Badger fans have earned themselves plenty of praise over the past few years.
ESPN's Scott Van Pelt famously declared Madison ""America's greatest college sports town,"" announcers love to gush over ""Jump Around"" and the Fifth Quarter and before they face Wisconsin, opposing coaches talk about how loud and intimidating Badger fans can be.
But there's been one big exception to the rule of Madison's reputation: ESPN's ""College Gameday."" This weekend, it's time to change that.
Chris Fowler, the show's host, was on student radio station WSUM Wednesday afternoon, where he previewed the Badger game against Nebraska, a game that has brought the show to campus for the second time in as many years. He also singled out Badger fans for a lackluster showing when ""Gameday"" came to Madison for the Wisconsin-Ohio State game last year.
For that broadcast, Fowler and the show's crew put their set—which famously features a backdrop of screaming fans and creative signs each week—inside Camp Randall Stadium. He didn't shy away from the fact that, while Badger fans were passionate that night, the reception ""Gameday"" received was far from impressive.
""[We've] never had a truly energized crowd in Madison,"" he said in the interview on WSUM. ""Wisconsin's got great spirit—we know that—but we've never really gotten it to come through on ‘Gameday.'""
That's not just some nobody saying Wisconsin lacks passion. It's not a visiting fan saying Badger crowds didn't live up to the hype. That's one of the biggest players in college football media calling Wisconsin out, saying the last time he came to town we as Badgers didn't show the nation what we were capable of. And he was right.
Fowler admitted the location wasn't ideal; the show usually sets up on campus, but instead was in the middle of an empty stadium 10 hours before kickoff. But what the world ultimately saw was a sparsely populated cheering section and a dead atmosphere that should have been far more wild.
So with that in mind, I'm issuing a challenge to Badger fans this weekend: Show up to ""Gameday,"" and prove once again why Wisconsin has the best—and most passionate—fans in the country.
Now, I can't harp too much on Badger fans not showing up for ""Gameday"" last year, since I was part of the problem. When the show starts at the ungodly hour of 8 a.m. (a time I'm still not entirely convinced exists on Saturday mornings), the rigorous social and chemical demands of a Friday night kept me in bed during last year's taping.
Sure, I was there for the game that night, and like just about every other Badger fan I cheered louder and longer than I have for almost any other sporting event I've ever been to. But, also like other Badger fans, I chose to sleep in that morning and skipped the ""Gameday"" taping.
This year is going to be different, though, for all of us. We've been called out, a national sports personality has said that, when it comes to his show, Wisconsin fans haven't lived up to their reputation. So let's flip that script this year.
On Saturday morning, ""College Gameday"" will set up on Bascom Hill, perhaps the most iconic and picturesque spot on our beautiful campus, and it's up to us to show ESPN and college football fans everywhere why nothing can match the energy and enthusiasm of Wisconsin.
Think about how it will look to that national audience when thousands of Badger fans pack the hill behind the ""Gameday"" set. Think about the gleaming white columns and iconic yellow brick of Bascom Hall acting as the backdrop to passionate fans and energized hosts predicting a Wisconsin win.
Then think about how it will look if ""College Gameday"" is greeted once again by a handful of Badgers and a weak atmosphere. Or, worse, think about a mob of Nebraska fans who proved more dedicated than Wisconsin ones who couldn't handle an early wake-up call.
We can have Scott Van Pelt fawning over Madison, we can have announcers call our stadiums and arenas intimidating, we can have as many people as we like tell the world Wisconsin fans are the best, but this weekend, we have to show it.
See you Saturday morning.
Will you be going to ESPN's ""College Gameday"" Saturday morning? Let Nico know at nicosavidge@gmail.com.
