Photo by: WVU Athletic Communications
Fans Share Their Personal Mountaineer Football Experiences
August 05, 2025 10:00 AM | Football
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – West Virginia University football is a one-of-a-kind experience characterized by vibrant traditions, dedicated fans, tailgating, the Mountaineer Mantrip, The Pride of West Virginia, the First Down Cheer, halftime pageantry and the singing of "Take Me Home, Country Roads" after each victory.
Friendships are fortified and acquaintances renewed during these special fall Saturdays in Morgantown.
The Mountaineer football experience at Milan Puskar Stadium is more than just a game; it's a celebration of tradition, community and school spirit.
It unites all Mountaineers in a common goal, according to individual responses to an email recently sent out by the Mountaineer Tickt Office.
For 50-year season ticket holder Nelson Blake, he's attended games here for so long now that he jokingly is not sure WVU can continue to have home football games without him.
"(My) first year was 1975 as a student at old Mountaineer Field," he wrote. "Our group was first in line so we could sit close to the 50 (yard line). We went in so early that about half of the group was incapable of watching the game by the time it started.
"I saw the last game in old Mountaineer Field in 1979 and the first game in new Mountaineer Field when John Denver performed our school anthem "Take Me Home, Country Roads" in 1980. There have been many years of ups and downs, highs and lows, seats in seven different locations and tailgates in six different locations that ranged from seven to 50 people," he continued. "I have never left a game in all 50 years before there were goose eggs on the scoreboard clock, other than being chased away by a lightning storm."
Richard Tito, another 50-year season ticket holder, has similar memories.
"I became a season ticket holder when I was a grad student in 1975 and a friend and I bought four tickets at old Mountaineer Field," he wrote. "When the new stadium was built in 1980, we used the spring game to scout out where we wanted to sit.
"We settled on Row 1, Section 215 and I have been there ever since. We started with 12 tickets, went down to eight, then four, and now we are back at eight; I split those seats with my nephew, who graduated in 1988," he noted. "Fifty years of Mountaineer games have brought joy and heartache (Miami 10-7 and Pitt 13-9) but once a Mountaineer, always a Mountaineer!"
At the other end of the spectrum is first-time season ticket purchaser Shannon Ferrari, whose decision to buy tickets this year boiled down to wanting to share her passion for everything West Virginia with her 13-year-old twins after recently moving back to the Mountain State from Chicago.
"I want them to experience what makes this state so special, and WVU football is a big part of that," she wrote. "I grew up on the sidelines with my dad, who coached at Buffalo High School, and later marched in the band there, so game day has always meant family, pride and community to me.
"After attending games over the years with close friends who are WVU alums, it felt like the perfect time to create that same tradition with my kids," she said. "Season tickets are a way of staying connected to something bigger – our state, our memories and our future."
Kevin McGlumphy is an 18-year season ticket holder whose Mountaineer loyalties were tested during his high school years in northwestern Ohio in the heart of Ohio State Buckeye country.
He said he always wore his West Virginia gear proudly, although he admits it came with some risk.
"My dad got transferred for work just before the Major Harris Fiesta Bowl season (in 1988)," he wrote. "Being a new kid in the heart of Buckeye country wearing WVU gear wasn't easy, but that season made it easy. Since then, I haven't wavered and ended up getting my MBA at WVU and my oldest is a recent grad from the Engineering School.
"My wife, two sons and myself, have been to almost every home game and bowl game since 2007, and we travel from metro Atlanta to do so," he added. "Getting to see family, friends and our beloved Mountaineers on Saturdays is what fall is built for."
Six-year season ticket holder Kyle Schrader has also felt compelled to defend his Mountaineer allegiances in Buckeye country.
"I grew up in a small town in southeastern Ohio and attended school there," he wrote. "Growing up in Ohio, all my friends talked about was the Buckeyes, so that got annoying really fast. I wanted to be different, so I started rooting for the underdog and wouldn't you know it, (I picked) the Mountaineers.
