Every State’s Most Popular and Unique College Football Tradition

What is more American than college football season? Not many things, that's what. Even in states where sports aren't super important, some fans come out to home games and even travel across states to cheer for their university's team.

College football games are more exciting than you'd think. Maybe it's the break from homework and classes or the elaborate marching band sets and chants, but something makes everyone buzz with excitement.

Each school, though, has its own traditions. Some are more unique than others. Ready to learn about them? For this slideshow, 24/7 Tempo consulted local news sources, Reddit forums filled with college students, and official university websites to find interesting college football traditions. Keep in mind that we didn't include all of them or mention each school per state.

College football is life in Alabama. You'll struggle finding someone in this football-obsessed state who doesn't watch college football. Because of this, there are some strange, but interesting traditions, like Alabama Crimson Tide tailgating and the "Roll, Tide! Roll!" chant/saying. Another favorite college football game day tradition in Alabama is the Elephant Stomp tradition, which is an energetic band performance and cheers.

While Alaska is on this list, it's a formality. Alaska is the only state in the U.S. without an NCAA Division I football program. Alaska has hosted college football games, such as the short-lived Alaska Ice Bowl (1949–1952), but has never fielded its own NCAA Division I football team

There are a lot of traditions in Arizona during college football season that vary by team. Arizona State University football fans shake their keys during every kickoff as part of a tradition. Also, when the Sun Devils score a touchdown, Sparky, the mascot, does one push-up for every point on the scoreboard while the crowd counts. The University of Arizona also has football traditions, including the Wildcat Walk.

Do we have any Arkansas Razorbacks football fans? If yes, you probably know these traditions already. Probably the most popular one is the Hog Call and the university's live mascot, a Russian boar.

Next is California, which has some of the most unique traditions. Have you ever heard of Cal's card-section tradition at the University of California, Berkeley? It's been around since 1914. During this tradition, each seat in the Cal student section has a card. When the cards are lifted and flipped, they reveal a message or image.

Colorado is also home to some strange but cool college football traditions. One of these is Ralphie's Run. To open the game, a bison runs across the field. This has been part of the college's tradition since about 1967. There have been six bison to run across the field as a live mascot, something not as common anymore.

The University of Connecticut has quite a few exciting football traditions. One that students never miss is the tailgate at Rentschler Field. It's a huge party where everyone comes together in the name of college football. Also, every time UConn scores, they ring the Victory Bell. The college is also one of the few with a live mascot, Jonathan the Husky.

The University of Delaware takes its college football games seriously. Before big games, the air around the school is different. Everyone wears blue and gold during these days. With each score, the Victory Bell is rung. You can also purchase the experience to ring the bell. Would you do it?

Floridians are also huge college football fans, almost always cheering for the Florida Gators. Some traditions the University of Florida does during college football games are wearing orange and blue, humming the fight song, and doing the "gator chomp."

Georgia isn't too far from Florida and also has a major love of college football. During a Bulldog victory, the chapel bell is rung. This team is also known for their saying, "How 'Bout Them Dogs." Another phrase nationally recognized as the UG football team is "Between the Hedges," as the five-foot-tall hedges surround the field of play. Can you guess what the mascot is of the Bulldogs? Well, it's a live Bulldog of course, and their name is Uga.

While Florida and Georgia are known for being football-loving states, Hawaii doesn't have the same love. Games are relaxed, and people on Reddit state it's common to come and go whenever you please. The University of Hawaii does have a few superstitions, one being that rainbows are lucky winning days. The team sometimes also performs ha'a, an island warrior dance.

The University of Idaho has fun before game days. They have all sorts of tailgating and pre-game traditions, including Homecoming, where students form a bonfire. Students also participate in something called the Serpentine. This is an event where students snake through the town or school, picking up others to bring to the fun activity.

The University of Illinois is another college with a tradition of shaking your keys during a game. The reason for this is unknown, although some rumors speculate it's to disrespect the other team, as you are telling them to act like a valet and take their car. Card stunts are also common.

Indiana college football fans have plenty of traditions. One of these at Indiana University is to use cream and crimson colored clothing during games. Before a football game, players also touch Hep's Rock, a memorial piece to Terry Hoeppner.

One of the best and most exciting college football traditions in the country is the Hawkeye Wave at the University of Iowa. At the end of the first quarter, thousands of football fans wave to the UI Stead Family Children's Hospital as a sign of hope. They wave to the families and patients in the hospital. It's a newer tradition, starting in 2017, but a popular one.

