Saturdays in Auburn are unlike anything you’ve ever experienced. They’re electric, exciting and filled with thousands of dedicated fans who travel from across the country to watch the Tigers play. The fans that flood Auburn’s campus on weekends during the fall are a unique breed. Their blood isn’t really red; it’s a special blend of orange and blue. They’re the most dedicated group of people, which is why they are continually ranked as some of the best fans in the country.
Because I am a second generation Auburn student, I have grown up with the understanding that every Saturday is a holiday and every Auburn football game in a monumental event. During my freshman year at Auburn, our football team didn’t win a single conference game. However, even during that tortuous season, our campus was still filled with those same thousands of dedicated fans who never once gave up on our team. The trip to the BSC National Championship last year was one of the most exciting and rewarding experiences because I had been with the Tigers through it all.
Auburn Saturdays are different because our fans are special. They observe tradition like it is a sacred ritual, such as always coming out for the Tiger Walk, never missing the eagle flying over the field before a game and still going to Toomer’s Corner after a win to roll anything that can hold toilet paper. It is the conservation of these traditions that make Auburn fans so unique. Just like we are loyal to our traditions, we are even more loyal to our sports.
As a kid, I can remember coming to Auburn games with my family. We would park at my dad’s old fraternity house and then walk to the Tiger Walk decked out in everything from the faux cheerleading uniforms to the tiger tails. These are some memories that I will cherish forever. Although I grew up a member of the Auburn Family, my friends who weren’t affiliated with the school until they came to college feel just as connected to it as I do.
“Prior to coming to Auburn, I had never been to a college football game, but during Auburn’s first home game, I was so excited to jump right in. It never felt like I wasn’t a part of the family even though I had never done it before,” said Meredith Jones who is a current junior at Auburn.
Auburn fans are some of the most hospitable in the country. I have heard countless members of other schools say what a classy, friendly and welcoming group of people the fans at Auburn are. No matter the outcome of the game or who we are playing, Auburn fans are going to be positive about the experience. They are truly just thrilled to be dressed from head to toe in orange and blue and to be cheering on the Tigers.
Being an Auburn fan is a one-of-a-kind experience and one I wouldn’t trade for the world. I am proud to be a part of such a wonderful university and an even stronger family. War Eagle!
