School spirit might have gone too far during the homecoming football game.
The Maverick football team lost their Oct. 29 game to Colorado State University-Pueblo (CSUP) in a hard-fought 28-33 showing.
After CSUP iced the game with a fourth quarter touchdown, tensions flared. The CSUP sideline instigated a verbal altercation with the Colorado Mesa University (CMU) student section, an CMU security had to eventually step in and break up the crowd. The CMU Dance Team also had to be moved to a separate location amidst the fiery exchange.
The ThunderWolves seem to have the Mavericks number in their history of tightgames. CMU is 2-11 against CSUP in the last 14 seasons.
CSUP narrowly defeated CMU in double overtime 19-13 just last season, during a game in which the Mavericks tallied eight penalties compared to the ThunderWolves one.
CMU last beat CSUP in a 2016 matchup, after a last minute goal line stop secured a 20-19 Maverick win. The victory broke a CMU losing streak, which had dated back to 2009.
Before earning his first head coaching gig here at CMU earlier this year, Miles Kochevar served as the CSUP defensive coordinator last season, finishing fourth in scoring and third in yards allowed, which only adds onto an already-storied past between the programs.
Considering this history, it is no wonder that emotions would be high during the recent homecoming game. However, it seems like the line between fun trash-talk and blatant hostility was crossed.
I think blame goes to both sides here. Student Mavericks should strive to behave more appropriately at games, even against a bitter rival in the ThunderWolves.
Similarly, CSUP players and the coaching staff should hold themselves to a higher regard and not retaliate to student taunts to the point where security has to intervene.
Now, this is not to say that student Mavericks cannot have fun and jeer at the opposing team every now and then, especially when alcohol was more than likely consumed. But, we have to be aware that the other team is composed of students as well, and they are also susceptible to losing their cool.
At the end of the day, it is just a game and respect comes first and foremost. Students need to set a better example, and CMU should consider placing security guards closer to the student section to deter any future incidents between the two sides.