"Of course, my brothers and my dad were big WVU fans, and out of all the teams, I root for WVU," he continued. "I am 27 years old and have been a season ticket holder since 2020, and I don't plan on not being a season ticket holder anytime soon. Let's Go!"
Maintaining a family tradition is the reason David Keiling has continued to purchase season tickets since 2010.
"It isn't just about supporting the team – it's about continuing a family tradition that means the world to me," he wrote. "My mom, a 1978 WVU graduate and former member of The Pride of West Virginia, raised me to bleed gold and blue. Since I graduated in 2009, we've shared season tickets together, making the trip to Morgantown as often as we can.
"Every fall Saturday is more than just a game – it's a chance to make memories with my mom, relive the spirit of our alma mater, and be part of something bigger than ourselves," he stated. "Win or lose, the experience of being in that stadium with her is something I look forward to all year.
"Saturdays in the fall have become our sacred time. It's the perfect mother-son bonding experience – the cheers, the chants, the walks through the tailgates and the singing of "Country Roads" – it's all part of our story," he wrote. "As long as there are games to be played and country roads to take us home, we'll keep showing up, together, making memories one kickoff at a time."
Casey Tucker, too, forged an unbreakable bond with his mother and aunt through shared experiences at Milan Puskar Stadium. He said he is returning this fall for the first time since their passings in 2015.
"My mom and her sister had season tickets together, and I used to go to games with them when I was in elementary school," he wrote. "My mom battled cancer for 15 years and when she got too sick to keep going, my aunt would take me instead. In 2015, my mom and aunt passed away within 42 hours of each other; my aunt from cancer and my mom from heart failure. I haven't been to a game since, so on August 30, I'm not sure what emotions I will have walking into there.
"Now, I have two children of my own who never got to meet either of them, and I can't wait to take them so I can tell them about all the great memories we had and start making those same memories with my kids," he said.
Occasionally, personal circumstances can change the course of a person's life. For Bradley Connelly, West Virginia University gave him a second chance after he performed poorly academically at UCF and community college.
The Orlando, Florida, native, thought he had blown a great opportunity until he recommitted himself and applied to WVU's online business program.
Now, he's become a Mountaineer for life!
"Applying to WVU felt like my last real chance to earn a degree from a well-known school, and with its solid, online business program and affordable tuition, it was a no-brainer," he wrote. "Once I got in, I didn't take it for granted. Even though I wasn't on campus for classes, I felt that Mountaineer pride, especially after moving to Tampa.
"It seemed like I couldn't go a day without seeing a Flying WV sticker on a car or hearing someone yell, 'Let's Go Mountaineers' whenever I wore my West Virginia gear," he said. "WVU gave me a second chance, and I made the most of it by finishing strong and making the Dean's List in three out of my last four semesters."
Since graduating in 2020, Connelly said he has made several visits to Morgantown and is now aching to return this fall to experience in person what he missed as an online student.
"I have successfully converted my wife, and I will be taking my kids (Mountaineers in the future) and am looking forward to bringing the whole family to Mountaineer Field to experience a real football game (not USF)," he wrote. "I cannot wait to see the improvements made, and where the city, school and athletics (are headed) in the future. I am looking forward to being a part of it every step of the way."
These are just a handful of the heartfelt and beautifully written experiences that have been shared so far, illustrating the great meaning of fall Saturdays in Morgantown.
For the first time in over a decade, more than 31,000 season and 304 tickets have already been purchased. With the return of native son Rich Rodriguez to continue where he left off in the mid-2000s, Mountaineer fans near and far are eager for a replay of the excitement and enthusiasm they experienced during his first tour of duty here nearly 20 years ago.
Back in 2007, Rodriguez had the Mountaineers on the cusp of a national championship. For longtime season ticket holders Richard Tito and Nelson Blake, hope is renewed.
"National championship, hurry up, because I'm running out of time!" Blake wrote.
