Members of Georgia State’s football team and members of the student body agree that they need each other.

The students say they enjoy a complete college experience. The players and coaches say they need the energy that a fired-up crowd can provide.

That experience, outside of the season opener, has been missing in the Panthers’ past two home games.

Student attendance was less than 2,000 (out of 32,000 students) for each of the past two games, against Old Dominion and Murray State, according to information provided by the university’s athletic department. For the season, the school has averaged 3,991 students and their companions though three home games, 400 more than last year’s average from seven home games.

However, the totals from the past two games are among the lowest in the program’s short history, just ahead of the 878 that attended last year’s game against North Carolina Central. This year’s season opener had 2,500 fewer attendees than last year’s inaugural game.

However, the Panthers’ overall attendance is still healthy. The team has averaged 16,312 in paid attendance this season, ranking them 16th of 120 FCS (formerly Division I-AA) teams and fourth among Colonial Athletic Association teams. Georgia State expects a large turnout for Saturday’s homecoming game against South Alabama.

“We love seeing students and friends and family in the stands,” linebacker Mark Hogan said. “It makes you play better. It shouldn’t affect the game that much, but in a way in college football it’s about momentum.”

The students say they love the experience.

“I actually think it’s inspiring,” said Charles Frye, a junior and director of public relations for residential halls. “In order for our football team to do the best they can, they need the crowed to cheer them on.”

So why aren’t more students attending? There are several factors. The team’s 1-5 record is one. Administrators, undergrads and graduate students said the newness of the program and the fact that only 4,000 of the 32,000 students live on campus are also reasons.

Students who don’t live on campus say they usually have other things going on, including work. Or, they don’t want to drive to downtown to attend the games, which are played at the Georgia Dome.

Georgia State has made tickets free to students, who agreed to three increases in fees totaling $121 per semester to help cover the cost of the team. A companion ticket for a student normally costs $10. Frye said continuing to make companion tickets free, which was done for the game against Murray State, might improve attendance. He also suggested themes for game days. Other students said they would like to see more recognizable teams at the Dome.

Georgia State has taken other steps to improve attendance. It has moved kickoff times later into the afternoon and added pep rallies, and the athletic department is working with the residential housing authority to encourage more undergrads to attend with a program called Project Spirit. The most attendees from the same dorm receive various prizes.

Frye said freshmen comprise a large percentage of the students who attend football games. He theorizes that as more students get used to having a football team, attendance at the games will increase.

“Our football team is only two years into the game,” he said. “We are trying to get everyone in the spirit.”

Other groups have been involved, as well. The International Student and Scholar Services group held a Football 101 class Thursday to teach students from other countries the difference between “futbol” and “football.” Georgia State has more than 3,600 students from countries other than the United States.

The interactive seminar was attended by a handful of students, mostly from countries in Asia. They learned the basics of the game, including rules, formations, scoring, what’s worth applauding and, of course, tailgating.

“I know more about it,” Hannah Tang, 20, said. Tang is an exchange student from Beijing who will attend her first football game Saturday. She said they don’t hear much about the NFL in China, which is more interested in the NBA. The most exposure she’s had to the sport was by watching the movie “The Blind Side.”

But she did know something about football: “Americans are crazy about it.”

Hogan said he talks to his classmates and encourages them to attend. Coach Bill Curry said he hopes to see a homecoming crowd similar to last year’s 15,264 total.

“We definitely respond when there’s a lot of noise and there’s a lot of student body there,” Curry said. “I can feel it from the guys.”

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