Anyone in attendance at Kroger Field that watched the Wildcats take down the Bulldogs of Mississippi State will tell you what a great atmosphere it was. I have a hard time recalling any game in Lexington that I've attended over the years ,football or basketball, where the crowd was all in from start to finish. There wasn't a huge buildup to this game against a ranked team who dominated us on the road last year. Most fans were likely just hoping for a close game with the then 14th ranked team in the country, and any chance to win at the end of the game as with the last game between the teams in Lexington. But there was somthing special during this past game in Lexington. The performance on the field played a large part in charging up the Big Blue Nation at Kroger Field but it was wild even before the Cats took command in the fourth quarter. Night games always bring an extra energy to BBN in Lexington but did the weather add to that energy?
Insert Low Clouds, High Noise Theory Here
I am no meteorologist, but after spending the better part of three decades working outside at the airport (S/O CVG!) you spend much of your time being a part time weatherman. There were many times where the noise level was just different based on certain weather conditions. Usually that meant low clouds or fog and a slight breeze blowing towards the terminal would always produce a louder roar from the jets. Of course, the jets themselves weren't any louder but…well you get the point. The rain that could've easily dampened spirits throughout the game last Saturday seemed to only help evergize the crowd more. Maybe it was because no one wanted to sit down on a wet seat (my reasoning), but whatever the reason BBN was up the entire game. I kept thinking how loud it was but thought maybe I was just getting caught up in the moment. That was until I caught the replay later in the week and thought the same thing as the roar came through the TV speakers. After Wildcat fans saw the effect they had on MSU signal calling , BBN was in full throat the entire night. Part of me hopes this theory is wrong and UK fans bring it just as hard and disrupt opponent's offensive lines on a crystal clear night.
Whatever it was that was in the air this past Saturday, it was special , and Loud…really LOUD. Here is a taste of Kroger Field as the game entered the break between the 3rd and 4th quarter.
