“Go! Fight! Win!” Let’s Hear It For College Football!
November 5th is National American Football Day, so it’s the perfect time to celebrate all the fun and excitement of college football.
For many years, college football was a big part of our lives. It was what we did every Saturday.
When we first moved to Florida from Minnesota, Bob thought we needed to pick a team to support. He decided he was going for the FSU Seminoles. I said I’d pick the UF Gators so we could have a fun rivalry. Ha!
Over the years we developed some pretty strong loyalties to our teams. Bob brainwashed our two boys into doing the chop and that annoying war chant. So when we had our third child, a daughter, I made sure she wore the blue and orange. She could do the chomp when she was just a toddler.
Game day found us dressing in our team colors, preparing a selection of half-time snacks, and making sure the TV was tuned in to the games in time for the pre-game shows. This was back in the late 80’s and the 1990’s, when both teams were hot. There was a strong rivalry between them and it culminated with the last game of the season when they went head-to-head. The winner of that game went on to compete in the national championship six times between 1993 and 2000. Those were exciting days!
It was no surprise that when they grew up and graduated from high school, our oldest son went to FSU, and our daughter went to UF. (Our middle son stayed neutral and chose the University of North Florida.)
While they were attending their respective schools, we started going to the college football games in person. If you’ve never been to one, they can be crazy. The noise level in the stadium is deafening. But it’s a lot of fun–especially if your team is winning.
Looking for something entertaining to do on a Saturday this fall? Try a college football game!
One of my favorite things about attending a college football game is watching all the people. Their level of devotion to the team varies, but most exhibit something that marks them as fans. When we attended a game in Gainesville a couple of weeks ago, I was amazed at the variety of T-shirts and other paraphernalia I saw. Some of it was very (shall we say) amusing!
Another big part of the whole experience is participating in your team’s traditions and rituals. We can’t help but feel a shared Gator pride as we lock arms for “We are the Boys from Old Florida,” or sing along with Gainesville native Tom Petty’s “Won’t Back Down.” Other colleges have their own time-honored customs, things they have done at every game for decades. They add to the uniqueness of each team’s culture. I’ve read that a sense of belonging is a basic human need. When you’re in a stadium with thousands of like-minded fans who are chanting (or chopping, or chomping), there’s a kind of euphoric sense of being part of something big.
Of course, if you’re already into football the competition itself is the attraction. But even if you’re not a sports person it’s still fun to attend. You don’t have to know what a first down or a penalty is to enjoy the game. Whether your team is winning or losing is pretty easy to gauge by the reactions of the crowd.
Be prepared – a college football game is an all-day (or evening) experience. And it can be expensive.
Typically a game lasts around three and a half hours. If you add in the time getting there, parking, walking to the stadium, etc., it can eat up the better part of a day. But considering the price of tickets has gotten pretty exorbitant for some games, that’s kind of compensation for what you’re spending.
If you’re looking for a less costly way to enjoy a good football game, you might try some of the smaller schools near you. We haven’t had a chance to check out the football program at our local college this season, but we very much enjoyed attending a baseball game there.
No matter which one you choose to attend, going to a college football game can be an exhilarating way to spend a Saturday. Be sure to get dressed up in your team colors before you go!