Toughest Place to Play in Your Conference

[TC]

The Johnnie -  Tommie game in 1997 was technically a home game for St. John's but was played in the Metrodome.  The attendance was  12,145.   

I didn't find that game in my research for johnniefootball.com.  This week's game barely topped it for (unless I missed anything else) the 2nd largest crowd in school history.

[SJU09]

TC,

If you check out this link http://www.gojohnnies.com/football/history/All-time%20Season-by-Season%20Results.pdf  and scroll down it has the attendence listed for almost every game since 1986. 

[kickerdad]

This year it doesn't matter. Seems where ever we walk off the bus or locker room, things are tough. Even at home!

[TC]

TC,

If you check out this link http://www.gojohnnies.com/football/history/All-time%20Season-by-Season%20Results.pdf  and scroll down it has the attendence listed for almost every game since 1986. 

D'oh!  How could I have missed that?  I demand a half hour of my Monday night back!

And now that you've pointed that out, I missed a couple large Johnnie crowds.  Here are, according to published reports, the 5 largest crowds for a Johnnie game:

1.)  2003, Bethel, at Collegeville                   13,107      (Gagliardi's 409th win, de facto MIAC Championship)
2.)  1963, Emporia St., at Bloomington, MN     12,438      (NAIA Playoffs, at Met Stadium)
3.)  2007, St. Olaf, at Collegeville                 12,339      (Homecoming, both teams undefeated)
4.)  1963, Prairie View A&M, at Sacramento    12,220      (NAIA Championship Game, at Hughes Stadium)
5.)  1997, St. Thomas, at Minneapolis            12,145      (TOMMIES SUCK!, at Metrodome)

All the games were either Johnnie "home" games or neutral site games.  The only game that St. John's lost was the 1997 against St. Thomas. 

I'd be impressed if any other D-III team has played a handful of games before a crowd of 12,000+.  Go on, impress me.

[smedindy]

Monon Bell games:

11,669 in 2006
11,504 in 2004

And those were accurate 'ticket' counts.

But yeah, St. John's attendance is just phenomenal. Seeing it first hand is awe-inspiring.

[Pat Coleman]

I'd expect Williams has had a couple 12,000s in its time.

Some D-III schools have played in D-I bowl games, by the way.

[Ralph Turner]

I'd expect Williams has had a couple 12,000s in its time.

Some D-III schools have played in D-I bowl games, by the way.

1922 Dixie Classic in Dallas, TX.

Known to the Aggies as the "12th Man Game"

Texas A&M 22, Centre 14

20,000 in attendance

[Ralph Turner]

1936 Orange Bowl,  Catholic 20, Ole Miss 19

Played before 10,000 fans.

1922 Rose Bowl -- Cal 0, Wash & Jeff 0

Game played in the Tournament Park.  I have not found an attendance figure.  The 57,000 seat Rose Bowl Stadium in built for the January 1, 1923, in Arroyo Seco.

January 2, 1939  Sugar Bowl TCU 15, Carnegie Tech 7 before 50,000 spectators.

[smedindy]

1936 Orange Bowl,  Catholic 20, Ole Miss 19

1922 Rose Bowl -- Cal 0, Wash & Jeff 0

Boolah! Boolah! That really kept them riveted to their seats? I bet the fans in the raccoon coats and straw hats had plenty of flasks of hooch stuffed in their pockets and in the garters of their dames.

[ADL70]

Sun Bowl 1-1-41  [Case] Western Reserve 26  Arizona State  13    14,000

Bill Belichick's father Stephen was a standout for the Redcats.

[Ron Boerger]

I'd expect Williams has had a couple 12,000s in its time.

Some D-III schools have played in D-I bowl games, by the way.

1922 Dixie Classic in Dallas, TX.

Known to the Aggies as the "12th Man Game"

Texas A&M 22, Centre 14

20,000 in attendance

BTW that was the only loss in Centre's 10-1 season, which also saw the "C6H0" upset over Harvard that still ranks as one of the top upsets in college football history.  And according to a headline here, there were 45,000 in attendance at that game!

Centre also defeated Clemson, Virginia Tech, Kentucky, Auburn and Arizona that year.  The A&M game was actually the second bowl game of the season for Centre, having defeated Arizona the week prior in the "San Diego Christmas Classic." 

[billrt66]

In the HCAC, and I have been to them all, by far Franklin is the toughest place to play.....they have a new tailgating section on the southeast corner of the field and fans begin "dispensing suds" there the night before and the south endzone has a section called Faught Fanatics, and they have a cannon down there they shoot off......its like a bomb dropping!!!.....their fans are LOUD and never let up!!!

[Ron Boerger]

In the HCAC, and I have been to them all, by far Franklin is the toughest place to play.....they have a new tailgating section on the southeast corner of the field and fans begin "dispensing suds" there the night before and the south endzone has a section called Faught Fanatics, and they have a cannon down there they shoot off......its like a bomb dropping!!!.....their fans are LOUD and never let up!!!

Really?

Only loss of 2006:  at home
2005:  3-2
2004:  2-3
2003:  2-3
2002:  1-4
2001:  1-5

doesn't sound all that tough.

[billrt66]

Yes Really!  The team record over the past few years has obviously climbed in the right direction steadily.....doesn't mean that it isn't a tough place to play.  I've been to the other venues in the conference and the intensity and the noise level elsewhere just isn't the same.....and nowhere else do they have that damn cannon!!

[Sakman 1111]

Whitewater has a pretty awesome canon that they blast at home games except when playing Wesley because they feel demeaned by it......