Props to you Auburn fans.
There are only a few kickoff times for teams around SEC country. In the central time zone, teams play at 11, 2:30 or 3, 6 or 6:30. Every once in a while, a team will kick off at a time when typically only the West Coast is still playing football (Mississippi State opened their season with a 9:00 kickoff against in-state foe Southern Miss).
When game times are announced, there is only one time that fans dread. Actually, that isn’t true. Many fans hate the 2:30 game. That has more to do with having to listen to Gary and Verne on CBS, though, than anything about the kickoff time having a potential impact on the game.
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The kickoff time that fans going to the game and watching from home both dread is the 11:00 AM slot. The legend is that the players come out flat, the fans are borderline zombies and poor execution is the order of the day. It allegedly kills a lot of the much desired home field advantage, which is huge in SEC stadiums.
While flipping between Ole Miss-Auburn and Texas A&M-South Carolina this morning, however, one group of fans is absolutely doing its best to completely destroy that idea and prove it to be a myth. The Auburn faithful that have striped out Jordan Hard Stadium are making life a living hell for Chad Kelly and the Ole Miss offense.
We're at the #MISSvsAUB game and Jordan-Hare is looking great with the stripe out! Who do you think gets the W? pic.twitter.com/G2qgftmXrV
— Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl (@CFAPeachBowl) October 31, 2015
The noise level in the stadium was noticeable from my couch but I honestly didn’t think too much of it. Then sideline reporter Tom Luginbill made a statement that caught my attention quite quickly. He told his partners calling the game that the crowd level was greater than when Mississippi State played LSU in week 2 at 8:15. His partners, who also called that game with him, did not seem to be shocked one bit and rather confirmed his opinion.
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Given the circumstances of the respective games and Mississippi State’s use of cowbells in the stadium, props must be given to the Auburn fans. It’s no wonder Chad Kelly has drawn a delay of game and both Laremy Tunsil and Laquon Treadwell have already been called for an offsides penalty. This should be a fun one to watch all the way through.