If you’re from Oklahoma, then you know that OU Football is a pretty big deal. I know it’d be unfair to leave out the OSU Cowboys, the Tulsa Hurricanes, or even our own university’s football team, the SNU Crimson Storm, but it’s hard to escape the crimson and white paraphernalia that tons of Oklahomans proudly represent across the Sooner State.
Every fall, Sooner fans welcome back one of the most popular seasons next to winter and summer: College Football Season.
A couple of months ago, collegiate football players and their supporters had no answers as to what their 2020 season would like or if they would even have one at that. Due to COVID-19, the OU football community was unsure if they would return to the field this fall.
Luckily, it was decided in August that the push for football was a success and the Sooners would be rewarded with a revised schedule as well as a hopeful Big 12 Championship game, which they have a good chance of playing in this fall. Of course, this was great news for Sooner supporters all over and even in our corner at SNU, even though our boys won’t see a game till, hopefully, January. Two fellow students who root for both teams in Crimson have awaited the season all year but admit the pandemic makes the traditions of OU Football look a lot different.
SNU Junior Jackson Rothwell, along with thousands of other Oklahomans, has the season marked on his calendar every year and was thrilled to hear that OU was set to play in the fall. Committed to attending almost every game, Jackson reveals the game atmosphere is largely different compared to any other year with their being a worldwide pandemic and all.
Not only is there partial capacity at the games, but Jackson also mentioned the stadium is not as loud as usual, which makes the environment of college football less exciting and not “normal” by any means. Although “COVID has made things weird to see,” Jackson says, “OU football is all that matters.”
Kenna Spencer, another SNU student and OU fan, was equally excited about OU football being back in action, but she agrees the vibe is not the same as it was before. “Weird” was the best way she could describe it since the stadium is not near as full and the limited capacity throws off the hype since the players are used to thriving off of a packed, loud atmosphere.
When Oklahomans received the news that OU would in fact play this fall, the term “play” took on a new meaning, considering they would have to account for all the risks of the pandemic. Regardless of the not-so-normal vibe that’s been established in Norman, OK, OU fans everywhere are relieved that football has returned and has been here to stay.