Home Field Advantage

There is nothing like the deafening roar of a college football crowd. There is no feeling like a miracle play by your alma mater when they defeat their cross-town, state, or better yet, division rivals. Stadiums literally shake at the might of an indignant or jubilant crowd, and those that say it has no effect on play are probably playing for the visiting team. Home field advantage isn’t an abstract concept, it’s tangible. You can feel and see its influence on a real football game, but it’s been a tough concept to implement effectively in to football video games—until now. NCAA® Football 2005 by Electronic Arts is making home field advantage a featured reality on Xbox Live®. You’ll actually have a reason to be thankful for playing at home, and the following are a few examples why.

The home fans have your back.

Stadium Pulse: It’s Alive!
It’s third and eight with two minutes left to go in the fourth quarter and you’re back on your thirty yard line. You’ve called a pass, but you don’t like the read of the defense. What do you do? You call an audible. It’s a sensible choice until you realize that the crowd is so loud that the sound waves are banging around in your helmet and your key wide receiver hasn’t a clue what you’re saying.

Plays can break down quickly from miscommunication, and using Stadium Pulse (home crowd noise) can disrupt even the most cohesive teams. If you’re playing at home and you want to give your opponent some extra grief, mash the white button on your Xbox® controller. Not only will the crowd become so loud that it affects the visiting team, but it will also make the camera to shake and your opponent’s controller to vibrate! It’s perfect in pressure situations, but it shouldn’t be used too often—opponents could get used to it.

Getting ready to use Stadium Pulse.

Player Composure
While using Stadium Pulse can affect a rival gamer and his team as a whole, an unruly crowd can also affect the composure of individual players on the field. If you’re starting a rookie tailback and it’s his first road trip to Nebraska, watch out. Chances are he’ll get rattled to some degree, and you’re going to be sweating a possible fumble or broken play.

Each Crowd is Different
It’s also important to note that the home field advantage won’t be the same in every stadium. Some colleges have more rabid fans than others, and this is represented in NCAA Football 2005. If you’re on the road in Notre Dame one week, and the next you’re playing the University of Delaware, chances are you’re going to have the rougher go at the home of the Fighting Irish. (No offense to Delaware fans.)

Starting a new home tradition can be more rewarding than carrying a traditional one. For example, if you’re a graduate from a smaller school and you want to start a dynasty there, you can build fan support. How? Just win and win often baby, and definitely win at home.

Packed to the gills.

The Incidentals
Beyond the effects of home field advantage in NCAA Football 2005, it’s also nice to see the attention to detail Electronic Arts put into representing the stadiums and the fans. You’ll see players run out of the tunnels (or down the stairs at Notre Dame) in their specific stadiums. You’ll hear authentic school fight songs from the pep bands, and see fans waving college-specific signs and wearing school colors. Each stadium looks and feels authentic, which goes a long way for game immersion and atmosphere.

In the pros, playing at home is definitely an advantage, and chances are the home record is going to shine compared to the road one. However, in college, that advantage seems to increase by a factor of 10 or more. Perhaps it’s school spirit and tradition, or maybe college players rattle easier on the road. Whatever the reason, playing at home in front of diehard fans is rewarded in NCAA Football 2005 as it should be. Just ask any Pac 10 fan.

By Alex McLain