Badger football fans: Ditch the white hats and gray t-shirts. Head coach Bret Bielema wants a sea of red at Camp Randall this Saturday.
By way of an interactive e-mail sent Tuesday, the UW Athletic Department told students to, Wear red on gameday. This week. Every week.""
At his weekly press conference Monday, Bielema said that in addition to the team's new red pants with red jerseys for home games, he hopes Badger fans will sport the same color.
""I'd love to walk into Camp Randall and see a sea of red of everybody in the stands,"" Bielema said.
""I think one of the things I began to see and experience in college football is if you walk into an environment like that, with everybody in one color, it's kind of an overwhelming thing for everybody to be a part of.""
Bielema's campaign for an all-red student section is similar to other Big Ten schools, such as Penn State and Michigan, who have successfully implemented game days in which fans show up wearing only one color.
Meghan O'Neill, a senior at the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, said Maize Out days, in which the entire student body wears the designated maize-colored game day shirt, ""absolutely bring more spirit to the games.""
""Our student section is pretty united as it is, but it's really cool to be able to look over to the section next to you and see that everyone is wearing yellow,"" O'Neill said. ""I mean, apparently it's not helping the team much right now, but it's still a good way to unify people and show our support.""
UW-Madison senior Dan Edlebeck said he thought an all red student section in the stands is a good idea for Wisconsin football.
""It would be intimidating for other teams, and also build a sense of unity for Badger fans alike: alumni, students and just general badger fans,"" he said.
""The UW football team already knows that they have a strong following and that Badger fans really support them, but I feel like coming into Camp Randall and seeing a sea of red makes it that much more of a larger task to try and take on as an opposing team.""
Bielema has high hopes for the student section as well.
""Our student sections are very, very creative,"" he said, ""so I think as this thing hopefully gains the momentum, it'll be a huge effect at Camp Randall.""
UW's 11-game winning streak is currently the longest in Division-I football. The Badgers face The Citadel this Saturday at 11 a.m.
