Paul Snow Stadium
Encyclopedia
Burgess–Snow Field at JSU Stadium is a 24,000-seat multi-purpose stadium
in Jacksonville, Alabama
. It opened in 1947 and is home to the Jacksonville State University
Gamecocks football
team
. It was also home to the Jacksonville High School Golden Eagles football team until 2004, when they moved to a new stadium on the high school campus. It also served as home to Jacksonville Christian Academy's football team from 2005 until September 27, 2007, when JCA opened an on campus football field.
The "College Bowl", as it was known originally, was dedicated at homecoming 1947. The Gamecocks, as they had come to be known, opened the new stadium with a win over Pembroke
. The initial season at the College Bowl was as successful one, as the Gamecocks went 9-0.
The College Bowl officially became Paul Snow Stadium in 1961. That year, the stadium was dedicated to longime JSU supporter Paul Snow.
Burgess-Snow Stadium was renovated in 1965 when seating was expanded from 5,000 to 8,500. A new press box was installed on the north side of the facility. Under the supervision of longtime Athletic Director Jerry N. Cole, a field house was constructed in 1977. A student section was added in 1978, bringing the total capacity to 15,000. In 2010, an expansion project including additional seating to the south stands and east endzone and the seven-story Stadium Tower (floors 1-4 function as a residence hall for students, while floors 5-7 house skyboxes and the press box) was completed, increasing the seating capacity to 24,000.
In 2010, the name of Paul Snow Stadium was changed to Burgess-Snow Field at JSU Stadium, in honor of former JSU coach Bill Burgess who coached the team to the 1992 Division II championship
.
Multi-purpose stadium
Multi-purpose stadiums are a type of stadium designed in such a way as to be easily used by multiple sports. While any stadium could potentially host more than one sport, this concept usually refers to a specific design philosophy that stresses multi-functionality over specificity...
in Jacksonville, Alabama
Jacksonville, Alabama
Jacksonville is a city in Calhoun County, Alabama, United States. which is a 49% increase since 2000. It is included in the Anniston-Oxford Metropolitan Statistical Area...
. It opened in 1947 and is home to the Jacksonville State University
Jacksonville State University
Jacksonville State University is a regional public coeducational university located in Jacksonville, Alabama, USA. Founded in 1883, Jacksonville State offers programs of study in four academic units leading to Bachelor's, Master's, and Education Specialist degrees, in addition to continuing and...
Gamecocks football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
team
Team
A team comprises a group of people or animals linked in a common purpose. Teams are especially appropriate for conducting tasks that are high in complexity and have many interdependent subtasks.A group in itself does not necessarily constitute a team...
. It was also home to the Jacksonville High School Golden Eagles football team until 2004, when they moved to a new stadium on the high school campus. It also served as home to Jacksonville Christian Academy's football team from 2005 until September 27, 2007, when JCA opened an on campus football field.
History
Jacksonville State was originally known as the Jacksonville Teachers College Eagle Owls. The football team played its games next to John Forney National Guard Armory.The "College Bowl", as it was known originally, was dedicated at homecoming 1947. The Gamecocks, as they had come to be known, opened the new stadium with a win over Pembroke
Pembroke
Pembroke is a town in Wales which has given its name to many things. Its name is used for the following:-United Kingdom:*Pembroke, Pembrokeshire, a town in West Wales*Pembroke Dock, a town in West Wales*Pembrokeshire, a county in Wales-Australia:...
. The initial season at the College Bowl was as successful one, as the Gamecocks went 9-0.
The College Bowl officially became Paul Snow Stadium in 1961. That year, the stadium was dedicated to longime JSU supporter Paul Snow.
Burgess-Snow Stadium was renovated in 1965 when seating was expanded from 5,000 to 8,500. A new press box was installed on the north side of the facility. Under the supervision of longtime Athletic Director Jerry N. Cole, a field house was constructed in 1977. A student section was added in 1978, bringing the total capacity to 15,000. In 2010, an expansion project including additional seating to the south stands and east endzone and the seven-story Stadium Tower (floors 1-4 function as a residence hall for students, while floors 5-7 house skyboxes and the press box) was completed, increasing the seating capacity to 24,000.
