For those of us who couldn't make it - give us your experiences! My main question is how loud did it get at the stadium? The ESPN broadcast did not really talk about noise level much but it sounded pretty good.

Go Dukes!!!!

Stadium atmosphere was pretty great due to it being a packed house.

Everything was pretty great. Pretty cool stadium, the only complaint I'd have is that the video screens aren't too great(maybe a big, better one is part of the end zone construction?). We were loud, we were standing all game, there were tons and tons of streamers. The team walk and the pep rally were awesome, the guy running the pep rally was great. All around great experience. The only thing that could've made it better would be the full MRDs.

(01-08-2017 09:35 AM)KickItToScotty Wrote:  Everything was pretty great. Pretty cool stadium, the only complaint I'd have is that the video screens aren't too great(maybe a big, better one is part of the end zone construction?). We were loud, we were standing all game, there were tons and tons of streamers. The team walk and the pep rally were awesome, the guy running the pep rally was great. All around great experience. The only thing that could've made it better would be the full MRDs.

I had multiple random people near me say the same thing. Of course, your opinion is not important unless you're on Team Wine & Cheese.

Good atmosphere at the game. Sounds cliche but it was basically a home game. One side of the field was 100% purple, the other was about 60% purple I'd estimate. The streamers were so on point. I haven't been to a game at BFS in a while but we had more streamers here than I remember even at BFS. In fact the stadium PA kept giving verbal warnings about streamers, at first addressing the concern to "fans" but then at the third of fourth warning he just said "Dukes fans: please stop throwing things". Pretty funny.

It's clear that many things on game day were planned with the intention of an equal split of fans. For example I couldn't figure out at halftime why the Youngstown band came directly to play loudly right in front of our section. Then of course I realized that these seats, now a JMU section, were supposed to be YSU, and the band routine was pre planned. Playing directly in front of fans screaming insults looked like it really demoralized them. Nothing bad to say about YSU fans but then again didn't see all that many.

Tailgate was pretty standard, the team walk-in was nice (the team was incredibly focused, compared to the Youngstown walk-in where their players were soaking it up like a red carpet. Good coaching by Houston, understatement of the year, to keep our players all business).

As for surrounding area, we had a lot of fun in the Legacy area of Plano both nights. Only minor gripe was that some of the bar staff were a bit rude, I would have expected them to be grateful for events like this that bring them a lot of business, but they seemed to just want to "get it over with." Strange vibe from them but didn't ruin any of the fun. Hotel staff in my hotel at least have been awesome btw.

Overall it's a good town and stadium for an event like this. Really easy to get around. Hope we make this a regular occurrence.

I think we have officially caused the stadium to ban streamers.

(01-08-2017 11:14 AM)hburg Wrote:  I think we have officially caused the stadium to ban streamers.

I enjoyed how each announcement to "not throw things on the field" got more and more exasperated. I think the announcer just gave up by the end.

Overall, fantastic experience (though cold). Packed tailgate with friendly fans, fun stuff at the stadium including photo ops with the championship trophy, team photo booths with jerseys and helmets, great pep rally. The fact that the stadium felt like a Dukes home game with the amount of purple, crowd noise, and streamers made for a great JMU atmosphere. Met old friends and made new ones too.

Glad I got to experience this one after watching 2004 from home as a freshman. With any luck and hard work, we'll hopefully be back to Frisco soon!

Did anyone else look around and think that they need a larger venue for this game?

We had so much fun at Scruffy Duffy's Friday night. I was really not expecting to. We are old (by AARP standards), but managed to hang strong with the young one's. It took me back to "JM's" days. I have not danced so much in many years. It never fails to amaze me, the connection that is just simply there between JMU Alumni and current students across all years. The age span in "Scruffy's" was easily ages 20-65. I met members of the baseball team (all very nice young men, cute too) and a distinguished group of Alumni men class of '77. Shout out to Cory, 1st base and "Big Bat." Get it done JMU baseball!

The game was an extraordinary experience! Not so impressed with Stadium. Scoreboard was awful (very hard to see). And no screens or audio of game anywhere when you needed a beer or bathroom break. And on the JMU side, they ran out of beer! What!? Guess we drink more than the Bison?! Had to take a hike to the "Penguin" side for more beer. Benefit of doubt....stadium is under renovation! Really minor in the scheme of things though.

The Dukes ruled the field! The Defense won the day, but it was a team win all around. Our secondary played out of their minds football. Taylor Reynolds you rock! We stood the entire time! And of course, Khalid "NFL" Abdullah! Bryan Schor, so happy you are returning Senior next year. As others have mentioned, the atmosphere was like a home game.

Besides the actual overall awesomeness of the game, two things standout to me. Number one, I almost peed myself when the Duke dog team vs Penguin team pizza box challenge took place. The Penguin trying to run (waddle is a better word) and pick up the boxes with his flippers was both embarrassing and hysterical at the same time. We won handily, of course. Secondly, late in the fourth quarter JMU fans pelted the camera guy with streamers on the mobile platform as he was moving from one end to the other. It was so funny watching him fend off the "rain" of purple and gold. It did not stop until he acknowledged us and was really a good sport about it! I really hope Toyota Stadium does not outlaw streamers next year!

