An American college football championship game descended into chaos as supporters bombarded the pitch with snowballs, forcing the home side's athletic director to make a desperate mid-game plea for order.
Director's Pleas Fail to Stop Frozen Fusillade
The incident occurred during Friday night's Sun Belt Conference Championship in Harrisonburg, Virginia, where the James Madison Dukes hosted the Troy Trojans. The city had been hit by roughly 1.5 inches of snow earlier that day, providing ample ammunition for over-exuberant fans in the student section.
What began during the pre-game warm-ups, with the university's marching band taking the first hits, escalated once the match began. Despite repeated warnings broadcast over the stadium's public address system and a stark message on the jumbotron threatening immediate ejection, the barrage continued.
Players Targeted as Officials Threaten Penalty
The situation reached a critical point in the first quarter when Troy punter Evan Crenshaw was targeted while kicking from his own end zone. A snowball flew perilously close to him as he shanked a 26-yard punt, a mistake that helped set up James Madison's first score.
"I saw it but, at the end of the day, I have to go out there and do my job," Crenshaw said afterwards, showing professionalism in the face of provocation. His coach, Gerad Parker, was less forgiving, complaining, "That's not something you can practice, therefore it shouldn't be something that happens."
With standard warnings proving useless, James Madison Athletic Director Matt Roan took drastic action. He grabbed the microphone himself to address the crowd directly. "The officials and game management will throw a penalty," he warned sternly. "Please stop throwing snow, thank you."
Victory Marred by Controversy
Even this personal intervention did not fully halt the misconduct. In the third quarter, Troy's Tae Meadows was pelted with snowballs immediately after scoring a touchdown. Troy's staff appealed to the officials for a penalty against the home side, but none was given.
On the field, the 19th-ranked Dukes secured a convincing 31-14 victory to claim the Sun Belt title. The win puts them in contention for a coveted College Football Playoff berth, but only if number 16 Virginia loses its conference title game on Saturday.
The unsavoury scenes, however, threatened to overshadow a significant sporting achievement, raising questions about fan conduct and stadium management during high-stakes fixtures.
