On Tuesday night, the UB football team faced one of its biggest games in years. With a national audience watching on ESPN2 and expectations as high as they've ever been, the Bulls came through - they won by 27 points.
As Buffalo football continues to labor toward its ultimate goal, a MAC championship, what has been a constant this season, more so than in the past, is the sustained and spirited support of its fans. There were 22,918 people in attendance for the Bulls' home finale Tuesday. And what has been especially discernible during each game this year is the role that the student fans have played in the energy inside the stadium.
School spirit and showing support at athletic events is an important part of the college experience. It gives students a chance to come together and rally behind our peers, to have shared experiences in the stands, to form memories and to build community.
When students have a sports team to be excited about, it elevates their college experience insurmountably. And one of the reasons student support has increased this fall is precisely that: We have had a team we can be excited about.
There is no doubt that the heightening of the tailgating experience with the athletic department's organized concerts has drawn more spectators to the stadium, and this year's football team is arguably the best in UB history.
With Tuesday's win marking the team's seventh straight victory - the first time UB has won that many in a row since 1897 - the fan base has recognized a sense of possibility embedded in this season. They could really go all the way.
Fans want to come out and support the Bulls when they win. They also love supporting interesting characters and sensational players. Having a packed stadium filled with exhilarated people screaming in support adds to the vitality that makes sporting events worthwhile - for both the players and the fans.
Having Khalil Mack as a player to watch this season has provided the Buffalo fan base with excitement that renders them anxiously anticipating what sort of egregious play he will make each week; Branden Oliver leaves fans guessing how many yards he will add to his total and what record he will break each week; and Alex Neutz keeps all on their toes to see how his adept catching ability will add to Oliver's ground attack.
One thing about all those superlative players, however, is that they will be gone next year. And with 2013's recruiting class being ranked the second worst in college football, according to Rivals.com, the prospects of the future are looking potentially grim.
Without many of these exciting players - who are NFL prospects - the fan base is, sadly, likely to diminish. What Athletic Director Danny White needs to recognize is that the increased fan turnout this season has had nothing to do with the rebranding campaign that has been at the center of his mission.
It has had to do with the quality of the team.
Something that can't be ignored is that White or head coach Jeff Quinn did not assemble this year's team, which is stacked with talent; these players all came from former coach Turner Gill. And, as Rivals.com has indicated, Quinn has not been particularly successful at attracting talent.
But what makes this year special, what gives it so much potential, is that in addition to the possibility of winning a MAC Championship and attending a bowl game, this season could be the impetus for the football program to attract more high-level recruits.
With national coverage and with players like Mack projected to go first round in the NFL Draft, the team is getting a lot of attention. High school players are beginning to see that UB is a good place to play football.
So what matters now is that the athletic program uses this momentum to continue developing a winning program. Having the pieces in place to recruit is not enough - they have to actually go out and do it.
With the success of the athletic department riding on winning and the ability to bring in revenue to the university, it is important to note that more fans spending more money on the team has come from us having a good team with good players.
White and Quinn should remember what they are experiencing now come the offseason if they want to continue bringing fans into the stadium.
They need to work hard to recruit well - it is a winning strategy.
email: editorial@ubspectrum.com
