Are you ready for some football? Even if you are ready for America’s favorite fall sport, you aren’t getting any from GW.

Since 1967, the GW football team has gone undefeated. A casual fan might think GW has the longest, most unbelievable winning streak in the history of college football. Yet, GW does not have a quarterback, a running back, a coach or even a team.

“No wonder I’ve never heard of them,” you quietly say to yourself.

The University ended the football program because it became too expensive to support. The team had not performed well for many seasons, Lyle Slovick at University Archives said.

But what are football fans to do? How can they occupy their Saturday afternoons when many would normally be watching the game?

“I just study,” freshman Jill Ersner said.

Most football fans would say times are tough when students decide to crack open the books on a fall Saturday afternoon. But for GW’s football fans, the nation’s capital offers nearly endless opportunities to get a football fix.

If college football is in demand, students can head over to Georgetown to cheer for whichever team the Hoyas are playing against.

Freshman Jake Marsico said he would gladly take any opportunity to cheer against Georgetown, and seeing a football game would be a bonus.

“Rooting against Georgetown is more fun than waiting in line at J Street,” Marsico said.

Perhaps the best football in the area can be found at Byrd Stadium at the University of Maryland. The Terrapins are nationally ranked. If students are looking for that “college atmosphere” on a Saturday afternoon, they can take the Green Line to College Park, Md.

If you are in the mood for pro football, the Washington Redskins play at Fed Ex Field in Landover, Md. Although the team’s 86,000 tickets have been sold out, some returned tickets become available five days before the game.

Prices for the tickets range from $55 to $75. The stadium is accessible on Metro via the blue and orange lines. Shuttles are available from the Addison Road and Cheverly Metro stops for $5 roundtrip.

Freshman Ed Walsh said he will not make the trip out to Maryland
to see Washington’s pro-football team play.

“The Redskins are such an embarrassment that I inexplicably find myself playing Madden (video game) instead of watching them on TV,” Walsh said.

If students wish to see last year’s Superbowl champions, they can take the MARC commuter train to cheer on the Baltimore Ravens. Although these tickets are also sold out, some become available a few days before the game. Tickets cost between $30 and $300.

Students who wish to watch games in the comfort of their rooms can turn on FOX, CBS or ESPN on Sunday or ABC on Monday to see up to five games a weekend.

Freshman Adam Nichols said he is one of the biggest New York Giants fans.

“I try and watch the Giants as much as possible even though we’re in Washington,” Nichols said. “Number one in the NFC East, baby!”

If students are not in the mood to watch the game alone, they can check out Monday Night Football in the Hippodrome or head to the ESPN Zone on 11th and E Streets. There is no age minimum, and with over five people, students can have their own room to watch the game.

Reservations at ESPN Zone are recommended and customers must spend at least $10 on food every hour.

For some, not having a football team gets a little depressing. Some associate college with football. To them, anything less as unacceptable.

“It was a dark day when I found out that GW didn’t have a football team,” Nichols said.

But others said they don’t feel GW students are missing out on anything.

“Our school’s pretty united anyway,” freshman Wael Elrafi said. “And with basketball season coming up, I don’t think there’s much of a problem with spirit. I’m not really a football fan anyway, so the time can be better used for other purposes.”

Junior Dan Houston said he does not mind going to a school lacking the pig skin.

“I think GW’s spirit is expressed in a number of different ways since we don’t have a football team,” Houston said. “For example, I think the political spirit at GW is much higher than at other universities.”

Fortunately for students obsessed with college football, the season is more than halfway over and other GW sports seasons are just beginning.

The GW hockey season has already started. The club hockey team plays at Fort Du Pont Ice Rink in Southeast, and men’s and women’s soccer both play home games at the Mount Vernon Campus. And basketball season is only a few weeks away.

For students who just want to cheer for GW and yell at opposing teams, the basketball teams are already practicing. And at the moment both teams have zero losses.