College football teams honor 20th anniversary of 9/11
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
The Virginia Cavaliers marching band performs as an American flag is displayed to commemorate 9/11 at halftime during a game at Scott Stadium on Sept. 11. Photo: Ryan M. Kelly/Getty Images
College football teams across the country unveiled tributes — from halftime shows to special uniforms — on Saturday in honor of the 20th anniversary of 9/11.
The big picture: Some schools honored alumni and veterans on their uniforms, others put together tributes to remember those who died. Nearly all held a moment of silence before kickoff.
Driving the news: The Army football team stormed into the stadium, each player carrying an American flag to honor the servicemen and women who died in the 9/11 attacks.
- Army head coach Jeff Monken said that on the anniversary the team was focusing on the veterans and first responders who ran toward the attack to help others.
- "When people were running from the tragedy, they were running toward it. We got a whole team of guys and corps of cadets that have the spirit to serve and it's what they do," Monken said.
Boston College on Friday unveiled special edition red bandana uniforms in honor of Welles Crowther, an alum who died 20 years ago while rescuing people in the South Tower of the World Trade Center.
- Crowther saved 18 people from the tower using a red bandana to cover people's mouths and noses from the smoke and debris.
Thirty-seven Rutgers alumni died in the attack, and the Scarlet Knights memorialized all of them on Saturday's football helmets.
- Players also had "Never Forget" emblazoned on their gloves, helmets and the sides of their jerseys.
Fans and players at Ohio State's stadium held a moment of silence for the nearly 3,000 lives lost 20 years ago, and a B2 bomber flew over the stadium — prompting "U-S-A" chants to echo through the stadium.
Notre Dame football players did 20 push-ups to mark the event's anniversary.
Nebraska linebacker Damian Jackson led the team into the stadium with first responders at his side.
- Jackson spent six years in the Navy and four as a Navy SEAL.
Penn State is hosting the Dwyer family as honorary captains for the Nittany Lions' game against the Ball State Cardinals.
- Patrick Dwyer was planning to take his 6-year-old son Brendan to his first Penn State game before being killed in the attacks.
The University of Oklahoma recognized emergency services personnel, frontline workers and members of the military at its game against Western Carolina University.
Lamar University added an American flag LU logo to their helmets in remembrance of 9/11.
Texas State University added details to its helmets to commemorate the lives lost on 9/11. The helmet stripe has the name of 19 people who were either residents of Texas or born in Texas.
Brigham Young University wore royal blue uniforms with a pentagon-shaped sticker on the back of their helmet that reads "9/11 NEVER FORGET."
The University of Florida unveiled a new helmet for its matchup against the University of South Florida that features "Gators" written in red, white and blue script text.