The Kansas Jayhawks are the college football team most known within Kansas. They've got a long list of traditions and legends. One of these is called 'Waving the Wheat.' During this tradition, fans wave their arms and bodies like they are golden wheat swaying in the Kansas wind. It's done when the team scores a touchdown. This same tradition is used in basketball.

In Kentucky, college football is also life. It's huge in this state, so there are plenty of traditions to choose from. A few from the University of Kentucky include the "Go Big Blue" chant, the C-A-T-S spell out, and the Wildcat pushups each time a point is scored.

College football season in Louisiana is a blast. There are so many games and traditions to attend and enjoy, like the University of Louisiana at Monroe Warhawks, who use an air raid siren sound during their game. Louisiana State University fans like to party and tailgate. As many as 90,000 fans come to the Baton Rouge campus before games.

While football is loved across the U.S., it isn't as big in Maine. Still, there are some traditions that the University of Maine fans follow. The biggest is wearing the colors Maine blue, white, and navy to games.

The University of Maryland has quite a few college football traditions that players and fans follow in hopes of gaining a win. Right before a game, people rub the nose of the bronze Testudo statue outside McKeldin. Also, during both basketball and football games, students drop down two giant pieces of the Maryland state flag from the stands.

The college football traditions surrounding Massachusetts are tame, but still fun. For instance, for the UMass Minutemen football team, tailgating and Homecoming are two of the biggest events where thousands of college football fans get together to celebrate.

Michigan loves college football, and you can see it in the way fans celebrate the season. A few traditions around the Michigan Wolverines include a Percussion Step Show in front of Revelli Hall and a marching band parade to the stadium right before the start of the game. Interestingly, another tradition, although a newer one, is singing along to “Mr. Brightside” at the end of the third quarter.

An exciting way to celebrate college football season in Minnesota is to root for the Golden Gophers by wearing maroon and gold. Another tradition is to yell the Minnesota phrase, Ski-U-Mah, after a win and during the game. This unique saying dates back to 1884.

Next is Mississippi and the Mississippi State University's Bulldogs. One of the biggest traditions is the mascot, an American Kennel Club-registered English Bulldog. The live pup is in every game, not just on the football field. Another tradition is to ring cowbells during games.

Fans of the University of Missouri's football teams go wild during games. One of the traditions of this team is the Tiger Walk, where football players, two hours before the game, walk across the Pedestrian Bridge and down the South tunnel to their locker room. The Tiger Walk can also refer to when freshman start their journey at the University of Missouri by walking through the Columns toward Jesse Hall.

What traditions can you expect while attending a University of Montana football game? One is passing the #37 football jersey to a younger player who hailed from the state of Montana.

The University of Nebraska–Lincoln's football team has one of the funnest names, the Nebraska Cornhuskers. They are a popular team with a long list of traditions and events surrounding their games. The games start with the iconic Tunnel Walk. Just before this, fans yell the Husker Power chant.

The Nevada Wolf Pack football team is exciting to watch in person. Fans, during games, chant powerful songs and chants. These include the Nevada Fight Song and the Law of the Jungle. Also, during the season, students and football supporters hike up the hill to repaint the 'N' on the side of Peavine Peak.

Ice hockey is huge in New Hampshire, although there are college football fans. For college football, fans wear blue and white and even paint their faces with the university's symbols to support the team (University of New Hampshire).

Rutgers University in New Jersey has a lot of college football traditions. A big one is when the Scarlet Knights touch the statue for good luck before starting the game during the Scarlet Walk (their entrance). Apart from this, after every score, the school's cannon is fired. How cool!

The New Mexico Lobos football team is old, dating back to around 1892. Understandably, this means that the school and team have a lot of traditions. A few of these are the Lobo mascot, which has been a symbol since 1920, the UNM fight Song written in 1930, and wearing bright cherry red and silver to games.

The Syracuse Orange football team represents Syracuse University in New York and is one of the biggest college football teams in the state. Although college football isn't insanely huge in New York, it's large enough to garner traditions. One of the more loved traditions is the grand entrance of Otto the Orange, the school's athletic mascot. How many schools have a fruit as a mascot?

What can you expect on game day at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC)? The short answer is a good time. The long answer includes a video with the “…and I’m a Tar Heel” phrase and past Carolina greats, the Victory Walk, and the Alma Mater.

