A boffo opening night for Georgia State football and its fans
Does this look like real football? It sure as heck felt like it. (AJC photo by Jason Getz)
If Georgia State never wins another game or scores another point, the Panthers and their fans can say this: On Sept. 2, 2010, a start-up college-football program outdrew a first-place big-league baseball club head to head. On its first time out of the box, GSU served notice that there’s enthusiasm in this city for this brand new team.
And that wasn’t always a given. Indeed, there were those — that’s my hand you see raised — who feared GSU would unveil its football team to an intimate gathering of friends and family beneath the cavernous Georgia Dome. But there was nothing small about the crowd Thursday night, and there was nothing intimate about the setting.
The Dome’s lower bowl was full, and the overflow spilled upward into the second tier. Cheryl Levick, GSU’s athletic director, reported that there were 11,000 students on hand, and certainly her estimate didn’t seem fanciful. The students arrived early and yelled all night — they even shrieked after a successful Panthers fair catch — and they roared their approval when the school president took a pregame walk in front of their end zone.
Said Mark Becker, the president in question, recalling his promenade: “Our student section was already full; their bodies were painted. I’ll never forget the excitement of those kids. … To see the student excitement and to see them fill the student section straight away will be with me forever.”
Someone asked Becker if he could have imagined such a crowd. “Two months ago, no,” he said. “A week ago, yes. Just the buzz around the city has been electric. … In the last couple of days, I predicted at least 25,000.”
He got it, plus 5K. Attendance was announced as 30,237. (The Braves, by way of contrast, drew 24,895 for their game against the Mets.)
Said Levick: “I am shocked and excited to do 30,000.”
About the game: The Panthers beat Shorter 41-7. They scored on their first drive and scored on their last, eight seconds from the end. They stopped themselves with some penalties, but this was, after all, the first time they had done this. (And it’s not as if established programs can’t be penalized. Ask the folks in Athens.)
Bill Curry, who had coached at Georgia Tech, Alabama and Kentucky, was so moved by this Opening Night that he gathered his family for photos before the game in front of the GSU students, who already were roaring. And his players were so stoked that they nearly injured themselves taking the field for warmups, so furiously were they leaping and smacking one another and waving to the crowd.
On the field for the coin flip — for history buffs: GSU won the toss and took the ball — and the kickoff, Levick said she looked into the expectant eyes of her players and “felt chills.” And it wasn’t, she noted, just the players. Walking the concourse, she kept being stopped by gray-haired alums who wanted to say thanks.
And then there were the folks who actually attend GSU. Said Levick: “[The students] are electric down there. They finally have a team, and they’re proud of it.”
When it was done, GSU was a 41-7 winner. The Panthers sprinted to the end zone and sang with the band — to go with a new team, Georgia State had to assemble a marching band — and celebrated with those wearing blue body paint, and it felt like a real football game had just been played and won.
“When you come to the moment of truth, you don’t know what’s going to happen when the lights come on,” Curry said. Then, pointing to the “incredible turnout,” he said: “I wondered if [the crowd] would unglue us. It did not.”
If anything, the crowd emboldened the new team. Forty-five minutes before kickoff, a cluster of Panthers gathered in the tunnel, and one shouted, “This is our house!”
Fancy that. The Georgia Dome — not Deion Sanders’ house, and not Arthur Blank’s, either. Instead it belonged, at least on this night, to a team that had never played, and darned if the Panthers didn’t make themselves at home.
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231 comments Add your comment
.
September 3rd, 2010
3:36 pm
Bama 56 GSU 0
Panther Prowler
September 3rd, 2010
4:00 pm
Bama 56 GSU 50
Mike
September 3rd, 2010
5:33 pm
http://www.gsu.edu
Case closed.
dawgmatic
September 3rd, 2010
6:51 pm
I’ve studied in Europe (Paris, among other cities), and Panther pride is right: public universities in practically every other country are built into downtown areas, sharing space in historic buildings. The concept of colleges on acres of land outside of cities is an invention of the American federal land grant program. I should know: Georgia is the oldest land grant university in the USA.
dawgmatic
September 3rd, 2010
7:00 pm
I wonder how people at the Sorbonne would react to the whole “city schools are inferior” argument?
