(01-03-2013 08:20 PM)NJTB Wrote:  Students, alumni, and fanbase all deserve props for bringing fans despite relatively small fan base. Made the pregame atmosphere a lot more exciting.

If I'm an FSU fan, I'd be outraged. It was a defacto home game and they couldn't or wouldn't fill up the rest of the empty seats. Maybe it was NIU, maybe it was being in Miami, maybe it was the ticket prices.....not sure. Didn't look good.

It was the highest attended OB in four years.

(01-04-2013 09:58 AM)sarasotahuskie Wrote:  

(01-03-2013 08:20 PM)NJTB Wrote:  Students, alumni, and fanbase all deserve props for bringing fans despite relatively small fan base. Made the pregame atmosphere a lot more exciting.

If I'm an FSU fan, I'd be outraged. It was a defacto home game and they couldn't or wouldn't fill up the rest of the empty seats. Maybe it was NIU, maybe it was being in Miami, maybe it was the ticket prices.....not sure. Didn't look good.

It was the highest attended OB in four years.

And according to the a-hole OB rep, we were not wanted, eh? Maybe they should have had us the previous three years, too!