Winning isn't everything: A case study of high-risk drinking the night of the 2006 national championship football game

This study examined high-risk drinking among college students the night of the 2006 National College Football Championship game. Study findings show that while nearly 50% of students reported drinking the night of the National Championship Game, less than one third of students engaged in high-risk drinking. Students watching the game at on-campus alcohol free venues were three and half times less likely to engage in high-risk drinking than students viewing the game in other venues. Advance planning of prevention efforts, such as the police patrolled and barricaded "celebration zone, " can serve as a model to aid other campuses to prepare for celebratory events with minimal negative consequences for individuals, schools, and surrounding communities.