I have never written this long of a post! So I will close with how proud and lucky I feel to be a JMU Alum! And our group, which is expanding, is already making plans to come back next year! Frisco 2018 or bust! Thank you JMU coaches and JMU Football for the best year everrrrrrr!

(01-08-2017 01:19 PM)OlDuke91 Wrote:  Did anyone else look around and think that they need a larger venue for this game?

Yesterday? Absolutely. Perhaps not so much if it had been a Villanova-EWU final or something like that. But not my problem. Not feeling like much of anything is a problem at the moment.

Sitting at DFW waiting on a flight out. Still seeing some purple tricklin out.

We had a great time, every Duke was super friendly
Since I had my seven year old,, I skipped tailgate, but it certainly looked like people enjoyed themselves lol.

Two comments about the stadium. The announcer liked to yell and never called down and distance. That with lack of a good game board was slightly annoying. On the he positive side sight lines were pretty decent for viewing.

If this ever was JMU v NDSU, no it would not be large enough.

(01-08-2017 01:37 PM)Dukedame84 Wrote:  We had so much fun at Scruffy Duffy's Friday night. I was really not expecting to. We are old (by AARP standards), but managed to hang strong with the young one's. It took me back to "JM's" days. I have not danced so much in many years. It never fails to amaze me, the connection that is just simply there between JMU Alumni and current students across all years. The age span in "Scruffy's" was easily ages 20-65. I met members of the baseball team (all very nice young men, cute too) and a distinguished group of Alumni men class of '77. Shout out to Cory, 1st base and "Big Bat." Get it done JMU baseball!

The game was an extraordinary experience! Not so impressed with Stadium. Scoreboard was awful (very hard to see). And no screens or audio of game anywhere when you needed a beer or bathroom break. And on the JMU side, they ran out of beer! What!? Guess we drink more than the Bison?! Had to take a hike to the "Penguin" side for more beer. Benefit of doubt....stadium is under renovation! Really minor in the scheme of things though.

The Dukes ruled the field! The Defense won the day, but it was a team win all around. Our secondary played out of their minds football. Taylor Reynolds you rock! We stood the entire time! And of course, Khalid "NFL" Abdullah! Bryan Schor, so happy you are returning Senior next year. As others have mentioned, the atmosphere was like a home game.

Besides the actual overall awesomeness of the game, two things standout to me. Number one, I almost peed myself when the Duke dog team vs Penguin team pizza box challenge took place. The Penguin trying to run (waddle is a better word) and pick up the boxes with his flippers was both embarrassing and hysterical at the same time. We won handily, of course. Secondly, late in the fourth quarter JMU fans pelted the camera guy with streamers on the mobile platform as he was moving from one end to the other. It was so funny watching him fend off the "rain" of purple and gold. It did not stop until he acknowledged us and was really a good sport about it! I really hope Toyota Stadium does not outlaw streamers next year!

I have never written this long of a post! So I will close with how proud and lucky I feel to be a JMU Alum! And our group, which is expanding, is already making plans to come back next year! Frisco 2018 or bust! Thank you JMU coaches and JMU Football for the best year everrrrrrr!

ah HELL NO. this was just the 1st year for beer in stadium.

NDSU in year #1 actually drank over 10 bars/restaurants and the Marriott dry haha.

It felt like the venue was not fitting of a NCAA division 1 championship. Stadium end zone construction, poor scoreboards in bad locations, late opening the gates as per the published schedule. The NCAA can and should do better

Our group didn't go to scruffys since it was already jam packed to the brim by the time we got there. We went to other bars in that same shopping center and had fun. Maybe look into a larger pregame venue if we are fortunate enough to be back again.

Toyota stadium sucks, there's not really any other way to put it. The scoreboard was impossible to see and the announcer was annoying.

All that said, we had a great time. Lots of Dukes at the tailgate. I'm glad we made the trip! Go Dukes!

The stadium announcer seemed to be biased towards YSU all game IMO. Not sure why.

The pizza race was amazing. Everyone in our section was dying laughing.

Had a blast! JMU Nation was awesome!! Weather could have been better but small price to pay for a national championship! Let's do it again next year!!


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Incredible experience...met so many great people...game was friggin' cold but after halftime it seemed much better (still low 30's, but that's quite the improvement from 20). I thought the crowd was really loud, especially when YSU had the ball. So...much...purple!! I never hit Scruffies...hung out Friday and Saturday nights at Tight Ends which was a block away from my hotel. Not a bad place for a dude to have some beers and watch some games (among other things -ahem-).

They made a last call for beer halfway through the second quarter. The guy said they were all but out and that they had no idea we'd drink so much. He went on to say they did have another TX beer and that he requested not to carry it through the crowd selling it, he didn't think we'd want it. I told him to simply take a sharpie and write "Beer" on it and he'd sell all he can bring down the isle.