College football Quiz: Test Your Knowledge

The University of Iowa’s Kinnick Stadium is situated immediately adjacent to the Stead Family Children’s Hospital. Established in 2017, the Hawkeye Wave occurs at the end of the first quarter of every home football game. Fans, players, and officials turn to wave at pediatric patients watching from the hospital windows. This tradition is recognized for its significant impact on community morale and local pride.

The University of Notre Dame football team established this ritual in 1986 under head coach Lou Holtz. Located in the stairwell of Notre Dame Stadium, the sign serves as a motivational landmark for players entering the field. Athletes tap the painted board to inspire peak performance. While other programs use similar slogans, this specific tradition remains a hallmark of the Fighting Irish athletic identity and historical legacy.

Traveler is the official mascot of the University of Southern California Trojans. Appearing first in 1961, the white horse is ridden by a Trojan warrior clad in leather armor and a plumed helmet. This tradition involves the horse galloping across the field at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum whenever USC scores. The current horse is Traveler IX, continuing a longstanding collegiate legacy.

Virginia Tech began playing the song Enter Sandman during football entrances at Lane Stadium in August 2000. This tradition involves over sixty thousand fans jumping in unison, creating a powerful rhythmic vibration. The collective movement is frequently recorded by nearby seismographs as minor earthquake activity. This display has established the university as having one of the most energetic and intimidating home environments in college sports.

The Red River Rivalry is a college football game played annually since 1900. It takes its name from the Red River, which forms part of the border between Texas and Oklahoma. Since 1929, it has occurred at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas during the State Fair of Texas. The stadium is split equally between fans of the Texas Longhorns and Oklahoma Sooners at the fifty yard line.

Auburn University fans use War Eagle as a signature greeting and battle cry during athletic events. Although the official athletic nickname is the Tigers, the eagle tradition began in 1892 during a football game against Georgia. Legend suggests a veteran brought a rescued eagle that circled the field as the team scored. Today, a live golden eagle flies over the stadium before kickoff.

Mike the Tiger is the official live mascot for Louisiana State University. This tradition began in 1936 when the first tiger was purchased with student funds. Currently, Mike VII, a Siberian-Bengal tiger, lives in a fifteen thousand square foot habitat located adjacent to Tiger Stadium. The LSU School of Veterinary Medicine oversees his comprehensive daily care and health monitoring to ensure the animal remains in optimal health.

The University of Georgia football team plays home games at Sanford Stadium in Athens. This venue is known for the English privet hedges that have lined the field since its opening in 1929. The phrase Between the Hedges describes the unique stadium atmosphere and historical landscape. Named after Steadman Vincent Sanford, the stadium currently ranks as one of the largest on-campus collegiate facilities in the country.

Johnny Manziel earned the nickname Johnny Football while playing for Texas A&M University. In 2012, he made history as the first freshman to win the Heisman Trophy, an award given to the most outstanding player in college football. Throughout that season, he broke multiple conference records for total offensive production. Manziel later joined the Cleveland Browns, though his professional career was relatively brief.

Boise State University installed its distinctive blue artificial turf in 1986, becoming the first non-green playing surface in college football history. Officially known as Lyle Smith Field, the stadium surface is often called The Blue by fans and media. The school holds a trademark on all non-green fields, requiring other programs to seek permission before installing their own colorful synthetic turf surfaces.

The stadium earned its famous nickname in 1992 when former head coach Steve Spurrier noted that a swamp is where Gators live. This massive outdoor venue in Gainesville is renowned for its intense heat and oppressive humidity, which create a challenging environment for visiting teams. Today, it remains one of the loudest and most iconic collegiate sports locations in the United States.

Archie Griffin is a former running back who played for the Ohio State Buckeyes. He remains the only individual to earn the Heisman Trophy twice, a national award given annually to the most outstanding college football player in the United States. During his collegiate career, Griffin gained over five thousand yards on the ground and led his team to four consecutive Rose Bowl appearances under coach Woody Hayes.

The University of Wisconsin-Madison began this tradition in 1998 during a football game against Purdue at Camp Randall Stadium. Fans jump vigorously to the 1992 hip hop song by House of Pain during the break before the fourth quarter. This synchronized movement is so intense that seismographs located nearby have recorded physical tremors caused by thousands of people jumping simultaneously in the stands.

Nick Saban achieved this feat by winning one national title at Louisiana State University in 2003 and six more at the University of Alabama between 2009 and 2020. His seven championships surpassed the previous record of six held by Bear Bryant. Saban used a disciplined coaching method and focused on recruiting talented athletes into the American collegiate football system.

The Clemson University football team has performed this tradition at Memorial Stadium since the 1960s. The flint rock was brought from Death Valley, California, as a gift for coach Frank Howard. Before every home game, players rub the pedestal-mounted stone for luck before sprinting down the steep eastern hill. This ritual serves as a significant psychological element of the home game environment for the Tigers.

Philadelphia serves as the primary site for the Army-Navy game because it sits roughly halfway between the military academies in West Point and Annapolis. The city hosted the first neutral site game in 1899 at Franklin Field. Most recent matchups occur at Lincoln Financial Field. This historic rivalry is a recurring event in college football, symbolizing mutual respect between the American service branches.

The University of Oklahoma Sooners established this record under coach Bud Wilkinson. Between 1953 and 1957, the team achieved forty-seven consecutive victories, including two national championships and three undefeated seasons. The streak ended with a loss to Notre Dame. This feat remains the longest winning run in the history of NCAA Division I, which is the highest level of college athletics.

The Rose Bowl is the oldest currently operating postseason college football competition. First played at Tournament Park in 1902, it predates other major bowls by several decades. This event takes place annually in Pasadena, California. It earned its famous nickname because it served as the model for all subsequent bowl games, establishing the tradition of holding collegiate sports matches on the first of January.

The Iron Bowl is an American college football rivalry between the University of Alabama Crimson Tide and the Auburn University Tigers. It began in 1893 and is played annually. The name originates from Birmingham’s historic role as a center for iron and steel production, where the game was traditionally held at Legion Field. It remains a historically significant matchup within American collegiate sports.

The University of Michigan football program secured its 1,000th victory in November 2023 during a game against Maryland. Founded in 1879, the team is a prominent member of the Big Ten Conference. This historic accomplishment marks the first time any program in the top tier of collegiate play reached this milestone. Michigan maintains one of the highest winning percentages in collegiate football history.

Penn State University hosts the White Out at Beaver Stadium in University Park, Pennsylvania. This tradition began in 2004 for the student section before expanding to the entire crowd in 2007. The event creates a visually striking atmosphere meant to intimidate opponents. Beaver Stadium is one of the largest sports venues in the world, frequently exceeding its official seating capacity during these high-profile night games.