Only at football-mad Alabama could being tops at something nationally also, at the same time, result in a low-water mark for the current era.
Such was the case Saturday afternoon as a total of 73,506 fans took in their Crimson Tide’s annual A-Day spring game. That total topped the previous 2014 high-water mark of just over 72,000 for Penn State’s first spring game under James Franklin last weekend.
It also bested Iron Bowl rival Auburn, coming off an appearance in the BCS title game, and its 70,465 fans this same day, although weather in that part of the state may have played a role in those numbers.
It’s highly (highly) (highly) likely the Tide’s total from this Saturday will finish out the spring campaign as the most at the FBS level in 2014; of the remaining spring games, only those at Michigan State and UCLA could even remotely hope to surpass that total -- and even that’s simply wishful thinking on anyone’s part.
Despite adding a “Spring Game Attendance High” notch in the belt to go along with yet another recruiting title this year, the turnout for Saturday’s A-Day game was the lowest since Nick Saban took over in Tuscaloosa. In fact, it was the lowest since the 78,200 showed up during Saban’s second spring.
Of course, there’s not really any reason (at all) to fret over spring attendance as the Tide has blown past the 90,000-mark three times --2011 (92,310), 2007 (92,138), 2010 (91,312) -- and the 80,000-mark once -- 2009 (84,050) -- during Saban’s eight years heading the football program.
More to the point, the eight most-attended spring games in the school’s history have come under Saban; prior to Saban’s arrival, the record amount of fans who took in a spring game was 51,117 (1988), or more than 20,000 fewer than the low-tide attendance Saturday.
Yeah, again, no need to fret for those who were even remotely inclined.
