Winning and attendance

[Orangeyes]

While reading the article today by Bud about the 1987 game against Colgate I was struck by the attendance at that game. Of course, we were on the road to an 11-0-1 season.

Here is the progression of our season

We opened at home against Maryland on September the 5th and 35,234 showed up to watch us win 25-11. The Terapins went 4-7 that season

Our second game was on the road where we downed Rutgers 20-3 in front of 23,726. Surprisingly they ended up with a 6-5 record.

The third game we defeated Miami of Ohio at the Dome 24-10 in front of 33,383 minus 1396 from game one. Miami went 5-6.

Our 4th game was on the road at Virginia Tech 33,300 showed up in Blacksburg to see us rip them 35-21. They went 2-9

We were on the road again the next week in Missouri where we won 24-13 in front of 36,773. The Tigers went 5-6

Up next was Penn State we knocked them down with a 48-21 thrashing in front of a throng of 50,011. The Nittany Lions went 8-4 that year. There were 16,628 more in attendance than our last home game.

Colgate was our 7th game of the season it wasn't much of game in that we shelled them 52-7 in front of 48,097 Carrier Dome fans. 1914 less than for PSU

Game 8 found us on the road in Pittsburgh where we took the Panthers down 24-10 in front of 52,714 people. They went 8-4 that year.

We traveled to Annapolis to face the Midshipmen of Navy. 26,614 showed up to see SU romp 34-10. Navy was 2-9 that year.

On 11/14 Boston College came to the Dome and were decimated by the Orangemen 45-17 in front of 49,892. BC ended up with a 5-6 record. 1795 more than for Colgate

Next week West Virginia came to town we barely escapped with a 32-31 win in front of 49,866 folks. The Mountainers would go 6-6. 26 less people than for BC

Our final game was at the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans which of course ended up in that infamous 16-16 tie with Auburn in front of 74,495

 

[OttoMets]

We actually drew fewer people for West Virginia than for Boston College? Weird. Wonder why that was - Thanksgiving weekend? People wanted to stay home and watch the basketball team play North Carolina?

 

[CuyahogaCuse]

We actually drew fewer people for West Virginia than for Boston College? Weird. Wonder why that was - Thanksgiving weekend? People wanted to stay home and watch the basketball team play North Carolina?

Essentially, you are quibbling, since it was a full house. But, if memory serves me right, #1 Syracuse opened the hoops season that afternoon in Springfield, Mass., in a Hall of Fame Classic game against Carolina or some other top-notch opponent. We certainly had more than a few fans who were "on the road" and others who sped back for the "double-header."

 

[OttoMets]

Essentially, you are quibbling, since it was a full house. But, if memory serves me right, #1 Syracuse opened the hoops season that afternoon in Springfield, Mass., in a Hall of Fame Classic game against Carolina or some other top-notch opponent. We certainly had more than a few fans who were "on the road" and others who sped back for the "double-header."

I'm sensing an echo in this thread...

 

[CuyahogaCuse]

I'm sensing an echo in this thread...

I guess it would pay to read all the way through. I was sitting at my son's football practice, reading on Tapatalk. But I guess my memory is pretty good. Reading comprehension? Not so much.
:bat:

 

[OrangePA]

Two things.

First many including Bud Poliquin who seems mindful of Dome attendance forget how bad attendance was under coach Mac.

And second- the Dome will be full when we win a lot of games.

 

[rrlbees]

And second- the Dome will be full when we win a lot of games.

Against a decent Dome schedule.

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[LeMoyneCuse]

Wasn't the weather also terrible the day of the WVU game? I know it was below 20 degrees for a high plus a wicked windchill. Did it also snow that day?

 

[Orangeyes]

Two things.

First many including Bud Poliquin who seems mindful of Dome attendance forget how bad attendance was under coach Mac.

And second- the Dome will be full when we win a lot of games.

Dick McPherson coached SU from 1981-1990 during that period of time here was the home attendance. year by year. game by game.

1981

Rutgers 38,715
Indiana 32,060
Penn St 50,037
Colgate 40,309
BC 35,623
West Va 33,117

1982

Temple 29,574
Illinois 30,128
Maryland 30,214
Pitt 42,321
Colgate 36,076
Navy 43,443

1983

Kent St 25,979
Northwestern 25,979
Rutgers 26,497
Penn St 50,010
BC 41,225
West Va 36,661

1984

Rutgers 41,810
Nebraska 47,280
Army 41,438
Pitt 46,489
Navy 44,090

1985

Kent St 29,822
Louisville 26,922
Penn St 50,021
Temple 45,391
BC 45,790
West Va 33,431

1986

Miss St 34,216
V Tech 27,466
Rutgers 33,577
Missouri 41,035
Pitt 34,114
Navy 36,796

1987

Maryland 35,234
Miami (Oh) 33,838
Penn St 50,011
Colgate 48,097
BC 49,892
West Va 49,866

1988

Temple 41,727
Va Tech 41,118
Maryland 45,197
Rutgers 48,798
Navy 49,784
Pitt 49,860

1989
Army 48,331
FSU 49,832
Penn St 49,876
East Carolina 48,731
BC 49,781
West Va 46,757

1990

USC 57,923 (East Rutherford)
Temple 38,925
Mich St 49,822
Pitt 47,996
Rutgers 49,521
Tulane 48,884

 

[javadoc]

Against a decent Dome schedule.

