Autumn is a beloved season for its beautiful changing leaves, nice, cool weather, and fun holidays. But for sports fans, it is loved for the sport that it brings: football. Football is watched by millions of Americans every year. Whether that be high school football or NFL, America loves it all. They especially enjoy watching college football. College football gives people a chance to show off their school spirit and delight in everything that comes along with game day. College football kicks off Week 1 this Saturday, August 31, and is looking forward to an exciting 2024 season.
A highlight of the college football season is College Gameday. College Gameday is a live broadcast located at a different college campus every Saturday. Each campus is chosen based on where the most highly anticipated game is held for the week. Front Office Sports stated, “The vast majority of GameDay’s stops are for top Power 5 matchups. Ohio State and Alabama, for example, have each hosted more than 15 times.” As of recent though, the show is expanding to under-the-radar teams, sharing the spotlight with them. Last year, the team appeared in Harrisonburg, VA to feature the contest between Appalachian State and James Madison University. These are not the schools that most likely come to your mind when you think of strong football teams, yet they were still featured on the show. Something else that makes College Gameday so special, is the atmosphere it creates. Right behind the broadcast’s stage, is “the pit”. This is where the fans flock to get their chance of being on National Television. And let us just say, they go all out! The pit is notorious for its crazy signs that the fans produce, the outfits the fans wear, and the school spirit they all have.
After College Gameday is all said and done, the real excitement begins! The fans pack into the stadiums while others tune in on T.V., ready to watch their favorite schools compete. But before the game officially starts, many schools have some very notable pregame rituals. One of these classic traditions is the touching of Howard Rock at Clemson University. According to BestColleges.com, “Perched atop a pedestal at Memorial Stadium’s east end zone sits Howard’s Rock. For almost 60 years, Clemson players have rubbed the rock before emerging en masse onto the field, ready to thrash their opponents.” To Clemson, this ritual brings them good luck and the fans are ecstatic for it. It is certainly a tradition that has lasted a long time and is sure to continue on for many years to come. Another special tradition of college football pregame is the Virginia Tech Hokies’ famous Enter Sandman entrance. The Hokies’ entrance is known for getting the stadium crazy loud. As the game prepares to begin, the team runs out to Metallica’s song, Enter Sandman. Right as the first note sounds, everybody starts jumping! The feeling is contagious and you can not help but get excited when you are around Lane Stadium on game day.
Every week of the college football season, there are many exciting games to watch. This week, College Gameday is going to be held at Texas A&M University. The No. 20 ranked Aggies take on the No. 7 Notre Dame Fighting Irish at 7:30 P.M. This game is highly anticipated to kick off the season because most highly ranked teams start the season with a rather soft schedule. This match-up, however, consists of two nationally ranked top 20 teams. Even though Notre Dame is ranked significantly higher, Kyle Field, located in College Station Texas, is a difficult place to compete. This is because of “The 12th Man”. According to Tamu.edu, “The 12th Man” consists of, “an average of 38,000 student attendees.” These students are known as “The 12th Man” because they help the team out in a way that any 12th man would: with their extremely loud enthusiasm and ability to distract other teams. This is definitely going to be a tough task for the Fighting Irish, led by transfer quarterback, Riley Leonard. Leonard transferred from Duke University where he led the Blue Devils to an 8-5 overall record last season. With his past experiences, he should be up to the task of heading into College Station on Saturday, to face “The 12th Man.”
College football brings a lot of anticipation, excitement, and fun. Game day is a fun-filled day packed with many ways for you to show your school spirit. Be sure to watch your favorite teams compete this season, and be a part of, yet again, another college football season.
From the sidelines to the headlines, this is Lauren, signing out.
