Tufts Blogs

Boston is a hotbed of many things. Universities, Dunkins, and remnants of the American Revolution dominate this city’s streets and psyche. One thing that Boston is not particularly known for, however, is college football. Despite there being four Division I schools in Boston and the surrounding towns, only one of them, Boston College, has a Division I Football Bowl Subdivision team, the highest level of college football. Though I’ve enjoyed my trips to Ellis Oval to see Tufts’ football team in action, I thought it would be a unique opportunity to see the Eagles in action, as it represented a chance to see future NFL players and experience a Division I atmosphere. So, during the long Indigenous Peoples’ Day weekend, I ventured over to Chestnut Hill along with my mother and sister, who were visiting from New Jersey, to take in a contest. 

Our first stop, of course, was for a nosh. We chose Ziggy’s in Brighton, voted as the best pizza in greater Boston in a Boston.com poll. Located a few minutes away from BC’s campus, I’d highly recommend you stop there while in the area. The pizza was crispy and had plenty of cheese, though it could have used some more spices and sauce. Ziggy’s finest offering was its buffalo chicken wrap. With sauce that packed a punch, it was one of the best wraps I’ve had in a while. 

After ensuring that we wouldn’t go hungry, we navigated through the winding roads of Brighton over to BC’s Alumni Stadium. Just a head’s up, if you drive there, you may have to park in an odd spot (like on the side of the road next to the Newton Reservoir). 

After parking, we walked over to the campus. An excited buzz was palpable in the air. Tailgates dominated the area around the stadium and BC’s practice facility. Many of them were hosted by fans, but there was also a section set up by Boston College itself, featuring food, merchandise, and lawn games. What struck me was how polite the crowd was. Despite this being a high-stakes, ACC football game, nobody was overly raucous. As someone who has mostly been to professional sporting events, featuring cities with infamously rowdy fanbases such as Philadelphia and New York, this was a refreshing surprise. It was very much a family-friendly event. Another striking element was the amount of orange in the crowd. The Eagles were taking on Clemson, a college football powerhouse. Despite the long journey up the Atlantic seaboard, the Tiger faithful made their voices heard. 

We entered the stadium about 30 minutes before kickoff. Despite being 68 years old, Alumni Stadium is a modern and inviting venue. A cool quirk is that the visiting team has to run onto the field through the concourse, which prompts crowds to surround a not-so-inconspicuous curtain from which the Tigers flooded out. After exploring the grounds, we trekked up to section RR, in the third deck of the stadium. Despite our seats being high up, they were exactly in line with the 50-yard line, offering stellar views of all the action. 

Then, we watched the festivities get underway. Both teams’ bands played their fight songs, while fireworks and theatrics pumped up the fans. It took a minute for seats to be filled, but a sizeable crowd appeared on what turned out to be a perfect fall Saturday night. 

The game itself was fairly close until the closing minutes of the first half, with BC only behind 17-10. Eventually, though, the Tigers pulled away, and ended up winning 41-10. Though the final score was not close, BC kept the crowd engaged the whole time, hosting on-field contests and bringing back program legends. 

In all, I enjoyed my experience at Alumni Stadium. It was a nice change of pace to take in a Division I environment a few times during the semester, especially one rooted in Boston and its surrounding communities. BC does an outstanding job creating an enjoyable, welcoming atmosphere for fans. And, the football isn’t bad either. So, while I’ll always be a Jumbo, it was fun to temporarily trade my trunk for some wings. 

Photo Credit: Max Druckman