The cool autumn air, the changing color of leaves, the smell of meat charring on an open flame, the smell of beer… Lots of beer. It’s the most wonderful time of the year, also known as college football season.
College ball has changed quite a bit in recent years. Between playoffs, playing players, transfer portals, paying players to enter said transfer portal during said playoffs, there are still some amazing traditions. From the marching bands and the live mascots to the cheerleaders, student sections, uniforms, and helmets, college football is steeped in tradition, pageantry, and lore.
We decided to take a look at some of the best and worst traditions. No, this isn’t a top ten or bottom ten, just some observations on the good, the bad, and the weird things that institutions of higher education will do to put on a good football game.
The Good: The Army-Navy “March On“
It’s the last regular-season game of the year, and the one with the most tradition. Army-Navy is always a bitter matchup, regardless of the teams’ records. Every school would love to have traveling student sections. But Army and Navy bring their entire student body to the neutral site games and then march on to the field to show us (and each other) who’s boss.
Bad: Go Blue Banner
Look, Michigan has a lot going for it. The all-time wins record. The biggest stadium. The famous winged helmets. How the program was able to get caught cheating and keep their National Championship title. But the Go Blue Banner is just dumb. “Guys, watch! The team will run onto the field and jump and touch a banner!”
What else happens? Well, nothing. They talk to the sideline and wait for the coin toss. For all the grand entrances in College Football, this is the most overrated… except when the opposing team tries to rip down the banner.
Bad… Ass: Florida State’s Flaming Spear
We can talk about American Indian mascots all day. But Florida State, after years of playing to stereotypes, reached out to the Seminole Tribe of Florida about representing them at home games. Gone are the days of a mascot as cheerleader; it would soon become a symbol. And what a symbol.
Every Florida State home game begins with Chief Osceola riding in on his horse, Renegade, while carrying a flaming spear and getting the crowd riled up. Osceola then plants the flaming weapon on midfield, an intimidating start to any game.
Weird: Texas A&M Aggie Yell Leaders
Let’s be honest. Texas A&M is a cult. And not one of those cults you feel sorry for, like Heaven’s Gate. The school has about a million different ways to get fans involved in building their legend of the 12th Man, from nonsensical chants to lots of swaying. But the weirdest are the “Aggie Yell Leaders.”
It’s crazy how people can have a meltdown when their school has one male cheerleader. But what’s crazier is when your school has only male cheerleaders who seem to be the worst cheerleaders on the planet. You want to think it’s a joke, but this is just normal Aggie cult behavior. Don’t believe me? Watch this.
Sublime: Dixieland Delight
A song sung by a band called Alabama about the state of Tennessee, while screaming F*** Tennessee? Welcome to the SEC. Bama is known for its excellence on the field, but you have to admit that the entire stadium singing “Dixieland Delight” will give you chills.
Of course, the Bama faithful have added plenty of extra lyrics to make the song even more their own, and it works well. If you want to know what college ball is all about, go to Tuscaloosa just to hear that song in that stadium sung by that crowd.
Adrenaline Pumping: Enter Sandman
Look, every school tries its best to make a great entrance. They try smoke, fireworks, tunnels, flags, and music. But the one that really gets your blood pumping is Virginia Tech walking into “Enter Sandman” by Metallica. Are they the first sports team to use that song? No. But, while the name “Hokies” might not strike fear into your heart, VA Tech’s entrance will get your blood pumping.
Jaw Dropping: “White Out” Penn State
Plenty of schools can get their crowds to color-match. You will see Ohio State wearing all scarlet, Tennessee having an orange and white checkerboard, and Ole Miss having alternating blue and red stripes—all of these pale in comparison to Penn State’s White Out.
Happy Valley’s behemoth Beaver Stadium turns into a screaming, jumping, chaos pit that will wow any spectator. If you have to take in one game in your lifetime, make it a White Out at Penn State.
Not as Cool as it Used to Be: “Jump Around“
Any ’90s kid can tell you a story of jumping around to “Jump Around” at a house party. Wisconsin took it a step further and brought the house party to Camp Randall Stadium. What made the tradition great was that the school was concerned that too much jumping around could potentially be dangerous to the stadium’s structural integrity. But as the years pass, the coolness factor has faded, and now even opposing teams join in the fun.
Pointless: Clemson Bus Trip
Look, when Clemson takes the field at Death Valley, it’s impressive. Running down the Hill, Howard’s Rock, the balloons, “Tiger Rag” playing, it’s a remarkable sight. But Clemson’s locker rooms are on the other side of the stadium. So, instead of walking there, the team gets on a bus.
That’s right. The team leaves the stadium. Gets onto buses in full gear and takes a police escort… to the other side of the stadium. They are athletes; they could just walk, and it would be faster, but then you wouldn’t have a police escort and flashing lights. It’s almost as if Clemson said, We know it’s dumb, but let’s pretend it is an amazing tradition.
New Tradition that Needs to End: Spooky Rocky Top
When you think of amazing college fight songs, you think of “Rocky Top.” The bluegrass song has been a staple of the Pride of the Southland Band for years, and Tennessee fans will sing it at the top of their voices, yell and all. It’s great! But for some reason, Tennessee decided during key moments of the game to play a “spooky” version of the song. It’s spooky… but in the wrong way.
Instead of feeling like you are in a challenging road game environment, the remix makes you feel like you are in the movie “Deliverance.” I have no idea why anyone in Tennessee would think it’s intimidating, unless you want people to think Knoxville is a real-life version of “Deliverance.”
New Tradition That Needs to Stay: Kinnick Wave
In 2017, the University of Iowa Children’s Hospital opened next to Kinnick Stadium. At the top of the hospital is a lounge where children and their families can see into the stadium and enjoy college football, even under the toughest circumstances. What came next wasn’t the brainchild of the athletic department or a PR team, but an organic idea from the fans. Iowa fans started turning on their cell phone flashlights and waving at the kids in the hospital.
It’s a wonderful moment and reminds you of what is most precious in life. The tradition is so beloved that everyone does it, from the opposing team to the referees.