In the past 5 years or so, the spring game in college football has become a pissing match to see which program gets the biggest fan support for a glorified scrimmage. Attendance is taken. Memes are made to mock schools that don’t get their stadiums packed.

What was once a nice little thing for the die-hard fans and to try and build some enthusiasm has become its own thing. So much so, that programs don’t want to be embarrassed by poor turnouts.

The weather has been slow to become pleasant this “spring.” And nothing kills attendance for these things like bad weather. All you have to do is flash back to the Blue-Gold game in Fraud’s first year — it still haunts me — and with that horrid weather the stands were barren.

The Hoopies weren’t taking that chance the prior week, so they cancelled theirs. Half the Big Ten seems to have cancelled their games for this weekend. Including Michigan and Wisconsin (okay, we know Chryst never wanted to bother with the game in the first place). Others are rescheduling. Even Ohio State may bail.

No one wants to have those pictures of empty stadiums. Even for the spring game. Player safety, fan experience are all cited. But at the end of it all, it seems to be mainly about the optics.

Thankfully, Pitt’s is still on. The weather may get a bit damp by the end, but at least it will be in the upper-70s.

I’m looking forward to it. For the third straight year, my son and I are going. It means getting to be a straight-up fan and not doing the press box thing. Wearing the colors. Meeting up with some friends who are also coming in that day. Enjoying the hell out of everything.

Being amused at seeing Walt Harris and Johnny Majors on the sidelines. Hoping no one gets hurt. I never go into this scrimmage expecting to see much. Players aren’t going full-tilt. The coaches are going to keep the plays basic.

It’s just a great way to spend the day, and the excuse I look for to get back to the ‘Burgh for a day.