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We had 48K against Colgate in 1987.

 

[rrlbees]

We had 48K against Colgate in 1987.

In an undefeated season and as part of a pretty good home schedule. If we were 4-2 vs 6-0 at the time and hadn't just played PedSt (and won), you could subtract 15k from that number.

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[Stevenson]

Colgate was parents weekend. Always close to a full house back in the day.

Th wvu game was at night. The dome looked full to me. That afternoon, #1 hoops team was playing tip off classic on national TV. Lots of parties for that one. It was a great weekend even though we lost the hoops game.

I also think cookout and leaf raking season where winding down.

 

[SmilinBob]

We played Miami (/OH) and Colgate at home and 1/3 of the home games vs non AQ and played 3 non aq's out of 11. Replace Miami (OH) with a top 10 team like USC and @Navy with @Minnesota and upgrade Colgate to Stony Brook and we have a pretty similar schedule for the 87 team.

I can't believe Pitt had that many fans as well, it's too bad they draw like we do now.

Colgate had 48K, do that now and people are screaming why aren't they playing the Giants instead.

 

[rrlbees]

We played Miami (/OH) and Colgate at home and 1/3 of the home games vs non AQ and played 3 non aq's out of 11. Replace Miami (OH) with a top 10 team like USC and @Navy with @Minnesota and upgrade Colgate to Stony Brook and we have a pretty similar schedule for the 87 team.

I can't believe Pitt had that many fans as well, it's too bad they draw like we do now.

Colgate had 48K, do that now and people are screaming why aren't they playing the Giants instead.

The home headliner was PedSt. We didn't have one this year.

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[SmilinBob]

The home headliner was PedSt. We didn't have one this year.

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True and basically 5 home games. But, Gross was trying to get the ACC to love SU and as much as I would have loved to have seen them here it worked out in the big picture. Also let's face it, the PSU game was like a conference game and it was our turn to have a home game. If you look at this as having a pseudo conference we didn't play anyone really good OOC. Miami (Oh), Colgate, VT or Navy or Maryland and Missouri could be considered the OOC schedule if you look at it regarding todays type of schedule.

 

[KaiserUEO]

The home headliner was PedSt. We didn't have one this year.

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so youre saying 1 name team effects attendence at other home games??

that schedule had bc, maryland, miami oh and colgate on it. swap ped st for fsu/clemson...toss in another acc team and you have our schedule every other year for the forseable future.

guess, those Giants Stadium games are no longer in jeopardy, for we now know how to fill the Dome.
just win, get 1 name team in there and all is well.

 

[Scooch]

We drew 41K for the first two games in 1988... Coming off an undefeated season.

That's your SU football attendance story in a nutshell.

 

[SmilinBob]

We drew 41K for the first two games in 1988... Coming off an undefeated season.

That's your SU football attendance story in a nutshell.

If they could relocate like a professional franchise they would have been gone long ago.

 

[OrangeTown]

Wasn't the weather also terrible the day of the WVU game? I know it was below 20 degrees for a high plus a wicked windchill. Did it also snow that day?

And we had to walk uphill not only TO the Dome, but home as well!

 

[OttoMets]

I guess it would pay to read all the way through. I was sitting at my son's football practice, reading on Tapatalk. But I guess my memory is pretty good. Reading comprehension? Not so much.
:bat:

Those great minds think alike, no?

 

[OttoMets]

Wasn't the weather also terrible the day of the WVU game? I know it was below 20 degrees for a high plus a wicked windchill. Did it also snow that day?

That's what I was thinking. Weather and the hoops conflict could have depressed things a little bit. Otherwise, one would think that would have been the biggest crowd of the year.

 

[Chip]

We drew 41K for the first two games in 1988... Coming off an undefeated season.

That's your SU football attendance story in a nutshell.

I think 1987 tells a story too. 33k-35k for the early games. 50k for Penn State, which is natural. Then wait, we're winning! 48k for Colgate.

 

[dollarbill44]

We actually drew fewer people for West Virginia than for Boston College? Weird. Wonder why that was - Thanksgiving weekend? People wanted to stay home and watch the basketball team play North Carolina?

Snow storm that night might have had something to do with it. I believe we got over a foot of snow. It was also the Saturday before Thanksgiving so maybe people were out of town?

 

[CuyahogaCuse]

Wasn't the weather also terrible the day of the WVU game? I know it was below 20 degrees for a high plus a wicked windchill. Did it also snow that day?

Weather outside was just as you described. As an SU freshman at the time, it was the first time I fully appreciated having the Dome. There's no way we all have the Owens memory if the game was played in a snowstorm, outside, at night.