With kickoff for the 2026-27 season 80 days away, the clock is ticking before the most distinctive traditions in all of sports are showcased across the country.
The landscape of college football has experienced seismic shifts with the implementation of NIL and the transfer portal, but the traditions each school holds near and dear remain unchanged. In fact, they hold a deeply-rooted foundation that fans, alumni, players and coaches are not letting go of anytime soon.
For those planning trips to some of these electric venues and historical sites this fall, we’ve got you covered with the top 10 traditions in college football:
1. White Out Game – Penn State
Destination No. 1 should be Happy Valley, where Penn State holds the top spot for the best tradition in college football. The origin of the Nittany Lions’ White Out game dates back to 2004, when students were asked to wear white against No. 9 Purdue. Beaver Stadium’s first White Out was held against Notre Dame in 2007. Up until last year’s loss to No. 6 Oregon, Penn State boasted six consecutive wins in one of the most raucous atmospheres in all of sports. A Saturday night White Out game is a nightmare for visiting coaches and an absolute spectacle for everyone else at one of football’s most prestigious landmarks.
2. The Cowbell – Mississippi State
If you’ve got a fever and need a prescription, we’ve got you covered with an elite SEC tradition that strikes fear into opposing teams. Mississippi State’s cowbell origins date back to a home game between the Bulldogs and Ole Miss, when a cow wandered onto the field. The Dawgs won the game and students immediately adopted the cow, before switching the tradition to a cowbell after a few seasons. Despite attempts from opponents to get them banned, the cowbells remain alive and well in Starkvegas.
3. 12th Man – Texas A&M
Bryan-College Station, Texas, is home to Kyle Field, otherwise known as the home of the 12th Man. The Aggies’ tradition comes from a game in 1922 against Centre College, where head coach Dana X. Bible sought help from E. King Gill after the injury bug left him without much of his roster. Gill was in the stands at the time and was not an active member of the team, but the former Aggie basketball player ran under the bleachers, suited up and was on the sidelines in case one of the 11 players on the field needed him as a replacement, earning him the title of the 12th Man. Now, the 12th Man refers to the students who fill the stands and wave their rally towels for Texas A&M.
4. Hawkeye Wave – Iowa
Now, to one of the most wholesome and memorable traditions in all of sports. At the end of the first quarter of every home game at Kinnick Stadium, every fan, player and coach waves to the pediatric patients and their families at UI Stead Family Children’s Hospital. Since 2022, Iowa has selected a Kid Captain for every home game who selects a song to accompany the Hawkeyes. The heart-warming moment provides kids and their families an opportunity to join in on the fun happening down at Kinnick, while also being recognized for their own respective battles.
5. Enter Sandman – Virginia Tech
Seeking electrifying entrances? Look no further than Blacksburg, Virginia, where Metallica’s ‘Enter Sandman’ can be found blaring from the fans at Lane Stadium. It has been a tradition for over a quarter-century, dating back to the arrival of a new scoreboard ahead of the 2000 season.
The sports marketing department searched for songs for a pre-game hype video, just a year after legendary quarterback Michael Vick led the Hokies to the national championship game. After a few years of playing the song over the speakers and the band jumping up and down to try and get warm during a chilly night, the tradition of ‘Enter Sandman’ at Virginia Tech was born.
6. Howard’s Rock – Clemson
Howard’s Rock marks the location where the Clemson Tigers gather before running down The Hill and into battle against visiting foes. The rock was given to former head coach Frank Howard by a friend who picked it up in Death Valley, California. It was put on a pedestal at the top of The Hill in September of 1966, when the Tigers secured a 40-35 win over Virginia. From there, players began to rub the rock before trotting down The Hill as a good luck charm before charging onto the gridiron at Memorial Stadium.
7. Rolling Toomer’s Corner – Auburn
It isn’t difficult to spot Auburn’s tradition. Toomer’s Corner, named after former State Senator “Shel” Toomer, who was a running back for the Tigers in 1892, is where trees are decorated with celebratory toilet paper after an Auburn win. The name of the location comes from Toomer’s Drugs, a drug store that held the city’s only telegraph back in the 1980s. During away games, employees would throw the ticker tape onto the power lines when they received news of a win, hence the toilet paper throwing that exists now. Why toilet paper? Well, that remains up for interpretation — just don’t tell Alabama fans.
8. Sandstorm – South Carolina
If you see white towels being handed out on the premises of Williams-Bryce Stadium, don’t be alarmed. It is just the warning of a sandstorm approaching. “Sandstorm” is an instrumental tune by Finnish DJ and producer Darude that was released in the late 1990s. However, South Carolina adopted it as its new hype song before kickoff, after it was played during a game against Ole Miss in 2009. Chants of “USC” and white towels flying around make for a wild environment in Columbia.
9. Jump Around – Wisconsin
There aren’t many traditions that can make a stadium rock like Wisconsin’s “Jump Around” at Camp Randall Stadium. Dating back to a homecoming football game against Purdue on October 10, 1998. Before the game, injured tight end Ryan Sondrup made a stadium playlist with teammate Erik Waisanen. “Jump Around” got the Badger fans off their feet and into the air against the Boilermakers, who had NFL HOF quarterback Drew Brees at the helm. Since then, the trumpet sounds and bounce tune have remained a tradition in Madison.
10. The Grove – Ole Miss
Looking for eccentric, elegant and rowdy tailgating in the South? Well, Ole Miss is the right place for you. The 10-acre grassy plot in the middle of campus provides the most unique and electric tailgating experience in America. Loud chants of “Hotty Toddy” and “Go Rebs” echo from every tent, as Ole Miss fans and visitors alike pre-game before the big dance in Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Two hours before kickoff, the Rebels make the trek through The Grove via The Walk of Champions, allowing fans to interact with players and get prepared for a rowdy time in one of the SEC’s most hostile environments.
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This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: Ranking the 10 greatest traditions in college football
Reporting by Dylan Flippo, Aggies Wire / Aggies Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Dylan Flippo, Aggies Wire | USA TODAY Network
