Sometimes, there is no place like home.

ULM is one of only six Division I football programs that has its players stay in dorms the night before a home game.

Athletes from the other colleges stay in hotels the night before a game, but teams like the Warhawks choose to stay on campus in order to save money. ULM head football coach Todd Berry considers the practice as a win-win.

“I have always felt that it is better to sleep in one’s own bed and be in comfortable surroundings,” Berry said. “If you can also save money in the process then two positives come out of it.”

Staying in a hotel for each home game in a season can be very costly to some teams. The University of Iowa alone spent an average of $17,189 per night to house its football team in according to the Des Moines Sunday Register.

After a proposal from the Division 1-A Athletic Directors Association suggested eliminating hotel stays in 2009, some coaches voiced their opposition to the measure including Nebraska head coach Bo Pelini in an interview with the Associated Press.

“You’re just opening yourself up to problems, things happening,” Pelini said. “There are so many things that happen the night before the game. … It’s nice to have them in one place. Keep them out of the distractions. Kids will be kids.”

For this reason, many teams still continue the practice to prevent distractions and anything else that could hurt their performance on the field. Coach Berry views the issue differently.

“I think that the distractions are minimal and are more pronounced when you are at a hotel,” Berry said. “The players seem to like it since we are undefeated at home.”

The Warhawks have not lost at Malone Stadium this season and will look to continue that streak on Saturday. They will play the North Texas Mean Green at home, but only after a good night’s sleep in their own bed first.