Log on to WVUGAME.com to learn more about purchasing Mountaineer football season tickets before those run out as well!
Friendships are fortified and acquaintances renewed during these special fall Saturdays in Morgantown.
The Mountaineer football experience at Milan Puskar Stadium is more than just a game; it's a celebration of tradition, community and school spirit.
It unites all Mountaineers in a common goal, according to individual responses to an email recently sent out by the Mountaineer Tickt Office.
For 50-year season ticket holder Nelson Blake, he's attended games here for so long now that he jokingly is not sure WVU can continue to have home football games without him.
"(My) first year was 1975 as a student at old Mountaineer Field," he wrote. "Our group was first in line so we could sit close to the 50 (yard line). We went in so early that about half of the group was incapable of watching the game by the time it started.
"I saw the last game in old Mountaineer Field in 1979 and the first game in new Mountaineer Field when John Denver performed our school anthem "Take Me Home, Country Roads" in 1980. There have been many years of ups and downs, highs and lows, seats in seven different locations and tailgates in six different locations that ranged from seven to 50 people," he continued. "I have never left a game in all 50 years before there were goose eggs on the scoreboard clock, other than being chased away by a lightning storm."
Richard Tito, another 50-year season ticket holder, has similar memories.
"I became a season ticket holder when I was a grad student in 1975 and a friend and I bought four tickets at old Mountaineer Field," he wrote. "When the new stadium was built in 1980, we used the spring game to scout out where we wanted to sit.
"We settled on Row 1, Section 215 and I have been there ever since. We started with 12 tickets, went down to eight, then four, and now we are back at eight; I split those seats with my nephew, who graduated in 1988," he noted. "Fifty years of Mountaineer games have brought joy and heartache (Miami 10-7 and Pitt 13-9) but once a Mountaineer, always a Mountaineer!"
At the other end of the spectrum is first-time season ticket purchaser Shannon Ferrari, whose decision to buy tickets this year boiled down to wanting to share her passion for everything West Virginia with her 13-year-old twins after recently moving back to the Mountain State from Chicago.
"I want them to experience what makes this state so special, and WVU football is a big part of that," she wrote. "I grew up on the sidelines with my dad, who coached at Buffalo High School, and later marched in the band there, so game day has always meant family, pride and community to me.
"After attending games over the years with close friends who are WVU alums, it felt like the perfect time to create that same tradition with my kids," she said. "Season tickets are a way of staying connected to something bigger – our state, our memories and our future."
Kevin McGlumphy is an 18-year season ticket holder whose Mountaineer loyalties were tested during his high school years in northwestern Ohio in the heart of Ohio State Buckeye country.
He said he always wore his West Virginia gear proudly, although he admits it came with some risk.
"My dad got transferred for work just before the Major Harris Fiesta Bowl season (in 1988)," he wrote. "Being a new kid in the heart of Buckeye country wearing WVU gear wasn't easy, but that season made it easy. Since then, I haven't wavered and ended up getting my MBA at WVU and my oldest is a recent grad from the Engineering School.
"My wife, two sons and myself, have been to almost every home game and bowl game since 2007, and we travel from metro Atlanta to do so," he added. "Getting to see family, friends and our beloved Mountaineers on Saturdays is what fall is built for."
Six-year season ticket holder Kyle Schrader has also felt compelled to defend his Mountaineer allegiances in Buckeye country.
"I grew up in a small town in southeastern Ohio and attended school there," he wrote. "Growing up in Ohio, all my friends talked about was the Buckeyes, so that got annoying really fast. I wanted to be different, so I started rooting for the underdog and wouldn't you know it, (I picked) the Mountaineers.
"Of course, my brothers and my dad were big WVU fans, and out of all the teams, I root for WVU," he continued. "I am 27 years old and have been a season ticket holder since 2020, and I don't plan on not being a season ticket holder anytime soon. Let's Go!"
Maintaining a family tradition is the reason David Keiling has continued to purchase season tickets since 2010.
