In honor of the upcoming rivalry weekends, conference championship games, and bowl games, I took it upon myself to search the nation over… or the teams I have watched on TV for the best/worst of college football. One of the things that makes a college football game great is music. Sure, there’s music that comes over the loudspeaker, but mostly from the “band geeks”. From the drum line, to the trombones, to the giant tubas there is something special about the songs and the unique way all the instruments blend as one harmonious sounds. Not to mention, there’s something about the band with a touchdown that makes you feel that much better when the home team scores.
So, without further adieu, here are the college football music awards *fanfare, fanfare*
1. Best Entrance Music
A good start can lead to an even better finish. Here, in rank order, are the best songs for a college football entrance
3. “2001 Space Odyssey” South Carolina Gamecocks
Not only did this fight song come from a great movie, the South Carolina band has a great tribute to the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra and the movie that it parallels. Plus, who wouldn’t get pumped up to a song like that? It’s a great tradition and it definitely deserves praise for one of the best entrance songs
2. “Battle Hymn of the Republic” Georgia Bulldogs
There is something about this song that I will never begin to understand. However, when the lone trumpet player stands in the southwest corner of Sanford Stadium, there is a glimmer in every Georgia fans eyes, goose bumps and hair on the back of people’s neck stand up, and this song charges up every single Georgia fan until they explode with excitement. The game I attended left me speechless, and I have never heard a stadium so loud in my life. Kudos, UGA, kudos.
1. “Enter Sandman” Virginia Tech Hokies
For anyone who has known me, I am very much against music that comes from a loudspeaker at a college football game. However, when I attended the ACC Championship Game last year in Jacksonville Florida. There were thousands of Virginia Tech fans literally starving for that song when they saw the Hokies in the entrance tunnel. When the loudspeaker turned on the song, “Enter Sandman” there has never been a time where I have seen a crowd go from excited, to downright insane. One of the best college football moments I have ever been a part of. Never, in my life, have i seen fans that are almost dependant to start a game as Hokie fans are. If you get a chance to see it live, you will not be disappointed.
2. “I get it, we’re a panther” award…
Comic great Jon Reep made an astute observation when he stated that the NFL team the Carolina Panthers play the “panther sound effect” far too often. So let me share the top 3 schools that play a certain fight song way too often…
3. “Tribute to Troy” USC Trojans
By itself, it’s a catchy song, and I am sure if I went to USC, maybe I would enjoy it. However, the Marching Trojans play this song to nausea as the Trojans march towards their 70th point over weak Pac-10 teams.
2. “War Chant” Florida State Seminoles
Normally, this would be my #1 and it has been for some time. However, FSU fans, this chop can be done significantly less. I have been to 4 Florida State games in my life and I have heard the “War Chant” at least 100 times per game. It also becomes bad news when other schools mock “the chop” when Florida State loses, and why not? FSU has a great fight song, play that a few more times…
1. “Boomer Sooner” Oklahoma Sooner
I will give credit to the Sooners for a unbelievable win over Texas Tech, but if I heard a variation of that song one more time, I would have stabbed my eardrums, and even then, the ear piercing sounds that would have ensued would still be less painful then this fight song. Not only do they play the song when the Sooners score, they play variations on first downs, interceptions, and field goals to say the least. I have to figure the band hated playing the song by the time the game is over. Oklahoma, you have the most uninventive song selection of any band I have ever heard.
3. Most Overplayed Songs by different schools
You may have the trademark to this song, but other colleges are using it. It’s time for someone to put their foot down and make a stand to say, “This is our fight song dammit!” I will provide the song and whom it should belong to…
3. “Glory, Glory Hallelujah!” Belongs to: Georgia Bulldogs
A song that praises the word of Christ has been used for States and Universities in their band repertoire. It’s Georgia’s fight song, but Colorado uses it, various high schools use it, even Auburn uses it. It’s a good song (and very simple might I add) in it’s context, but it’s Georgia’s fight song, let’s keep it that way.
