There was a palpable buzz of excitement in the air that Thursday night; a buzz, for once, consisting less of alcohol and more of the knowledge that the first football game of the season would begin shortly.

Freshman arrived to Yulman Stadium early, internally acknowledging their first college game as a life milestone, a rite of passage almost. Seniors were among the first on the scene, too, acutely aware that this was their last “first game,” which cast a somber shadow on the otherwise joyous occasion.

I strolled into the stadium half an hour before it started, and didn’t feel much of anything. I was kind of tired I guess, and it was pretty hot out. While my peers anxiously discussed our prospects for the game (evidently, they weren’t good), I wondered if I would have time to get my Econ notes done that night. Suddenly, cheers erupted from the crowd. Football players poured onto the field, and I, too, clapped for them. While their entry onto the field wasn’t greeted with fireworks, pyrotechnics, or even a laser light show, all of which typically make for a grand entrance, the crowd still went wild as it meant that Important Sports Things were happening soon.

A tide of emotionally-charged encouragement swept over and the crowd gleefully chanted, “Duke Sucks Dick”, a jeer aimed at our rivals for the night, the Duke Blue Devils. In a show of unparalleled creativity, our student section did “the wave” as a nod to Tulane’s Green Wave persona. Drunken fans shouted incoherent digs at Duke’s student section, who most definitely couldn’t hear it, and probably wouldn’t have been particularly offended if they did.

The game geared up to start. The infamous “Friday Night Lights”  (on a Thursday, but whatever) seemed to shine even brighter than before in anticipation. Then, the game was off. Sports were happening. Lots of people ran in lots of directions, except for the ones who weren’t running, because they were busy throwing or kicking or tackling. Tulane, to its credit, held its own for quite a while. By halftime, however, the game had taken a turn for the worst, as evidenced by not only the scoreboard, but also the student section, which had severely thinned out.

Many, including myself, didn’t stay to watch the carnage. A disappointing 37-7 loss rounded out the night, but rest assured, many Football Things happened that night. People ran, things (like footballs and beer cans) were thrown and at one point I forgot what the goal post was called and referred to it as the “yellow fork thing”. But what we lacked in sports victory, we made up for in Yik Yak trash-talk. That’s what really matters, right?