Ross
September 3rd, 2010
10:05 pm
Curry spans a great football arc, from Bobby Dodd to Mike Curtis and Johnny Unitas to last night. Won and lost a Super Bowl, with the same team, in different conferences. Someone should do a proper interview. I’ll volunteer, I’m a Tech guy too.
Not Disappointed!
September 3rd, 2010
10:29 pm
You wrote a damn good article Mark! I’m a Jacket and I was impressed. Go Panthers!
Fred
September 3rd, 2010
10:35 pm
Sweet.
Albion2
September 3rd, 2010
11:31 pm
hey, Bryan? PISS OFF!! i was at the game last night and chose NOT to go to the “cant deliver in the post season Braves” game and did NOT get my ticket for free! the game was awesome, the game was historic and the game was the ONLY place i wanted to be last night and am proud to have done so!! GO PANTHERS! THANKS, GUYS FOR A GREAT INAUGURAL GAME!!
scottbravesfan
September 4th, 2010
12:49 am
Braves had almost 53,000 fans for their opening day. Please Mark Bradley try to have some perspective.
gaines rushton
September 4th, 2010
3:55 am
i knew bill curry was a good coach and he brings out the best in his players. maybe georgia needs a bill curry type coach who knows how to get the best out of the young men that he coaches and he wouldn’t hire a wee willie.
itsmeagain
September 4th, 2010
3:59 am
Lol, its funny to me how butt hurt Southern kids are that they aren’t considered GSU by anyone (not even themselves; there logo says GS on it, not GSU). I guess it hurts so bad because State had more exposure before they had even stepped on the field then Southern has ever had. When people say GSU, the vast majority of people around the US are going to think Georgia State before they think Georgia Southern because of the amount of national exposure that State is getting.
And academically and nationally, Georgia State is the second largest school in the state, and its a research university (the same as 3 other colleges in Georgia, being Tech, UGA and medical college of Georgia). Southern is just a regional college. Which is why, on a national scale, not only does nobody give a crap about Southern, nobody even knows who they are. I would dare say more people know who State is for their football right now than they do Southern
Panther Prowler
September 4th, 2010
8:27 am
People wanted the whole “real GSU” issue to be settled on the football field, and now, it’s finally settled:
Georgia State 3, Georgia Southern 0.
http://ow.ly/18RnZ7
JGW 69/71
September 4th, 2010
9:51 am
Regardless of what comes during this season, Thursday night’s game was just wonderful. I remember sitting in classes in the 60’s and 70’s where discussions occurred concerning when Ga. State University would have a football team. We’ll we’re there!!! Great fans, great game venue and also an outstanding coach. It was worth the wait!!!
J Bryant
September 4th, 2010
12:11 pm
To those saying that they GAVE away tickets… students pay athletic fees. Once you leave the SEC student athletic fees ARE their game day tickets. Bryan… get off our blog and focus on YOUR team (which ever it is…. if it’s an in-state team there is more than enough to keep you busy). I remember the CLUB team 10 years ago and people saying this would never happen. This school and this CITY and soon this STATE will consider GA State a source of pride. GO Panthers!!! Thanks to all those that were with us those first seasons when we were fighting for this day as the GState Club Football team. Jay Bryant Fall ‘03
ruggrfool
September 4th, 2010
1:37 pm
Shorter HAWKS Fan: class comment
It’s been 2 days and I’m still geeked
ruggrfool
September 4th, 2010
1:48 pm
Mark I hate to break it to you but Southern is known as a travel school because the student body leaves Friday and high tails it back to the ATL
dawgmatic
September 4th, 2010
5:17 pm
What is there to do in Statesboring during the weekend? The football team’s heyday is over, and that one-horse town isn’t even worth taking a crap in. Athens, on the other hand, has bars and talent as far as the eye can see.