The North Dakota State Bison football team is loved at North Dakota State University. Many of the traditions in this school aren't anything out of the ordinary, but fun nonetheless, like wearing the school colors (green and yellow) and chanting/singing the NDSU School Songs.

The Ohio State University has one of the most well-known college football teams in the country, the Ohio State Buckeyes. Some of the traditions surrounding the Ohio State football team are placing Buckeye Leaves on the Ohio State helmets and ringing the Victory Bell after each win.

Also on our list are the traditions of the Oklahoma Sooners football team, one of the bigger college football teams in the U.S., with over 900 games won. The most popular tradition is the Sooner Schooner, led by a pair of white Shetland ponies and a replica of a Conestoga wagon. The games start with the presence of the Sooner Schooner. Also, the wagon is drawn out every time the team scores a point.

The University of Oregon's football traditions are a blast. The week leading up to the first game is full of events and activities, including a pep rally. What fans really love about the games, though, is the lively Oregon Duck mascot who rides in on a motorcycle.

Have you ever wanted to throw toast? Well, maybe attend a University of Pennsylvania home game. During the university's home games, in the third quarter, the band plays a song that ends with the line "Here's a toast to dear old Penn." At the end of this line, students and fans throw slices of toast onto the field. Fun and messy.

Rhode Island college football fans are like everybody else. They love parties, chants, tailgating, and Homecoming. Another tradition they have is the Rhode Island–UConn football rivalry, which dates back to the 1890s.

The South Carolina Gamecocks football team is incredible to watch in person. An important part of the game is the team's alma mater and fight song, "The Fighting Gamecocks Lead the Way." Another is the "2001" Entrance, which started in 1983. Honestly, we could sit here and list all of the traditions, but we'd be here for a long time. Still, an honorable mention is the "Sandstorm" song by Darude that is played before the game starts and when the Gamecocks are kicking the ball to the opposing team after a score. Fans then twirl a white towel above their heads.

Following South Carolina is the South Dakota Coyotes football team, known for their vibrant fight song. They are also known for their mascot, Charlie Coyote. Although now a costume, Charlie Coyote used to be a real live coyote. The mascot was introduced in 1965 as Snoopy and has evolved from a live coyote to a costumed character.

The Tennessee Volunteers football is huge in Tennessee. They are a team that represents the University of Tennessee (UT). A few traditions associated with this team are wearing orange and white during games, the famous orange and white checkerboard end zones, and the marching band "T" where the players run through.

The Texas Longhorns football team is one of the biggest college football teams in the U.S., which makes sense as Texas is big on football. Because of this, the traditions are amazing. Seeing a Texas Longhorn football game is worth it. A few traditions associated with the Texas Longhorns are the live mascot, Bevo, who makes an appearance during games, wearing burnt orange and white, and the iconic Hook ’em Horns hand symbol.

Utah also takes college football seriously, which is why they have so many traditions and superstitions surrounding games. These include Flashing the U, a hang symbol that looks like the letter U, and lighting the U in front of the MUSS (Mighty Utah Student Section) after football wins.

Want to know how to celebrate and enjoy a Middlebury College football game? Some traditions to consider are wearing the team colors and doing the chants. There isn't much known about traditions, as Vermont isn't a huge college football state.

Virginia is also not a state known for their love and attention to college football, but there are a few traditions. During the Virginia Cavaliers football games, fans wear the official colors (orange and blue) and chant/sing “The Good Old Song.”

Football at Washington State University has a long history. The first Washington State Cougars football team emerged in 1894, although it was known as the 1894 Washington Agricultural football team. It's since grown a lot and gained some cool traditions like flying the Ol' Crimson flag and the school's mascot, Butch T. Cougar.

The college football season is a beloved time in West Virginia. Fans love watching West Virginia Mountaineers football games, partaking in traditions like singing the school's theme song, "Take Me Home, Country Roads," and the Mountaineer mascot, who fires his musket during the team's entrance.

Sports are big in Wisconsin, especially college football. An example of this is how people love attending Wisconsin Badgers football games. Traditions associated with this team are red shirts, breakfast at Mickies Dairy Bar, participating in the 'wave', and Jump Around.”

Lastly, there is Wyoming, with the Wyoming Cowboys football team. A few traditions include rivalries with Colorado State Rams, Utah State, and the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors football. Home game traditions, or just traditions for fans, are wearing brown and gold and singing the fight song.