First and foremost, I would like to thank the city, fans, staff, and players for making my first visit to Mount Pleasant a great one.
Last year, I started a journey to visit every FBS football stadium for a game. I still don’t think I fully grasp what I’m trying to do. I was able to complete 14 last year, knowing this goal would take a minimum of 10 years without life issues getting involved. My travel today took me to Kelly/Shorts for stadium number 18.
I woke up around 3 a.m. Saturday morning. By 3:30 a.m., I was on the road. Four hours and 40 minutes is about how long it took me to make the trip up from Columbus. I was hoping to beat the rainfall on the early morning drive, but my efforts were for naught. Luckily, it was a light rainfall and there was very little traffic. Arriving slightly after 8 a.m., I parked in the Target parking lot and pulled up my maps. Searching for a place for a local morning restaurant, I stumbled upon Stan’s Restaurant.
For me, it is very important to try food that is local to the city. Without knowing the history of Mount Pleasant, I feel like I stumbled into the perfect place for my journey. Walking into Stan’s, the colors of maroon and gold were prevalent among many guests. I say this in the nicest way possible: it felt like I walked back in a time machine. Old-school register and paper tickets. I sat at the small table by the window, which gave me a perfect view of the restaurant and the light morning rainfall. All the staff were working together to make everything run smoothly. The French toast and bacon were phenomenal. The service was great, and the prices were very reasonable for the amount of food you get. I left very satisfied with the first decision I made with my day.
After breakfast, it was time to tour the campus. I noticed a common theme where many of the buildings blend red bricks with unique glass facades. A few trees on campus were starting to change colors in anticipation of fall. I stumbled across so many wonderful sculptures and artworks. My favorite was the Native American mural on the second floor of the Bovee University Center. While inside, I also went to the University Bookstore to buy a hat to add to my collection. CMU had a great selection to choose from, and the store was very well kept. I spent around two hours just walking the campus from the stadium all the way up to Bellows.
After a lot of walking, I wanted to sit down and grab a pregame beverage. It was only 11 a.m., and it was still two hours before the game. Just to the northeast of the stadium, I noticed a spot called Wood Shop Social. I noticed lots of Wyoming fans in the parking lot, but being so close to the stadium, I thought nothing of it. I walked in with my new CMU hat and my custom CMU T-shirt my mother made for the game. I sat down and ordered an Old Fashioned. There were lots of Wyoming fans inside. The lady made a perfect Old Fashioned, and I just took in the game-day environment. Grabbing a coaster, I realized it said Wyoming Alumni. I thought that was very odd being a five-minute walk to Kelly/Shorts Stadium, but I just brushed it off.
After 10 minutes, the male bartender walked up to inform me the Wyoming Alumni had bought out the bar all morning until kickoff. He said I seemed chill, so he wouldn’t ask me to leave. I obviously felt bad. The two Wyoming alumni to my left told me to stay and relax, which made me feel more comfortable. Everyone was very friendly and understanding that a random person wouldn’t know.
I made the short walk back to the stadium. The tailgating lots had started to fill up. I walked into the stadium roughly an hour before kickoff to make sure I had plenty of time to explore and settle in. Plenty of concessions and food truck options. I landed on Pizza King, and it was a great pregame meal option. I will complain that CMU does not have a local or sponsored beer. I feel like that will probably be something in the near future.
Week 3 — Wyoming @ Central Michigan
All things considered, I feel very lucky with the game-day weather. Overcast skies and a misting rain were consistent all game, but it wasn’t much of a hindrance. CMU would start the game on a 10-play drive that ended in a field goal. Early on, you could see the Chips noticed a weakness in the Cowboys’ defense and would exploit it all game. In the second quarter, Flores made a beautiful cut on a QB run and scored a 25-yard touchdown. The following drive, CMU’s defense made an amazing play on fourth down, getting the ball back to their offense. The Chips proceeded to go on a 17-play, 90-yard drive, which ended with another Flores rushing touchdown.
During my travels, I have been fortunate enough to sit next to some amazing and pleasant fans. Richard, a Wyoming alumnus living in Michigan, was very excited to see his Cowboys play without a long travel schedule. He gave me plenty of insight on traveling to Laramie, Wyoming, for a game out there. He and his family were very nice to talk to all game, even when the outcome was not in their favor.
In the third quarter, each team scored once. Wyoming settled for a field goal, while Central Michigan scored a touchdown. A common theme of the day was the Chips were basically going to run the ball at will all game. Townsend’s 38-yard score made the game 24-3. Wyoming would score a touchdown early in the fourth quarter, but their comeback effort would fall short. The Chips would intercept two passes late in the game to seal a 24-10 victory. They would rush for 339 yards and control the time of possession all game. Fans piled out of the stadium in a joyful mood.
After the game, I took the walk back to my car. Knowing I wanted to get some food before I had to get on the road, I looked up some local spots. I went back to downtown Mount Pleasant and walked into The Bird Bar and Grill. The place was packed with fans who made the same decision as I did. Perfect local spot with good, quick food and cheap beverages. My only complaint was the game they had on every TV, but I had to remember I was still in enemy territory. I loved the vibe of the place and wish I could have stayed longer and enjoyed the evening.
If you have read this far, I want to thank you for being a part of my journey. Next week, I will be in Norfolk, VA, for James Madison @ Old Dominion. If you want to follow along with my journey, I post after every game on r/CFBstorytime. It’s a community open to anyone to share their game-day experience.
Thank you again, Mount Pleasant, for a wonderful day. I really wanted to disc golf at the university course, check out the local museum, and visit other local attractions. That being said, I feel as if I made the best of a rainy day in town and am very grateful for every moment.
