Gold Rush revives Bobcat Stadium

It could be heard from blocks away, the sound of Bobcats on the prowl. The deafening sound of people cheering together in unison. Lost in a sea of gold, a rumble shook the stands as students jumped up and down in celebration, something we’ve waited over 600 days for. It all came down to this moment. As the Bobcats took the field, senior wide receiver Lance McCutcheon threw his arms in the air, building up the anticipation and excitement. The students and community members could feel it in the air and after all this time, the wait was finally over.

Sitting in the student section sophomore Lillian Duffy could hardly contain her excitement. “When you haven’t had any sort of public function for over a year, you start to realize how much you took it for granted,” Duffy said. “I think that played into how many people were incredibly energetic.” Duffy also gave the game a 10/10 rating and couldn’t wait for the next home game at Bobcat Stadium.

Not only did energy radiate from the stands, but the Cats’ energy was also unstoppable on the field. Almost immediately after the game started, points were on the board in favor of the Bobcats. At the end of the first quarter, the first touchdown at Bobcat stadium since 2019 was recorded when junior quarterback Matthew McKay linked up with junior wide receiver Willie Patterson. When asked about his first home game experience, McKay had nothing but good things to say. “It was amazing. It took my breath away,” he said.

With only a few minutes left in the first half, the Bobcats held a score of 24-0, dominating the field and the game. Drake, however, took advantage of the remaining time on the clock and managed to put a score on the board in the final seconds of the half. The score at halftime of 24-7 still marked a convincing lead by the Cats. MSU Head Football Coach Brent Vigen shared his thoughts after the game, saying the first half wasn’t as easy as it had looked from the stands, and gave credit to Drake’s efforts. “We felt like the first half was a little uneven and really challenged the guys at halftime,” Vigen said. He also commented on his impression of the first home game describing it as a “really exciting night.”

Not only did the play make fans emotional, but the tribute to all those lost on the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks made fans' eyes water around the stadium. Playing classic American songs, the Spirit of the West Marching Band managed to honor the lives of those lost and represent America’s resolve and unity in the face of terror. As the band made their way off the field collecting high fives from fans around the stadium, a video montage of Bobcats began to play on the scoreboard. The thrill of the second half was underway.

As the third quarter began, it was easy to see the Cats were ready to rumble with walls of gold surrounding them once again. The last two quarters were a little slower pace but the Bobcats held more possession time and continued to dominate the second half. As the clock wound down, the Cats continued to score The Bobcats had done it, defeating Drake with an incontestable score of 45-7. During an interview, McKay reflected once more on what Gold Rush was like on the field. “It was an amazing sight to see and just playing in front of that crowd with gold jerseys on and everything, and all the fans out there was definitely exciting,”McKay said.

The Bobcats look ahead to their match-up against San Diego this weekend on home turf. They also look to celebrate those who have served in the military as the Saturday game is the annual Military Appreciation Game. San Diego has been a top-notch team in the past, however, they are 0-2 this season after losing to Big Sky Conference foes, UC Davis and Cal Poly, whom the Bobcats play on Saturday, Oct. 9. Coach Vigen described San Diego as a “really good program” and, despite their recent losses, San Diego has played very well in the past. The Toreros led the Pioneer Football League in 2019 with a record of 8-0.

The team began studying the Toreros earlier this week to prepare for their next game. This is the third and final out-of-conference game the team will play before their first Big Sky Conference game against Portland State on Saturday, Sept. 25. During an interview, Vigen also discussed his thoughts on the team going into the San Diego game. Vigen described the team as taking a “step in the right direction,” and implied that with two games under the Cats belt, finding common problems may be easier to do. The key insight could also come from a 2021 spring season game when Drake and San Diego played each other with San Diego coming out on top with a score of 13-10.

There is certainly a lot to look forward to as the Bobcats get ready to take on the Toreros, ranging from another packed home game to Military Appreciation. For freshman Liz Schlicting, it’s the energy. “The energy around Gold Rush was incredible. Everyone brought a lot of team spirit and positivity,” she said. One thing I’m most looking forward to this weekend when we play San Diego is seeing the incredible support from the student section.” Schlicting also commented on her excitement to watch the Bobcats beat San Diego. Congratulations to Coach Vigen on his first win as head coach and the rest of the team’s first win.