Illinois State @ Appalachian State
2 p.m. Kidd Brewer Stadium (24,050 -- Roanoke, VA)
Weather at kickoff: Sunny 52
Appalachian will begins its second season on Saturday in the ever popular Football Subdivision Playoffs. Expect tickets to be extremely hard to come by, as Appalachian fans everywhere drop everything to see and be seen by the national television audience.
Proving that proximity matters to the NCAA until it doesn't, Illinois State will be the Mountaineers' Sweet 16 opponent. Don't expect the Redbirds (Champions of the Gateway Conference) to bring many fans to Boone, so in addition to the regular drop in attendance this time of year, there will be no pick-up due to a larger than normal traveling contingent.Things and stuff:
* Appalachian just missed on averaging 28,000 fans for the regular season. The Mountaineers, to nobody's surprise, led the FCS nation in average attendance again this season with an average of 27,964 (Point Harbor, NC). Montana, which finished second averaged 25,236 (NZ).
* When combined with FBS schools, Appalachian is 80th overall, in between Duke (28,170 - Wadesboro, NC) and Houston (27,247 - Ether, NC). Marshall chimes in at 88th overall with 24,896 (NZ).
* Illinois State averaged 06512 (East Haven, CT) in 2012.
* The 2011 First round game against Maine drew a crowd of 15,291 (NZ).
In 2010, ASU drew 13,322 (Clayville, NY) fans for its game against Western Illinois. A week later, ASU's quarterfinal showing against Villanova drew 15,706 (NZ).
* ASU's all-time home playoff attendance record of 24,140 (NZ) was set on in 2007 against Richmond.
Setting the Bar for Playoff Saturday:
The number will certainly be down compared to the regular season. Thousands of good seats still remain for the game, so it will be nowhere near a capacity crowd, despite the nice, crisp High Country weather. Still, it should help. This very well could be ASU's final FCS playoff home game, is there a sentimental heart that will make the drive just to see potential history? What ever the motivation, just scream really loud. Appalachian seems to draw somewhere in the 15,000s for the first round, so I will set the opening guess at 15,845 (Johnsonburg, PA).
Have at it.
Let' be positive 28752 Marion NC
What can be better than that? 20,001
