'Electric' crowd shows up for 'GameDay' on Western Michigan's campus

By Madison Bennett | MLive

KALAMAZOO, MI -- ESPN's "College GameDay" broadcasted live from Kalamazoo Saturday and the crowd did not disappoint.

Braving temperatures in the 30s and the first snow fall of the season, about 1,000 students, alumni and fans chanted head coach P.J. Fleck's famous "Row the Boat" mantra for the national TV audience during the three-hour show.

The crowd, gathered on the Sangren Pedestrian Mall on Western Michigan University's campus, was fired up hours before the program started at 9 a.m.

"It's electric," WMU senior Joey Karwacki said of the atmosphere at the "GameDay" set.

ESPN announced six days ago that the popular pre-game show was coming to Kalamazoo. The Broncos stand alongside Alabama as one of two major-college football teams left undefeated in the country.

While the pit did not open until 6:30 a.m. Saturday, students were camping outside on WMU's campus starting as early as 7 p.m. Friday.

Boyd Smart, a senior at WMU, was part of the group of students who arrived Friday to secure their spot in line.

"It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity," Boyd said.

The line only continued to grow throughout the night and into the early hours of Saturday. While the pit holds only 500 people, hundreds more packed the Pedestrian Mall to take part in the historic day.

 "I can't describe it," Brendon Farrell, WMU alumni said. "It's amazing."

Scott Merlo, chief of the Western Michigan University Department of Public Safety, said 40 officers from the state, city, township, county and WMU came to help out with crowd control.

"We've got a great crowd," Merlo said. "It's been great all day."

The WMU dance and cheer teams, Buster Bronco, the marching band and university President John Dunn joined the crowd Saturday morning.

"We always say 'It's a great day to be a Bronco' but today is a very special day to be a Bronco," Dunn said.

The program has brought national attention to not only the university, but the city as well.

"It brings a positive spotlight to Kalamazoo," WMU senior Collin Peace said.

The Saturday morning excitement followed a pep rally Friday evening in Bronson Park in downtown Kalamazoo.

The Western Michigan Broncos take on the Buffalo Bulls at 3:30 p.m. at Waldo Stadium.

This post originally appeared Nov. 19, 2016 on MLive.com.