I really can’t believe Tennessee and Rocky Top didn’t make the list. I have been to a home game of most of the major schools in the SEC and ACC, and I always thought epitomize CFB (disclaimer, I really dislike UT).
I am sure everyone is partial to their schools tradition, but what are some of the ones that you like that aren’t necessarily your favorite school? Maybe some funny stories?
A couple of anecdotes:
I remember watching the Georgia/Auburn game after Auburn scored a TD right in front of UGA and UGA tried to attack the Auburn player. Luckily for the Auburn player, UGA was on a leash.
When I was freshman at Ga Tech in 1979, there was a tradition that the freshman (called “Rats”) were on the field when the football team entered the stadium against Auburn. As the football team was storming on the field, the Auburn Tiger Mascot (live guy in Tiger Suit) got to close to the rats, the upperclassman started to yell (in unison) “RATS GET THE TAIL” “RATS GET THE TAIL” “RATS GET THE TAIL”. Well one of the freshman chased down the mascot and yanked his tail and IIRC, it led to a wardrobe malfunction.
I’m surprised Auburn is so high, but it’s probably since they just came off a national title and are in the news more.
My alma mater Nebraska doesn’t really have an old tradition. The balloons get released after the first TD, but this has been toned down significantly due to environmental reasons. They used to have nets on both sides of field filled with balloons.
“Every game sold out since 1962” and “Third largest city in Nebraska” is pretty unique, but hardly a top-ten style tradition. The closest thing would be the Tunnel Walk, which does get very goose-bumpy as the team runs out. But that’s only been around since the jumbo-trons got added in 1994.
One “cool thing” is our fans applaud the opposing team as they leave the field. Whether you’re Akron who lost 50-0 or Texas who just beat us. Bobby Bowden always speaks fondly of the crowds’ applause after they beat us in Lincoln the 80s. I think our new Big Ten teams will enjoy the classy fans* at Memorial Stadium.
The cynical part of me: Our fans are so classy due to our 300+ sellout streak. Most fans are older season-ticket holders who have not given them up in decades. Less young and rowdy fans in the stands. The student sections are tucked in corners. On the flip side, some NU players have complained that our fans don’t generate enough crowd noise, compared to places like A&M and Washington.
That’s because a full half of Kyle Field is reserved for students, although I think when it’s time to make noise, the alumni are just as loud in my experience. I’ve been half-deaf after games many times on either side of the field.
Yell practice is one of their big great traditions? Basically a bunch of freshmen and corps turds go, get drunk and have a pep rally in the stadium at midnight. It’s a venerable old tradition, but really, the 12th man standing-all-game one is cooler, IMO.
The leprechaun is the opposite of a sex offender - creepers have creeper mustaches. The leprechaun has a chin-strap beard that doesn’t touch the upper lip.
As an ND alum, I’m honestly surprised to see the alma mater on the list. It’s a (really cool, school spirit building) post-game activity that has zero effect on the game (not that any of the others really do, but…). If I were to make the list, I’d have kept it to traditions that either lead up to the game, or are in-game activities. Outside of the series of songs/cheers/chants the band leads after taking the field, my favorite in-game ND tradition is the 1812 Overture. But it’s no Rocky Top.
The players are right. The student sections should dominate a college football game. Having the stands filled with long time (old) season ticket holders while the students are relegated to the corners is lame. Screw classy, it’s a college football game.
Tell that to the alumni that are shelling out the big bucks for prime seats.
Some of the basketball programs have figured out that you give the court-side seats, which have a pretty bad viewing angle, to the student. Then a few rows up you give the prime seats with good viewing angles to the rich, supporting alumni.
It’s a delicate balance between making the home field/court a hostile place for the visiting team and wringing the most revenue you can out of the ones that are willing to pay.
for the record, i really like the Nebraska tradition of clapping for the opponents and i’m a UVa grad. we sing our song (to the tune of auld lang syne) after ever score. however to declass it up, there’s a line in the song “where all is bright and gay” and inevitably there’s a bunch of people who yell “not gay” afterwards which i fine to be unreasonably offensive.
