The changes in the student ticket policy for football games announced last week are an obvious attempt to get students to the games earlier.

 Much has been said over the last couple years about the half-empty student section for kickoffs, especially at 11 a.m. games.

 Under the new system, students who arrive at the game early will get the best seats. UW coach Bret Bielema said that's the system used for students at other schools.

 "A major emphasis of what we're trying to get done is get students in the stands, but also to prioritize people when they come," Bielema said. "That's the one thing I've seen at different stadiums is first-come, first-served. (They) get the best seats."

 Some of the changes were also made to cut down on rampant fraud regarding student tickets.

 Vouchers are not being mailed this year to ticket lottery winners because students frequently made copies of the vouchers for friends. Reprints void the bar codes on vouchers, so students and others using reprints weren't allowed in games because the bar code scanners didn't work on the reprints.

 Bielema also said students who were enrolled in the spring, but were not students the following fall, were purchasing student tickets. Now, lottery applications will be accepted from June 15-30 and the actual lottery drawing will be held the first week of July.

 Bielema, who meets with student groups on Mondays during the school year, has been careful not to be critical of students who show up late for games. Instead, Bielema has tried to build excitement and enthusiasm among the students in an attempt to get them to want to show up earlier at games.

 "I just know this, our kids feed off the crowd," Bielema said. "Our student section, although I don't condone some of the stuff that is said, I do know it has an effect on our (games).
 
 "As a head coach, I've never walked off that field a loser. Obviously, I think we're a good football team. But we play well in Camp Randall. For that matter, the whole crowd has energy, but when that place is going nuts, it has a huge effect on (our team)."

 Bielema is hoping the changes help make a strong home-field advantage even better.

 "When I go talk to these (student) groups, I say, we probably have one of the best student sections in college football and within the Big Ten -- but it's only true after the (start of the) third quarter, or midway through the second quarter," he said.