With the college football season set to kick off in just a few short weeks, there will soon be plenty of on-field matters to discuss regarding your favorite school’s team.
But we’ll get to that in due course. For now, let’s turn our attention to a subject that always fuels debate, like which programs have the best traditions.
Of course, we can state unequivocally that these rankings will receive nothing but whole-hearted agreement from across the country, and that there will be absolutely zero complaints or disputes about any opinions expressed herein. That will be especially true in the first league we’ll cover, the SEC, where football fans never argue about anything.
OK, all kidding aside, these tiers are not intended as a way of choosing one fan base or a particular school’s traditions over another’s. So don’t read your team’s placement as an affront. Well, unless you’re Vanderbilt.
Tier 1 – Pregame preparations
Every school’s fans have their specific rituals to gear up for game time. Some are more iconic and identifiable with a particular program than others.
Alabama
The Walk of Champions – It’s a brief opportunity for the Crimson Tide players to interact with their supporters as they debark from their team bus upon arrival at Bryant-Denny Stadium. The short pregame greeting also serves as a reminder of just how the Tuscaloosa community is wedded to the success of the Crimson Tide.
Texas A&M
The Midnight Yell – Nothing like a group primal scream at the witching hour before a football Saturday to fire up the faithful in College Station. Actually, there’s a little more to it than that. The yell leaders, elected by the Aggies’ student body, lead the band and fans in what amounts to a late-night pep rally at Kyle Field. No worries though – the kids always seem to have plenty of energy left for Saturday.
Tennessee
The Vol Navy – There’s tailgating at nearly every stadium, of course, but there aren’t many where it is commonplace to arrive by boat. Neyland Stadium’s location near the bank of the Tennessee River creates one of the sport’s more unique pregame atmospheres.
Mississippi
The Grove – But when it comes to tailgating in style, the Grove in Oxford is a southern tradition wrapped in old world charm. But make no mistake – the fancy dress and formal tableware does not mean the tents aren’t festive.
South Carolina
Sandstorm – If you don’t recognize the title of this electronic instrumental by Finish deejay Darude, you’ve undoubtedly heard it blasted over the speakers at just about any game you may have attended. It is most closely associated with the Gamecocks’ program, made popular when Steve Spurrier helped fire up the crowd to this tune.
Tier 2 – Mascot participation/entrances
Every school has a mascot, of course, but some are more readily identified with their institution than others. We also admit to being somewhat partial to the live ones.
Georgia
Uga – Sure, there are lots of bulldogs out there. But Uga never fails to ignite the Georgia faithful between the hedges when he leads the team on to the field.
Auburn
War Eagle – It’s a chant and not the school’s nickname, but when the cheer is augmented by the pregame arrival of a genuine eagle swooping over Jordan-Hare Stadium, things understandably get noisy on the plains. The current bird, War Eagle VIII, is a resident of the Auburn Raptor Center.
LSU
Mike – Mike the Tiger no longer rides to LSU games in a trailer cage, but fans can still go see him. Mike VII has a habitat not far from the stadium, and his social media team makes sure he always has a game day message to get Tiger fans hyped up – not that they especially need extra motivation.
Missouri
Truman’s Taxi – Truman, Mizzou’s tiger mascot, is not an actual feline, but he nevertheless has a nice ride. He generally arrives at home games in a vintage firetruck.
Tier 3 – Fan trademarks
Whether it’s a certain gesture, a signature cheer, or a particular method of creating noise, these items are inseparable from the fan base that made them famous – or infamous.
Florida
The Gator Chomp – The chomp is the most readily identifiable visual show of allegiance in the conference, at least until Texas arrives with its flashing horns. The denizens of the Swamp have perhaps been a bit less vociferous since being overtaken by the hated Georgia Bulldogs of late, but the chomp remains.
Arkansas
Hog Call – You almost certainly have to be a native-born Razorback to do it justice, but you’ll definitely recognize the “Woooo pig sooie!” incantation when you hear it. It’s given with a bit more fervor when the Razorbacks are good, which they have been since Sam Pittman took charge.
Mississippi State
Cowbells – If you’re flipping channels on a college football Saturday and happen upon a home game in Starkville, the metallic din of thousands of cowbells in the stands is unmistakable. You might want to wear earplugs if you attend a Bulldogs’ home contest in person.
Tier 4 – When does basketball/baseball season start?
Kentucky
We do have football, darn it – Mark Stoops doesn’t want to hear this, especially when John Calipari says it, but there’s no getting around the fact that UK is historically more associated with another sport. The program has enjoyed a recent run of winning campaigns on the gridiron, but when your university’s athletic department has to implore fans to create new football game-day traditions, it clearly isn’t a priority.
Vanderbilt
Anchor Down – We totally understand. Keeping up with the conference’s powerhouse programs is tough for the SEC’s smallest school. Kudos to the Commodores for carving out a niche for its baseball program that has claimed two national titles in recent years, but when your best-known football tradition is the unintentionally ironic act of planting an anchor at midfield, it doesn’t instill confidence that the program is on the rise.
