Heather Mangan
Like a scene from a heroic sports movie, the Jackrabbit football team assembled in the southwest corner of Coughlin Alumni Stadium after a tremendous win against the University of California-Davis. The entire team stood in front of the student section and clapped.
They were saying thank you for believing.
By the end of the third quarter of Saturday’s Hobo Day game, the Aggies had a 14-point lead over SDSU. It probably seemed hopeless at that point, and with the wind picking up, a good time to head home. The crowd thinned out, but the players believed they would win.
A field goal and two touchdowns later, they did.
The victory against UC Davis marked the third game in four that the Jacks erased a large deficit in the fourth quarter to win. This time, they got to do it at home.
Quarterback Andy Kardoes continually credits their success to belief – belief they can win and belief in each other.
“I haven’t had a team like this my whole career … I’d do anything for these dudes … We just feed of each other, just believe in each other, just play for each other,” he said after the UC Davis game.
The Jackrabbits had a rough start to the 2006 season. The agonizing loss to Wisconsin-La Crosse put doubt in the heart of many Jackrabbit fans. At that point, no one would have believed the Jacks would beat teams like Cal Poly, McNeese and UC Davis-except for the team.
During fall camp, player after player told me this was their year. They said they believed they could be Great West Football Conference champions, and they have stood by that belief through the darkest of times.
Soon, that belief overpowered the Jackrabbits’ opponents. Now the Jacks are on a five-game winning streak, and Jackrabbits fans are quickly being converted into believers.
More than 15,000 people attended Saturday’s game. Teams who are destined to disappoint don’t attract that large of crowds. Sure, some people skipped out early, but they probably regret it.
The Jacks still have three games left in the season, including one with North Dakota State University that might be the toughest showdown of the season.
But the Jacks have an incredible advantage: They believe and their fans believe. Not many teams at any level can say that.
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