2. “Tiger Rag” Belongs to: Clemson Tigers
This may be just a problem of how many schools name their mascot the “Tigers” but with every school, they have to play the song, Tiger Rag… and I have about had it with that song. Clemson uses it as their main fight song, and they include a cool spelling of: C-L-E-M-S-O---N! at the end. It’s a good tradition, good song, but it needs to stay in South Carolina
1. “Kernkraft 400” Belongs to: Nobody
In a successful attempt to make Euro-chants trendy in the United States, Zombie Nation created the song “Kernkraft 400” that is about as well know as the “Olay Olay” chant. Nevertheless, It really shows how much American’s know about chants in premiere league soccer in Europe. Colleges around the country use this song before games and kickoffs, and unfortunately, I bleed from the ears every time I hear it. This song should be stricken from the records and should never be played in another college stadium, ever… again…
4. Worst Fight Songs
A fight song should be exciting, should bring adrenaline to the fans, and should be a song of celebration (not to mention easy to remember). However these songs put shame to all that is good about fight songs
3. “Hail to the Victors” Michigan Wolverines
Before all the Buckeye fans cheer and laugh at this ranking, don’t be too proud, your fight song was a close #4. Besides the overwhelming tradition that Michigan has, I wish their fight song would do the same, and let’s put the irony that Michigan has won 3 games all season aside. This fight song is bland, cliché, and just downright boring. Besides Michigan, nobody gets excited about this fight song. Sorry Michigan, even I am not cutting you a break this year.
2. “The Waving Song” Oklahoma State Cowboys
There is something that really bothers me about this song selection by Okie State. Now, I believe that “Ride ‘em Cowboys” is the official fight song of Oklahoma State. If that is the case, then why in the world do the Cowboys play the “Waving Song” after a touchdown? It is the pokiest, Busch league, state fair song I have ever heard in a college stadium. It literally sounds like drunken cowboy music from a Loony Tunes episode. You’re a great team, with a great coach, and have a good fight song, stop playing this state fair song after touchdowns, cowboys!
1. “The Good Ole’ Song” Virginia Cavaliers
If you think I am biased, let me give you an example of how boring this fight song is. When I attended Appalachian State, a couple of my friends and I played NCAA Football 2008. My friend decided to be Virginia for a season and quit 3 games in because he could not stomach the fight song. So picture this, after Virginia scores a touchdown, the Virginia faithful puts their arms around each other, swings to and fro, and sings the “Good Ole’ Song” which is identical to that holiday classic “Olde Lang Syne”. If there is a more boring song on the face of this earth that is featured on a college field, I want to hear this song. However, UVA is filled with a bunch of bright kids, I believed they figured out that, “Maybe if we make the students fall asleep with our fight song, they wont have to watch the rest of the UVA v. USC game.” Lord knows, no one wants to be awake for “Tribute to Troy” anyway. Brilliantly done, UVA.
5. Best Fight Songs
Now, to show that I am unbiased, I am leaving the Alabama fight song out of the running for best fight song (even though it is the best). In fact, I have taken out all fan biases to make this list. This is based on the fight song, and the fight song only. So here is the cream of the crop… according to me…
3. “NCSU Fight Song” NC State Wolfpack
Not exactly the most inventive name or most original song. However, NC State took the song “Army Goes Rolling Along” and sped the tempo up. It’s hard to sing, but its very exciting, it matches the feeling of how a touchdown should feel, and isn’t that the point of a fight song. Now, I am fan of military songs in general, but this method was well done and it’s something I can celebrate to.
2. “Rocky Top” Tennessee Volunteers
Remember when I said that this was based on “just the fight song”, well here is the example. Now, I hate Tennessee, I hate the town, I hate the stadium, I hate (most of) the fans, and I hate that shade of orange. However, when the Tennessee band plays the famous bluegrass song, it literally projects through the stadium and your home whether you want it to or not. Now, Tennessee fans will force you to listen to this song and it’s painfully annoying. However, take this song with any other university, and it’s a classic.
1. “Texas Fight” Texas Longhorns
Now, aside from the worst band uniforms in college football (which look like a cowboy costume I wore when I was 5) this is the most complete fight song I have heard. Fast tempo, chanting, easy lyrics, and people can use profanity if they want to in this song. Colonel Walter S. Hunnicutt had something on the ball when he wrote this. This is something you have to hear for yourself. However UT, do us all a favor, try shifting those talents to the person who makes the band uniforms, “band geeks” don’t need anymore hassle (though, chaps are a good look for cheerleaders).
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