gsu.edu
September 4th, 2010
5:18 pm
last time I checked, I hear people refer to Georgia State as state and Georgia Southern as southern. so I think that argument is settled. plus…its gsu.edu and georgiasouthern.edu. Georgia State is GSU baby! so pumped
GSU
September 4th, 2010
5:42 pm
This is exactly what Georgia State needed. The school has finally put together a team that can really generate school spirit. It has been a great year for Georgia State so far. It recorded it’s largest enrollment ever at 31,000 students, freshmen applications went up to 12,000, it attracted it’s most qualified freshmen class ever with SAT & HS GPA figures at all time highs, and it has finally started football which will improve school spirit. School spirit that will hopefully lead to better retention, graduation, and alumni giving rates. I couldn’t be more thrilled.
2010 College Football Picks: Alabama Crimson Tide
September 4th, 2010
9:51 pm
[...] A boffo opening night for Georgia State football and its fans Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog) – Sep 2nd – 22:58 [...]
Witness to History: Georgia State’s Football Program Begins with a 41-7 Victory – Bleacher Report | Blog-about.com Free Blogs
September 4th, 2010
10:14 pm
[...] in first football game 41-7The Associated PressGeorgia St. already undefeatedAlbany Herald On-lineA boffo opening night for Georgia State football and its fansAtlanta Journal Constitution (blog)Online Athens -SI.com -The Chattanooganall 208 news [...]
ehh whatever
September 5th, 2010
12:33 am
To start, congrats on a win.
Now lets remember that:
1. It was the first win…ever;
2. Against SHORTER who, with all due respect, is an NAIA program (for those who don’t know…it doesn’t get any lower than that)
3. If you think that state could even stay on the same field as southern, you are just kidding yourselves. Maybe in some time, but for the first few seasons there are going to be growing pains, no getting around it.
4. Good attendance, especially for a first game, but to the person on the first page who said that student tickets are built in to the fees at the beginning of the year, you are only partially right. Either you are a moron…or you just haven’t been to college in quite some time. Almost every major university (take every SEC school for example) charges their students for football tickets (most sporting events for that matter) so your logic is flawed.
Now I’m not really sure what classification state is playing in in football, but they are going to take some lumps looking at their schedule. Just being honest here, but they couldn’t hang with any FBS schools right now…and I mean any, nor could they be competitive with a number of FCS schools, but hey, enjoy your blowout win against a north ga high school all star team!
itsmeagain
September 5th, 2010
1:17 am
@ehh whatever;
You’re right, we probably couldn’t stand up to an FBS team. But damn if we don’t try; last game of the season, vs Alabama. Not just any FBS team, THE FBS team. And were most likely going to be mowed over, but you know what, its our first season, and damn if were not excited as hell to have the opportunity to get mowed over by Alabama. It’s our first season and that was our first game. We have to start somewhere and this is where.
BTW, Southern couldn’t stand up to an FBS team either. But i guarantee State would give Southern a run for their money.
Oh, and regarding your flawed logic comment; the SEC is 12 teams. Not representative of the entire FBS. Georgia Tech (for example) also gives away student tickets. The only reason the SEC teams charge their students for tickets is because they know they’ll buy them. If i pay 80 dollars a year toward my football program, i’m definitely buying a season ticket and therefore my attendance at the game counts. You’re logic isn’t floored in that i don’t believe there was any logic to begin with.
ehh whatever
September 5th, 2010
2:48 am
@itsmeagain
I’ll give you the real reason for playing Alabama, and it isn’t for a learning experience or for a moral boost. I bet state makes more money off of that one game then they generate the rest of the year (in football that is). Sure they have some players, some kids that for whatever reason didn’t make it at other schools, but they will in no way be competitive in that match up.
