Northwestern Players Ready To Swim In Lake Michigan Following Wins At New Temporary Stadium

If you are a fan of college football and live within driving distance of Northwestern, I would highly encourage you to try and get a ticket for their upcoming home games at the temporary stadium that was built on-campus. 

In past years, Northwestern has usually been a destination spot for opposing fans to travel into the Chicago area for a weekend getaway, while enjoying a football game on the side. But now, with the Wildcats building a temporary stadium while waiting for their new $800 million home to be built, this could turn into a season to remember for Northwestern fans, thanks to a beautiful backdrop. 

To be honest, there wasn't much hope for the Wildcats heading into last season, given that Pat Fitzgerald was fired during the summer of 2023, and most people writing off the team under interim head coach David Braun. But, Northwestern turned all the outside noise into motivation, putting together an 8-5 season and surprising folks around college football. 

Northwestern will be playing their home games on Lake Michigan, and players are ready for a new tradition after wins. Via: Northwestern Football

Now, while the new stadium is being built and coming off a successful season, the team will play at Northwestern Medicine Field at Martin Stadium, which sits directly on Lake Michigan. The school has done a fantastic job at getting this stadium built, with one of the best views in college football, even though it's only for two years. 

Ok, it might look like a high school stadium, but it's going to make for one of the most interesting environments for the 2024 season. While it will seat only 15,000 fans, this means tickets will be hard to come by, and the university will most likely make more money at this temporary stadium than they would have playing at their former home. 

And once again, Northwestern fans will have one of the best views in all of college football. 

A New Northwestern Tradition Following A Win? Swimming In The Lake

While the team will play home games against Miami (Ohio), Duke, Eastern Illinois, and Indiana in four out of its first five games of the 2024 campaign, this could also lead to a new tradition for Northwestern players. 

"I'm really excited for the fans, the atmosphere is going to be amazing," Northwestern DL Najee Story mentioned. "Might even be tailgating on the lake, the lake field, so I'm really excited for the students and the fans to have just a good game-day atmosphere, and the homefield advantage that the lake brings."

The fact that their stadium is sitting on Lake Michigan, and the players have access to the water, thanks to a beautiful indoor facility, which could lead to a different type of celebration following a win. Forget the teams that run towards the student section, hold up a trophy following a win over a rival or dance at mid-field. 

For defensive lineman Carmine Barstone, he has only one thing on his mind when it comes to a postgame celebration. 

"I’m really excited about jumping in the lake right after a win."

Now that's going to be fun to watch, and maybe the fans can join the team in the fun.