FSU vs. Duquesne football, no one is talking about the visiting team’s benches.

From great seats at the Florida State football game in Tallahassee yesterday afternoon, I noticed something that just didn’t seem quite right. We were sitting on the FSU “Alumni” side so we were facing towards the visiting team, the Duquesne Dukes. Check out this photo and see if anything looks a little weird to you.

Don’t pay attention to the fans in the seats but definitely pay attention the fans on the field. As in, the ones that blow air. In front of the 4 black fans are 3 benches. Take a look and YES THOSE ARE THE BENCHES FOR THE VISITING TEAM! What?? What is this, a high school game in a tiny Florida town? Now I’ll say this, I don’t know who provides benches for visiting teams but by the looks of it, the benches were provided by FSU (the benches are garnet at gold). So this assumes that Duquesne didn’t bring their own benches which makes sense, they’re all the way up in Pennsylvania. Plus, they’re a small school so they may not even have “travel” benches… if that’s a thing?

Let’s just go with the assumption that Florida State provided them for the visiting Dukes. Florida State… a multi-million dollar football program. I get it, you don’t want your opponent to be “comfortable” but wow. I’m guessing those pathetic benches haven’t seen the light of day since FSU was an all-women school.

Even if it was just a gesture towards an opponent to say we aren’t going to make this easy for you, I think it’s a little bit low-class. Your team’s favored to win. The visiting team is from a much smaller school. Show a little sportsmanship, Noles! In my opinion, and this might change once more info comes in about the benches, but it makes FSU look bad. Real bad. Who had the idea to use benches (looks like they’re made from wood, too) that wouldn’t even be acceptable on the set of The Longest Yard, a movie about football in prisons.

I tweeted to FSU Football and Duquesne but haven’t received a reply at the time of this post.

Does anyone out there have an explanation for the use of these sad-looking benches?

-Out of the Wilderness