The West Texas A&M University Homecoming football game is a big event across campus and throughout the Buff community. Homecoming is a chance for Buffs to come together and enjoy all the Homecoming-related events, such as the parade, the tailgate, the court, and finally, the main event: the football game. The Homecoming game is an important game for the WT football team, with a large drive of support behind it from Buff fans.
With Homecoming’s focus being on the game, the WT football team will have the spotlight. Leaford Calder, a junior sports and exercise science major, said he hopes students and fans attend the game to show their support and help the team.
“I think they should go to the game because it shows a lot of support for the school, and if we all have support, we play better,” Calder said.
Calder said he prepares for Homecoming by resting and focusing on football.
“I just get a good night’s rest, lock in, watch some football on Saturday before the game, and have fun before the game starts,” said Calder.
Buff tight end Jordan Mendoza, a junior nursing major, prepares for the game by going to the Homecoming events on campus.
“Just getting involved with the community, mostly because there are a lot of events going on this week, and it’s fun to get out,” said Mendoza.
Gerard Pink, a senior civil engineering major and running back, feels that preparing for Homecoming is and isn’t different from the other season games.
“Yes and no, because at the end of the day, each game is important,” said Pink. “We obviously always want to win the game, but we also don’t want to lose at homecoming. It’s an important week, and there’s a lot of people who come out to support us, so it’s a must-win.”
As the announcement of Homecoming King and Queen is also a highlight of the night, Pink feels it’s important to go and vote for the nominees.
“It’s important to because it’s important to the organization and the community,” Pink said. “These people put a lot of effort and work in so it’s the least you can do.”
Wide receiver Dru Jones, a sophomore sports and exercise science major, also feels that it’s important to vote for the nominees to be able to get involved and to help give them a night that they can always look back on. “I’m going to this year because it’s important to get involved, and it will be cherished for the people that win,” Jones said.
This being his second Homecoming game on the team, Jones hopes this Homecoming game is different so that he can have more involvement and put more effort in than the ones before.
“This is my second one, but I hope this one’s different because I want to get involved more and try harder than I did last year,” Jones said.
Pink says that he thinks this Homecoming will be different with the new coaching staff and shared excitement that the staff and the team both share about this game.
“We have a new coaching staff, so it’s always fun to experience new things with them, and they’re probably excited too, just as we are,” Pink said. “We have a lot of fans that are coming from out of town, and we have a lot of people just in general that just want us to do good, so it’s are job to go out and put on a show.”
The Buffs will kick off their football Homecoming game against Western New Mexico on Saturday, Oct. 14 at 7 p.m.
