Football fever comes to the Farm

In the early morning hours, a crowd of more than 2,000 gathered on the Oval for ESPN’s first-ever College GameDay broadcast from the Stanford campus. The Cardinal face off against the Oregon Ducks before a sell-out crowd in Stanford Stadium at 5 p.m.

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Well before the ESPN crews began converting the Stanford Oval into a TV set/mosh pit, Cardinal football fever was spreading across campus and beyond. As Saturday’s dramatic matchup against the University of Oregon approached, even former United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan jumped in, beginning a speech in Memorial Auditorium with a quip about the campus gearing up for “duck-hunting season.”

By 5 a.m. Saturday, the Oval was teaming with Cardinal fans, mostly students who had either gotten up really early and or had simply stayed up all night. Oregon’s die-hard supporters arrived after a marathon bus trip, on which they reportedly watched five movies. There also were local kids tossing footballs on the green and a dog dressed as a tree.

Stanford President John Hennessy arrived around daybreak and worked the crowd, which grew to more than 2,000. He was spotted chatting up the real Tree, the band’s mascot. Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice also was on hand.

There were lots of signs, many referring to quarterback Andrew Luck, whose name conveniently rhymes with Oregon’s mascot. "Tough Luck for the Duck," for example. There were also references to the treacherous Oregon Trail.

Cardinal legend and Heisman Trophy winner Jim Plunkett picked the Cardinal to win on the gridiron.

Commentator Lee Corso made the most dramatic statement when he donned a tree hat and danced onstage with the Tree, who was packing heat – a fake rifle for the hunting season.

But it was all in good fun and good sportsmanship prevailed, as demonstrated by the rival bands. As the broadcast wrapped up, Oregon’s very buttoned-up marching band joined the anything-but-traditional Leland Stanford Jr. University Marching Band in song as they headed off to get ready for the 5 p.m. kick-off.