Students respond to Super Bowl result with jubilation, protests

06 Feb 2018

It was a memorable Super Bowl on Sunday night, with the underdog Philadelphia Eagles beating the New England Patriots to deliver their first Super Bowl win in almost 60 years.

103.4 million people watched the world’s largest sporting game in 2018, according to a Nielsen poll.

Football fans react as they watch Super Bowl LII between the New England Patriots and the Philadelphia Eagles at the city’s oldest tavern, McGillin’s Olde Ale House in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, February 4, 2018. Source: Reuters/Jessica Kourkounis

A Harvard University student told The Harvard Crimson that: “I’m actually a Chicago Bears fan. It’s more so just being a fan of a team that sucks here at Harvard that made me by default an Eagles fan but I think, it’s really annoying just having to constantly hear about the five Super Bowl wins.”

One fan from Northeastern University was so confident his team would win that he got a tattoo celebrating six Super Bowl wins for the Patriots. Obviously, this was a mistake.

Northeastern student Ed Ferrini has already gotten a tattoo indicating 6 Super Bowl wins for the Patriots. pic.twitter.com/ePuea0wcOg

— Only In Boston (@OnlyInBOS) January 30, 2018

The Eagles emerged victorious 41-33 in Minneapolis.

WHAT A GAME!

FINAL: The @Eagles just won the @SuperBowl! #SBLII #FlyEaglesFly pic.twitter.com/eHVImTtYVk

— NFL (@NFL) February 5, 2018

Students from the University of Pennsylvania were seen running down the street yelling “Go Eagles”, reported The Daily Pennsylvanian.

“Even though we’re both from California, it’s a once in a lifetime type of deal where you can come down and actually be in the city where the team is in the Super Bowl,” said one Penn football player.

Some Patriots fans didn’t react well to the loss. Around 2000 people were gathered at the University of Massachusetts’ Amherst campus in a “large, chaotic group”, reported the Boston Globe.

People reportedly set off fire crackers and smoke bombs, with six arrested and 12 transported to hospital. “It seemed like there were hundreds of [students], and they were screaming,” said UMass senior Caroline O’Connor.

Our reporter @gretchenkellerr captures the current scene in Southwest, where police in riot gear tell students to disperse. #UMass #SuperBowl #SBLII pic.twitter.com/rTpCGhtZzB

— Daily Collegian (@MDCollegian) February 5, 2018

But most university celebrations were more civilised.

Last night, Freedom Tower was lit green to celebrate the @Eagles #SuperBowl victory led by @libertyuonline student @NFoles_9! #LibertyUniversity #FlyEaglesFly pic.twitter.com/MrfKtE2Icr

— Liberty University (@LibertyU) February 5, 2018

Eagles quarterback Nick Foles was celebrated by Liberty University where he does graduate courses online, which declared: “your Liberty Family is proud of you!”

Other universities like Bowling Green State University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill recognised their esteemed Super Bowl-winning alumni.

Congratulations to 2011 BGSU graduate Ryan Maddocks on winning the Super Bowl last night. He served BG Football as a student video assistant during his time with the Falcons. #AyZiggy pic.twitter.com/3gSAHmycTS

— BG Football (@BG_Football) February 5, 2018

Congrats to @UNC_SpAd student, @mackhollins, for last night's Super Bowl victory! #SpAdStrong pic.twitter.com/nnOBTOvHLW

— UNC SpAd Graduate Program (@UNC_SpAd) February 5, 2018