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http://media.www.dailycampus.com/media/paper340/news/2005/11/28/Sports/Students.Need.To.Pack.Stadium-1114272.shtml?sourcedomain=www.dailycampus.com&MIIHost=media.collegepublisher.com

Students Need To Pack Stadium

The Huskies' victory over South Florida may have been UConn's version of the best game nobody saw.

Sure, it was televised regionally on ABC - a UConn football first - but with tickets remaining for the game up until kickoff, there's no reason why UConn football fans should not have packed the stands.

The game was crucial for the Huskies - forget talks about a bowl game, because with a best-case 6-5 record and four other teams eligible for bowls in the Big East, not to mention Notre Dame's affiliation with the conference, UConn's realistically not about to go bowling this season.

Rather, let's focus on the importance of a game where the Huskies were taking on one of the conference's top teams. South Florida may be new to the Big East and many may not be familiar with the team, but up until around 7 p.m. Saturday, they were headed to a winner-takes-all bout against West Virginia to decide who will be the recipient of the conference's BCS bid.

Instead, the Bulls will now sulk back to Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Fla. for a nearly-meaningless game against the Mountaineers that is not likely to make it on television.

That was the importance of Saturday's game - and very few stayed through to see it in person.

As a football fan living in Connecticut, one has to be used to treks to see the Patriots in Foxboro, Mass. or down to Giants Stadium to see either the Jets or the Giants. Late season home games often include packing on the four T-shirts, the two sweatshirts, three pairs of socks, gloves, scarves and winter hats and there are no shortage of people willing to go to the game.

Yet, in East Hartford it seems that the slightest dusting of snow and the temperature hovering just above freezing can somehow deter anyone from considering attending the game.

Through all this, the students must be commended for their attendance at Saturday's game. While the student section was only half full, at best, this is primarily the school's fault. Had the university opened dorms Friday night, or even Saturday morning, and organized their usual bus trips to Rentschler Field, the students would have been even louder and been able to get in South Florida's head.

This isn't the first time this has happened, and this likely won't be the last, either. Last season, the Huskies capped off their regular season with a game against Buffalo Nov. 20 - the first day of Thanksgiving Break, when the residence halls were closed. Coincidentally, the same night saw the Huskies open their men's basketball season, also against Buffalo, and very few students were around to see it.

Or how about the end of last season, when the Huskies took on Syracuse in a huge Senior Night game at Gampel Pavilion? Nobody could go see it because it took place March 5 - the first day of Spring Break, when the residence halls were closed.

I understand that the teams schedule games regardless of whether or not students are on break, but maybe the university should keep residence halls open an extra night. If supervision is the concern, how much work can it be to ask the residence hall staff to come back a night, or even just a couple hours early? Just make it part of their job descriptions, as they already have to come back from winter break earlier than the rest of the student body. Or, likewise, what if the staff stayed an extra night? Is leaving Saturday night instead of Friday night for a holiday five days later that much of a problem, especially when many public schools continue their classes up until the Wednesday before Thanksgiving?

Opening the residence halls at 1 p.m. Sunday caused students not only to miss the football game, but to miss the first half of the men's soccer game, a third-round NCAA Tournament contest.

Kate Hogan, a 3rd-semester psychology major, found that out the hard way when she tried to go to the game.

"I wanted to go to the soccer game, but I ended up getting there almost at the end of the first half because the dorms weren't open early enough," Hogan said.

The Huskies eventually lost the game in penalty kicks, but a louder student section may have helped lead them to victory.

Next week, the dorms will be open and the football team will play their biggest game of the year against Louisville. The temperature is already projected to be in the high-20s, but there's little to no chance of snow, meaning if anything, it will just be cold at The Rent.

Students, consider this a challenge for Saturday - show up to the game, be loud, be obnoxious and stay the entire four quarters to cheer on your Huskies. The game will likely be at night and will be on ESPN. With a victory, the Huskies will not only capture a winning season and become bowl eligible, they will top one of the best college football teams in the country.

Last season, the Huskies were able to embarrass a Pittsburgh squad that charged into Rentschler Field and looked past UConn. The students were widely known to be a large factor in that game, making it loud and difficult for the Panthers to concentrate.

You've done it before, now do it again.

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