Saying Goodbye to Husky Stadium
On November 5, 2011, Oregon and Washington will faceoff in another border war battle but this will have a little extra added significance as 90 year old Husky Stadium will be closing its doors for good in preparation for a $250 million dollar renovation. The renovation will turn into virtually a brand new stadium come 2013 and will be ready to write a new story in college football lore in the Pacific Northwest
Husky Stadium has been a visiting team’s nightmare for years. Some highlights include the decibel record setting noise numbers in 1992 against Nebraska. Also, the ALL I Saw Was Purple game against USC and Todd Marinovich in 1990 was an example of Husky fans at their best in their ability to truly impact a football game. In the 2000 season, there was the epic performance by the fans by creating such a cauldron of noise that then Miami coach, Butch Davis, was put in his place after comments earlier in the week saying that noise would not be a factor. The Huskies then knocked off a Miami loaded with future NFL players like Clinton Portis, Santana Moss, and others in a 34-29 victory that helped propel that team confidence wise towards the Rose Bowl and a win over Drew Brees and Purdue on January 1, 2001
One of the most epic individual performances in Husky Stadium lore goes to Marques Tuiasosopo on October 30, 1999. Tuiasosopo threw for over 300 yards and ran for over 200 more in knocking off Pac-10 leading Stanford at the time on basically one leg. Then, one of the more lasting memories I will take with me is the Arizona game on November 4, 2000 being on that field and hearing a pin drop before the game as Husky fans, players, and everyone took a moment of silence for Curtis Williams who had suffered a paralyzing spinal injury down at Stanford a week earlier.
The 2011 schedule, outside of the Oregon game, gives the Huskies a clear path to having a dominant final season at home. Knocking off the Ducks would be a tremendous exclamation point to 90 great years of Husky Stadium and another signature win for Steve Sarkisian’s program as he and his staff continue to restore the bark back in the Dawgs as they transition toward the 2011 Apple Cup and 2012 home schedule at Century Link Field, home of the Seattle Seahawks.
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