Sticking close to home has numerous advantages in most any college sport, from the familiarity of the surroundings, the support of sympathetic fans, and the ease with which class assignments and attendance can be addressed. This is usually rendered in simplest terms, as in getting to sleep in one’s own bed.
(Staying at home usually is advantageous for pros too, although familiarity may breed uncomfortable contempt where booing and other forms of derision are part of the culture for a chronically win-deficient franchise.)
Home fans obviously buoy the spirits of their favorites, which in some locales can be worth several points in the final score.