I know I am coming off as a complete troll, but It just absolutely blows my mind at the sheer amount of arrogance that comes across in some of these comments from the state supporters. I get it, you won your first game, be excited but my goodness you would think that they were the first football program ever started in the state, even though 3 of the most successful college programs of all time are within a couple hundred miles ( Again shorter=a glorified north georgia high school all star team)
Don’t get me wrong, I live and go to school in the Atlanta area (SPSU). I think its great what they are trying to do at state. I hope they get a chance to do the same thing at Kennesaw at some point but, to even think that you could be competitive with southern is just an absolute joke. You are talking about a program who is established as one of the most dominate programs all time at the FCS level. Again, maybe in a few years, but right now it wouldn’t be close. They didn’t win 6 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS because they are an average program.
Southern might not compete with most teams from the AQ conferences (except maybe Ole Miss it appears) and some of the non-aq, but they would compete more so than state would at this point.
itsmeagain
September 5th, 2010
3:34 am
@ehh whatever
You’re damn right were playing Bama for the money. I believe its about 600,000 were receiving, and god knows were getting a hell of a lot more than that in terms of media and national attention (what with it being televised on ESPN).
You are coming across as a complete troll because because you’re being a compete troll. You’re the one who started throwing turds, and as soon as someone challenged the crap you were throwing you start calling them ignorant.
Regarding State not being able to stand up to Southern; When did you last win a championship? It certainly wasn’t last season, you lost more games than you won. And to write State off after they won one game is just as ignorant as those people who’re saying that state could beat Tech right now. It makes no sense. No, Shorter wasn’t a challenge and we showed that we could run down a team that we were expected to run down. If we had lost you could write us off. If we had came close you could write us off. But we didn’t, we beat the crap out of them just as we were expected to as a division I FCS team should. And maybe we wont do so well when we start playing other DI FCS teams, but until then, you best keep your comments to yourself otherwise you might find yourself looking like a bit of a fool.
Patrick
September 5th, 2010
1:52 pm
Are you serious you win one game against a high school caliber team and you think you at the best in the state! Now you think you should be the real GSU try winning 6 national championships and be a nationwide name in D1 football and maybe than maybe can you say you have rights to GSU, but until than you are and will always be GEOG! Hahahahahaha!
Also GSU just won 48-3 last night so don’t think your the only ones that can put up points!
Directions
September 5th, 2010
3:48 pm
Before the Shorter University game, I said the true measure of the Georgia State football team will be in the third game when Jacksonville State comes to town. They are a well established FCS-level team. Did you see what they did to Ole Miss on Saturday. Can’t wait until the Jacksonville State game to see how the Panthers stack up.
Itsmeagain
September 5th, 2010
9:31 pm
Lol. Patrick and all the other southern kids are butt hurt because nobody cares about little Georgia southern. Instead, GSU plays their first game of football ever and the biggest newspaper in the state makes a huge deal out of it, and espn magazine puts them on the front cover. All the while little Georgia southern is crying for attention as we can see throughout these comments. You should comment on the georgia southern section of the ajc. Oh wait, you don’t have one. I guess nobody cares.
dawgmatic
September 6th, 2010
2:05 pm
@Itsmegain: Georgia Southern has nothing to be butt-hurt about. I’m sure they got publicity in ESPN Magazine and the AJC when they won those 6 championships, right?
Right?
Then again, but I don’t hear many people talking about G Southern, now that I think of it.
P.S. did someone from SPSU really just post on this blog? Seriously?
dangerousdan885 Class of 82.
September 7th, 2010
12:42 pm
It was electric in the dome. I expected to pull in the parking lot and see a few cars. After all, I went to a GSU basketball game where there may have 50 folks in the OMNI including the teams. Guard Tony Graham picture was almost a full front sports page spread with the caption: The forgotten team of GSU.
Well times have changed and no one forgot about this team!! People were tailgating before 2pm for a 7:30pm kickoff. GSU had a real band !! And we had lost of cheerleaders. WHAT– WHERE WAS I ?? It was a surreal, glorious night that I will never forget. I will be back for all the games – I hope this grows into a monster and we eventually sell out the dome someday. It could happen. After all, who the hell thought we’d ever have a football team??