Students around Keene State are excited as the New England Patriots will play in the Super Bowl after seven years away from the big game. They will take on the Seattle Seahawks for a rematch of the 2015 Super Bowl, where the Patriots emerged victorious.
Most students around campus will root for the team, many reminiscing on how nostalgic it feels for the Patriots to return to the Super Bowl. KSC students come from all of the New England states, some being closer to Foxborough and the team than others.
Sophomore Trevor Snow echoed this sentiment, saying, “It’s a nostalgic feeling being back, especially against the Seahawks. It just feels like my childhood again,” said Snow.
That feeling of being back as fans is shared throughout, with some even being aware of how lucky they are as fans.
“We’ve been spoiled for so long,” junior Matthew Army said. “The last couple of years have been so bad, but I absolutely love that the Pats are back in it.”
Some KSC students, like senior Quin Barton, are not from New England and do not share the same feelings as Pats supporters.
“[Patriots] fans in general deserve like a 20-year period of no championships. And I really hope they don’t get one this year because they don’t deserve it at all,” said Barton.
The Patriots have played three tight games and have survived as the two seed on the AFC side. The Seahawks, on the other hand, have only played two games, the first being a blowout victory. Seattle has survived as the number one seed on the NFC side.
The Patriots have been led by their impressive defense, keeping all playoff opponents under 17 points.
Fans think Sunday’s contest will come down to “how the secondary plays and getting pressure on [Seahawks Quarterback] Sam Darnold,” said Snow.
Army praised the Seattle team. “The Seahawks are really good. They have a really good defense and Jackson Smith (Nnjigba) is really good,” he said.
Their second year quarterback Maye is set to play in his first Super Bowl, and even non-Patriots fans like Barton give him respect.
“I like [Patriots Quarterback] Drake Maye, can’t say anything bad about him. He’s a good player who plays the game the right way,” said Barton.
The confidence is there from Keene State’s Patriots fans and the hate watching will reemerge from non-Patriots fans around the area.
Army, like most Pats fans, picked his winner, saying, “The pats are gonna take it, we’re gonna win and that’s going to be the best thing ever,” he said.
The game itself will take place on Sunday, Feb. 8 in San Francisco, California. On campus there will be a viewing party taking place in the NOC if KSC students are interested in watching the game with a group.
Jacob Enscoe can be contacted at
jenscoe@kscequinox.com
