48 hours of football:
Exploring Columbia's football culture
The Rock Bridge High School Bruin mascot high-fives a young fan attending the Homecoming football game Oct. 21. Photo by Stuart Palley.
In Columbia, weekends in the fall are about football.
With high school football on Friday night, Missouri football on Saturdays, youth football Sunday morning and NFL football later in the day, football consumes our time, our money and our attention. It's passion. It's work. And it's entertainment. It's Columbia.
More than 30 reporters and photographers went out on a football weekend to witness the spectacle.
Friday
Announcer Glenn Pickett and scoreboard operators observe the unfolding football from their perch in the stadium box at Rock Bridge High School on Oct. 21. Rock Bridge fell to Blue Springs, 35-20. Photo by Stuart Palley.
5 p.m.
Five high school referees prepare for Friday's game7 p.m.
Hickman football parents become school kids again7:15 p.m.
Strong smells raiseconcession stand sales
8:05 p.m.
Life as the Rock Bridge Bruin8:16 p.m.
Fliers, bases make upRock Bridge cheer squad
8:30 p.m.
Rock Bridge seniorsnot-so-super fans
9:50 p.m.
Band Bunch pumps up Columbia for the gameSaturday
From left to right in the front row, Luke Hill, Jack Fischer and Elizabeth Hill play catch with other children tailgating outside Memorial Stadium before MU took on Oklahoma State on Oct. 22. Photo by Sarah Hoffman.
6:31 a.m.
Hearnes Center parking lot transforms into RV land7 a.m.
For Marching Mizzou,game day starts early
8:30 a.m.
Hy-Vee not too popularduring Missouri game
8:30 a.m.
What it takes to be a baton twirler8:50 a.m.
Lifelong fan gives hugsat every Tiger Walk
9 a.m.
Tiger Tailgate Recycling makes game-day recycling easy9 a.m.
Fans raid Tiger Team Store for black and gold gear9:30 a.m.
Truman the Tiger outshines MU cheerleaders on game day10 a.m.
Oklahoma State fans pack stands, stay to celebrate10:30 a.m.
Tailgating more about atmosphere than game10:30 a.m.
Shuttle rides to Faurot Field are hectic, yet convenient10:30 a.m.
Greektown on game day10:48 a.m.
Tiger fans unfazed while passing downtown vigil11:15 a.m.
Hitt Street minimarket sells high volume of vodka on football weekends12:40 p.m.
What it takesto be a baton twirler
2:45 p.m.
Fans make the trip back to car after loss to Oklahoma State2:52 p.m.
Football Saturday proves to be good time for ice cream3:18 p.m.
Shakespeare's Pizza reaches capacity on football SaturdaysSunday
Dennis Rohr, assistant coach for the Columbia Chiefs, instructs Trevor Gleason between plays during their game at Cosmo Park on Oct. 23. The Columbia Youth Football League includes kindergarten through eighth-grade teams. Photo by Ally Appelbaum.
10:30 a.m.
Youth football player plays a year up because of his size11 a.m.
Youth football teaches more than the scoreboard reads11:30 a.m.
Regulars flock to Stadium Grill on NFL Sundays12:20 p.m.
Buffalo Wild Wings packedfor Sunday football