"It isn't just about supporting the team – it's about continuing a family tradition that means the world to me," he wrote. "My mom, a 1978 WVU graduate and former member of The Pride of West Virginia, raised me to bleed gold and blue. Since I graduated in 2009, we've shared season tickets together, making the trip to Morgantown as often as we can.
"Every fall Saturday is more than just a game – it's a chance to make memories with my mom, relive the spirit of our alma mater, and be part of something bigger than ourselves," he stated. "Win or lose, the experience of being in that stadium with her is something I look forward to all year.
"Saturdays in the fall have become our sacred time. It's the perfect mother-son bonding experience – the cheers, the chants, the walks through the tailgates and the singing of "Country Roads" – it's all part of our story," he wrote. "As long as there are games to be played and country roads to take us home, we'll keep showing up, together, making memories one kickoff at a time."
Casey Tucker, too, forged an unbreakable bond with his mother and aunt through shared experiences at Milan Puskar Stadium. He said he is returning this fall for the first time since their passings in 2015.
"My mom and her sister had season tickets together, and I used to go to games with them when I was in elementary school," he wrote. "My mom battled cancer for 15 years and when she got too sick to keep going, my aunt would take me instead. In 2015, my mom and aunt passed away within 42 hours of each other; my aunt from cancer and my mom from heart failure. I haven't been to a game since, so on August 30, I'm not sure what emotions I will have walking into there.
"Now, I have two children of my own who never got to meet either of them, and I can't wait to take them so I can tell them about all the great memories we had and start making those same memories with my kids," he said.
Occasionally, personal circumstances can change the course of a person's life. For Bradley Connelly, West Virginia University gave him a second chance after he performed poorly academically at UCF and community college.
The Orlando, Florida, native, thought he had blown a great opportunity until he recommitted himself and applied to WVU's online business program.
Now, he's become a Mountaineer for life!
"Applying to WVU felt like my last real chance to earn a degree from a well-known school, and with its solid, online business program and affordable tuition, it was a no-brainer," he wrote. "Once I got in, I didn't take it for granted. Even though I wasn't on campus for classes, I felt that Mountaineer pride, especially after moving to Tampa.
"It seemed like I couldn't go a day without seeing a Flying WV sticker on a car or hearing someone yell, 'Let's Go Mountaineers' whenever I wore my West Virginia gear," he said. "WVU gave me a second chance, and I made the most of it by finishing strong and making the Dean's List in three out of my last four semesters."
Since graduating in 2020, Connelly said he has made several visits to Morgantown and is now aching to return this fall to experience in person what he missed as an online student.
"I have successfully converted my wife, and I will be taking my kids (Mountaineers in the future) and am looking forward to bringing the whole family to Mountaineer Field to experience a real football game (not USF)," he wrote. "I cannot wait to see the improvements made, and where the city, school and athletics (are headed) in the future. I am looking forward to being a part of it every step of the way."
These are just a handful of the heartfelt and beautifully written experiences that have been shared so far, illustrating the great meaning of fall Saturdays in Morgantown.
For the first time in over a decade, more than 31,000 season and 304 tickets have already been purchased. With the return of native son Rich Rodriguez to continue where he left off in the mid-2000s, Mountaineer fans near and far are eager for a replay of the excitement and enthusiasm they experienced during his first tour of duty here nearly 20 years ago.
Back in 2007, Rodriguez had the Mountaineers on the cusp of a national championship. For longtime season ticket holders Richard Tito and Nelson Blake, hope is renewed.
"National championship, hurry up, because I'm running out of time!" Blake wrote.
Log on to WVUGAME.com to learn more about purchasing Mountaineer football season tickets before those run out as well!
Rich Rodriguez | Dec. 3
Wednesday, December 03
Reid Carrico | Nov. 29
Saturday, November 29
Jeff Weimer | Nov. 29
Saturday, November 29
Rich Rodriguez | Nov. 29
Saturday, November 29
