Bobby Pope: Traditions help make college football great
The pageantry of college football is second to none. What makes the sport so special are the traditions that are unique to individual institutions throughout the entire country.
Take Auburn for example. Auburn is believed to be the first program to hold “The Walk” -- a Tiger Walk in Auburn’s case -- but it has been adopted by other programs nationwide. Starting in the 1960s, two hours before kickoff for every game, Auburn players walk from Sewell Hall to the football stadium with fans lining Donahue Drive to wish them well.
Also at Auburn there is the pregame “War Eagle flight” during which a live Eagle (Tiger) soars over the field and lands at midfield. And following home game wins, fans roll the famed oak trees at Toomer’s Corner with toilet paper. The original trees were poisoned in 2010 by an irate Alabama fan following Auburn’s win over the Crimson Tide and had to be removed after they died. New ones have been installed and will be ready for the 2016 season.
Mascots figure prominently in tradition. At Colorado, Ralphie, a live buffalo handled by five students, leads the football team onto the field at the beginning of each half. The Oklahoma Sooner Schooner, a Conestoga wagon pulled by two white ponies, Boomer and Sooner, conduct a victory lap when Oklahoma scores.
Georgia Tech is led onto the field for every home game by its “Ramblin’ Wreck,” a 1930 Ford Model A Sports Coupe. Traveler has been celebrating touchdowns at USC since 1961 by galloping around the Los Angeles Coliseum, and Bevo, a live longhorn steer at Texas, Uga, an English bulldog at Georgia, and Smokey, a blue tick coon hound at Tennessee patrol the sidelines at those schools games.
The most dynamic use of a mascot may be at Florida State where a student portraying the famous Seminole Indian leader Osceola charges down the field riding an Appaloosa horse named Renegade and plants a flaming spear at midfield to begin every home game. That tradition started in 1978 during the early coaching days of Bobby Bowden in Tallahassee.
Bands, music and cheers are also major factors in the identity of schools. Since 1936, the Ohio State University Marching Band has spelled out its signature formation, the Script Ohio, on the field before every home game. A sousaphone player usually dots the “I” but celebrities, including Bob Hope, Jack Nicklaus and Woody Hayes have been featured, as well.
The ringing of the Chapel Bell at Georgia following wins started in the 1890s. Tennessee plays “Rocky Top” at least 20 times per game (the opposition thinks it is more like 100). Yell practice is conducted at Texas A&M the night before home games, and on game day, every time the team scores, the Aggies kiss their dates. At Alabama, when a win is certain, Tide fans break out in one of the quirkiest chants ever “Rammer Jammer, Yellow Hammer,” and Arkansas fans might Call the Hogs “Woo, Pig! Sooie!” at any time.
Tradition at LSU has the Tigers wearing white jerseys at home. They must get the approval from the opposition before it is allowed. As you might expect, on several occasions the request has not been granted with Steve Spurrier, while at Florida, turning it down twice.
Beginning in 1967, Clemson football players started rubbing Howard’s Rock for good luck prior to entering the field of play. The Rock, which had been presented to Tigers head coach Frank Howard, came from Death Valley, California (Clemson’s stadium is known as Death Valley). Howard told his players, “If you’re going to give me 110 percent, you can rub that rock. If you’re not, keep your filthy hands off of it.”
In just more than a week all these great traditions begin again, and I can’t wait.
Contact Bobby Pope at bobbypope428@gmail.com
This story was originally published August 24, 2015 at 3:57 PM with the headline "Bobby Pope: Traditions help make college football great ."