In 2010, the name of Paul Snow Stadium was changed to Burgess-Snow Field at JSU Stadium, in honor of former JSU coach Bill Burgess who coached the team to the 1992 Division II championship
NCAA Division II national football championship
The NCAA Division II National Football Championship began in 1973. Prior to 1973, four regional bowl games were played in order to provide postseason action for what was then called the NCAA College Division and a poll determined the final champion....
.
Improvements
Artificial turf was placed in Burgess–Snow Field in time for the 2005 Football season. The turf is the same used by many colleges, high schools and pro teams (Pro Grass). This was the first renovation to the stadium. In early 2007, a new scoreboard with video screens was placed over the seats in the east endzone.Memorable Dates
- 1942-Jacksonville State defeats PembrokePembrokePembroke is a town in Wales which has given its name to many things. Its name is used for the following:-United Kingdom:*Pembroke, Pembrokeshire, a town in West Wales*Pembroke Dock, a town in West Wales*Pembrokeshire, a county in Wales-Australia:...
48-0 in the stadium's (then known as College Bowl) initial game.
- November 27, 1982-Jacksonville State defeats Northeastern Missouri 34-21 in the stadium's first NCAA postseason football game.
- November 21, 1987-September 15, 1990-Jacksonville State wins 15 consecutive home games.
- September 9, 1995-Jacksonville State defeats the University of West GeorgiaUniversity of West GeorgiaThe University of West Georgia is a comprehensive doctoral-granting university in Carrollton, Georgia, approximately 45 miles west of Atlanta, Georgia. The University is built on 645 acres including a recent land gift of 246 acres from the city of Carrollton in 2003...
in Burgess-Snow Field's first Division I NCAA football game.
- November 11, 1995-FreshmanFreshmanA freshman or fresher is a first-year student in secondary school, high school, or college. The term first year can also be used as a noun, to describe the students themselves A freshman (US) or fresher (UK, India) (or sometimes fish, freshie, fresher; slang plural frosh or freshmeat) is a...
QuarterbackQuarterbackQuarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
JeDarius Isaac completes a 42-yard touchdown pass to Patrick Plott with three seconds remaining in the game to secure a 32-27 homecoming victory for JSU over Western Illinois UniversityWestern Illinois UniversityWestern Illinois University is a public university founded in 1899 as Western Illinois State Normal School. Like many similar institutions of the time, Western Illinois State Normal School focused on teacher training for its relatively small body of students. As the normal school grew, it became...
.
- September 6, 1997-Montressa Kirby throws five touchdown passes in JSU's 42-47 loss to Southwest Missouri State.
- November 15, 1997-Southwest Texas State running backRunning backA running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
Claude Mathis rushes for 308 yards in a 35-27 victory over Jacksonville State.
- August 30, 2001-Ashley MartinAshley MartinAshley Martin is an American athlete who became the first woman to play and score in an NCAA Division I American football game, and one of the first ever to score points in any college football game. She accomplished this feat August 30, 2001 as a placekicker for the Jacksonville State University...
kicks two PAT's in JSU's 72-10 win2001 Cumberland vs. Jacksonville State football gameThe 2001 Cumberland vs. Jacksonville Staate football game was a college football game between the and the played on August 30, 2001. The game was played at Burgess-Snow Stadium in Jacksonville, Alabama. Jacksonville State won the game by a score of 72 to 10...
over Cumberland UniversityCumberland UniversityCumberland University is a private university in Lebanon, Tennessee, United States. It was founded in 1842, though the current campus buildings were constructed between 1892 and 1896.-History:...
to become the first female to play and score in an NCAA football game.
- August 31, 2002-Jacksonville State defeats Alabama A&M 20-17 before 16,851 in attendance; the largest crowd to attend a single football game at Burgess-Snow Field.
- November 6, 2004-JSU accumulates 646 total yards of offense in a 51-18 homecoming victory over Samford UniversitySamford UniversitySamford University, founded as Howard College is a private, coeducational, Alabama Baptist Convention-affiliated university located in Homewood, a suburb of Birmingham, Alabama, United States. It includes the , Cumberland School of Law, McWhorter School of Pharmacy, Brock School of Business, Ida V....
.
- October 15, 2005-Jacksonville State intercepts Tennessee-Martin Quarterback Brady Wahlberg five times in a 37-17 Gamecock victory over the Skyhawks.