Pats win Championship, 32-29

Horns honked, cheers erupted, and fans spilled into the cold from the comforts of their couches as New England kicker Adam Vinatieri's field goal with four seconds left sailed through the uprights, en route to the Patriots' 32-29 Super Bowl victory over the Carolina Panthers last night in Houston.

Time expired on the ensuing kickoff, sending New England to its second World Championship in three years and quieting the Carolina faithful, who just two seasons ago witnessed their Panthers go 1-15.

At Tufts, students emerged from their dorms, houses, fraternities and apartments in the 28 degree weather to celebrate with one another. And while the revelry was certainly filled with excitement, it also was peaceful and restrained, unlike last October's Red Sox Division Series victory over the Oakland Athletics.

"Everything was totally under control," junior Caitlin Moss, who works at Hotung Caf‚ and is a dual English/American Studies major, said. "When the game was over, the aura here was positive."

Hotung Caf‚ in the campus center provided an enjoyable venue for students to watch the game in front of the caf‚'s big-screen television, and raffled off a flat-screen TV and a DVD player to encourage participation.

"Even when the Patriots were down [22-21 in the fourth quarter], everyone here was hopeful and not negative," Moss continued.

The crowd in Hotung had almost completely dissipated within 15 minutes of the end of regulation, making life easy for the Tufts University Police Department.

Students viewing the game in the fraternities along Professor's Row were the most rowdy, on-scene TUPD officers said, but there was no indication of serious problems or riotous behavior.

The extent of discontent following New England's win seemed to stem in front of the Delta Upsilon fraternity house, with large numbers of students milling about in front of two university police cars, organizing for spurts to chant "Yankees Suck."

"I'm from New York, and I completely expected to hear that [Yankees Suck chant] being here," said freshman Ryan Lippell, who watched the game at Delta Tau Delta, "It seems like that's how they operate here."

Fellow freshman Jessal Shah, who also watched the game at DTD agreed.

"We both knew that they would be chanting that," Shah said. "Still, we had an awesome time watching the game. They had great food inside of DTD and it was a great game."