The game

For more than a week, it was something that everyone was talking about. If anyone in Harrisonburg asked you, “are you going to the game?” you knew they were asking about the season opener between the James Madison University Dukes and the Morehead State Eagles.

Despite my lack of knowledge of American football, my friends and I were not going to miss the game, especially when you know that the game would be hosted in Bridgeforth Stadium, 25,000-capacity monument on the JMU campus. We knew that the great Marching Royal Dukes were going to perform before the game and during halftime. This was going to be a great event!

On game day, the atmosphere was breathtaking. The crowd of students, alumni, families and football fans turned the place upside down even before the game started, The Marching Royal Dukes performance before the game kept the atmosphere fun and enjoyable.

Once the game started I needed to ask many questions about everything that was going on.

- So now it is our ball?
- Why did we substitute all the players just now?
- Did the referee say something about first down?
- What is that, they said touchdown for JMU, is this a good thing?

And I kept cheering with everyone even though I didn’t understand all that was going on.

With time I was able to grasp some details, and I found myself standing, and cheering when our receiver caught a great pass, ran down the open field, and scored a touchdown, during the game that we deservedly won.

American football is like a festival rather than just a game. People are hyped and excited, the band and cheerleaders helped keep everyone excited. Players are always doing their best in every single play. I learned that a touchdown is a good thing after all!

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