A team of mostly walk-ons with less than 35 scholarship players

broke the curse that haunted Aggie Stadium for seven years.

They did it. They finally did it.

A team of mostly walk-ons with less than 35 scholarship players broke the curse that haunted Aggie Stadium for seven years.

They won the homecoming game.

“It’s wonderful,” said Bob Johnson, an A&T fan and 20-year season ticket holder.   

For the seniors, this will be their only homecoming victory.

“I’m really excited for our players for them to have had an opportunity to taste some success and win their first homecoming game,” said A&T head coach Rod Broadway.

During the game, fans cheered and had a good time yelling the ever-famous Aggie Pride chant and doing the wave across the stands.

“During those seven years that they lost homecoming I was a little dismayed, but now that they’ve won, I think that I will be at more activities and contribute more,” said Ervin Hodge, a 1970 A&T graduate.

Although attendance seemed low, 8,942 tickets were sold which generated $311, 580 that passed the projected $250,090. Last season, only 7,307 homecoming game tickets were sold.

While most fans were ecstatic about the homecoming win, some people were still more concerned about the new Game Zone policy, which requires all people including those who just tailgate to have a game ticket.

A&T graduate Terry Burns was one of them.

“I don’t want to have to pay $35 to come out here and fellowship with my people…I never go to games.”

But some of the crowd’s negativity didn’t stop the excitement of the other A&T fans.

“It was a great week to be an Aggie this homecoming,” said Melanie Thompson, a sophomore elementary education major from Richmond, Virginia. “It has been years since we have won a homecoming…I hope this is the beginning of great homecomings.”

Wide receiver Larry Raper had a little more motivation coming into the homecoming game. For him, it was more than homecoming. It was the first time his mother saw him play in  his college career.

 “Yesterday before the game I told my mom I was going to give her three touchdowns for her last night.”

That is exactly what he did. Raper’s three-touchdown performance helped the Aggies claim the homecoming victory. 

Atiba Wright, 1999 A&T graduate who played free safety for the Aggies under head coach Bill Hayes, was also in attendance to watch his alma mater win the big game.

“This win was long overdue,” said Wright. “I’m not surprised that they won today though because they’ve been winning the last couple weeks.”

The Aggies who are now (3-0) in the MEAC, are currently tied for No. 1 with the Norfolk State Spartans.

After being doubted by many, the A&T football team is slowly showing what it means to have pride despite the fact that all odds were against them.

“They’ve brought back a lot of the school spirit. Aggie Pride has kind of been restored,” said Wright.

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• Karmen Robinson,Sports Editor