Halloween Overshadows All in Madison, Even Football

In Madison, there are a few events that get students riled up.

The Mifflin Street Block Party, by some estimates the largest block party in the world, in May is one of them.

Football Saturdays are another.

But one event brings absolute chaos and disorder onto the University of Wisconsin campus: Halloween.

With thousands of out-of-towners streaming into Madison, Halloween is a policeman's nightmare.

Costume parties on Friday and Saturday, thousands of people walking the streets in the early morning hours, and a concert on State Street are all part of Halloween in Madison.

Yeah, it's a pretty big deal.

Even football takes a backseat to Halloween.

Wisconsin takes on Purdue on Halloween Saturday and, although there's no doubt students will come to the game and cheer on their Badgers, their mind is elsewhere.

An 11:00 a.m. start time isn't doing students any favors either. After a party-filled Friday night, especially on Halloween, an 11:00 start is torture for students.

So don't expect the students' energy to exemplify the magnitude of this game.

Although this game won't make or break the Badgers' season, it is a Big Ten game and a win will make Wisconsin bowl eligible.

When explaining why he doesn't think students will have their normal energy, one student viewed it a little differently.

"It's not like the game is for the conference championship," Mitch L. said. "It's just another game during the season. Football is always a great time, but this weekend students care more about Halloween."

It's not often you can say football takes a backseat in students' minds, but this weekend that will be the case.

Let's just hope Badger players don't view it the same way.