Another Rivalry

Earlier in the year, I witnessed a huge rivalry between my school, NMSU, and the other team, UNM. Unfortunately, the stadium does not get filled in any other occasion, except for rivalries between UTEP and UNM. And that’s just college. If you’re looking for any other reason for NMSU’s stadium to be filled, it’s all because of one other rivalry: the Springfield/Spluches rivalry! This rivalry is ranked as #4 in the nation, and I had the wonderful honor to be on the Springfield team for a time and witness this great football game.

The day before the game, I had asked the football coach if I can watch the game from the sidelines instead of the stands. He agreed to allow this, and now I got my chance to tell you the game through my eyes. It was a huge honor.

Anyway, I went down to the sidelines before the game. What was different between this game and other NMSU games is that the Springfield fans were on one side and Spluches fans were on the other. This was a traditional thing because not only does it remove the chances of a fight going on, but also, it gives people a chance to say “hey, pick a side!” I was on the Springfield side of course. Before the game even started, the student sections for each other already gone each other. One was yelling that they got spirit, and the other answered back in the same way. It was back and forth the whole time. Then, came the moment where the teams went down to the field. When the Spluches came, Springfield fans booed. Spluches did the same to the Springfield players.

At the start of the game, things seemed to be going good. Springfield returned a kickoff very long and the crowd went wild. It just seemed like Springfield couldn’t screw it up. But then, they did just that. 2 plays later, the runner fumbled the ball and Spluches returned the ball for a touchdown. Instantly, you could feel the momentum shift quickly. Now, Spluches had the advantage and they chanted. The Springfield fans stayed quiet. The next possession, Springfield did manage to score. The fans cheered on the sides. This seemed to go on until the end of the half, with Springfield leading 21-13.

Halftime consisted of the two schools’ marching bands playing. The first was the Spluches band. The second was Springfield. It was no contest, just something that each team does. After halftime, the same things went on with the fans. They booed each other’s teams. And then, the 2^nd half began. Spluches got the ball first since Springfield had it first in the 1^st half. Well, they took the ball down the field for a touchdown, and went for two points to tie the game. Now, this was at its most intense. Springfield then turned the ball over and Spluches scored again. But, they missed the extra point. And to finish the game off, Springfield scored again to win the game 28-27 and the defense held on.