Even when you’re in high school, football games are important. You have pep rallies, spirit week, homecoming and bands. Friday nights roll around and everyone is pumped.
Friday evening before school lets out, the entire school gathers in the gym to get the team, students and faculty pumped for the game later that night.
When Friday night finally rolls around, the stadium lights buzz, the fans gather in the stadium, the cheerleaders gather on the field, and if you’re from a small town, almost everyone is there. Do you remember the excitement of Friday nights in high school? Do you remember the anticipation of 7 p.m. to roll around?
Friday nights weren’t just for football players and cheerleaders, it was for celebrating your school, seeing your friends and cheering for your team.
Fall back to that moment. Now imagine that times 10. College football isn’t just for a town. It isn’t just for the students and alumni. College football is for the state. College football is for the dad’s that grew up yelling "Roll Tide!" and are now teaching their children. College football isn’t just a Friday night, college football is, well, at this moment, some people would say a lifestyle. Some would say it is just a Saturday night. Some people would argue that it isn’t as important. But, to me, it is so much more.
College football is when you wait all year for the season to start. College football is waiting all week for Saturday to roll around just so you can cheer on your team, in the stands or even at home. College football is being excited the first time you get to see them play and it’s not on TV. College football is a bonding experience. College football is dad looking at his son hoping he will share his love for this sport. A mom looking at her daughter, hoping that she will one day love to cook out on Saturdays.
College football isn’t just for the football players, band members, or even the cheerleaders. It’s for the fans that are tailgating, the fans that have their lucky shirt on, the fans that stick by their chosen team’s side thru wins and losses. College football is so much more than a sport. College football is cherished more in Alabama, than any other state. We fight over sides. We get into arguments over games, wins, and losses. We are enemies during football season. But in the end we all love each other and love the thrill of the game.
