50 Unique Things We Miss About College Football

As the end of March approaches, college football fans continue to pine away as they wait for the 2012 season to begin. 

While fans wait, the recruiting season helped pass some time, spring practice and the spring game will kill some more time and summer practices will allow people to see that the finish line is finally approaching. 

As the wait continues, here are 50 things that we continue to miss about college football. 

LSU Field Numbered in Five-Yard Increments

One thing that you will never see on an NFL field is every five yards being marked out. LSU has one of the most unique looks in the nation, as that is just the case.

When a player breaks loose, they are able to see every five yards clearly marked out on each sideline.

Jump Around

As the fourth quarter is about to begin, the Wisconsin crowd gets fired up. It has been a tradition that they begin to play House of Pain's, "Jump Around," which causes the crowd to do just that. 

Camp Randall has been a terrific home field for the Badgers, and this is just one of the many reasons.

Shout!

Another tradition that has begun is much like Wisconsin's but to the tune of "Shout," which was made famous by the movie Animal House.

What many people do not know is that the connection between Oregon and Animal House is the fact that the frat house used in the movie resided on the Oregon campus.

Enter Sandman

Virginia Tech doesn't wait until the fourth quarter to get fans riled up.

The Hokies break out onto the field with "Enter Sandman" cranked in the background, and when you combine that with a night-game atmosphere, there may be no better scene in college football.

Run, Ralphie, Run

While Colorado is certainly going through some growing pains over the past few years, one thing that has remained solid is the tradition of running Ralphie the Buffalo into the stadium.

While the play on the field may not inspire the fans, the beloved animal does.

Erin Andrews

Every man in America finds himself watching any sport that features the wonderful Erin Andrews.

Andrews has done an outstanding job of combining knowledge and beauty at a level that has not been seen before in college sports.

College Gameday

There isn't a better feeling than waking up on a nice fall Saturday, heading downstairs and tuning into ESPN to watch College Gameday.

Gameday has become a part of college football and does a tremendous job of going around the nation and finding the week's best game.

Lee Corso's Gameday Pick

Along with College Gameday, Lee Corso making the final pick of the morning has also become a part of college football fans' Saturday mornings.

The former coach manages to keep us in suspense until he finally throws on the mascot head that he is going with that day. 

Rivalries

One of the truly unique parts of the college football landscape is the number of rivalries there are around the nation.

Whether it be an in-state matchup or feud that goes back a few decades, college football has a collection of rivalry games that appeal to all college fans.

Chip Kelly's Play Calling

One of the most fascinating things to watch during the fall is the creative and innovative play calling of Oregon head coach Chip Kelly.

With the collection of speed and talent that Kelly recruits on offense, he finds different ways to get them in open space and allow them to create plays.

Walk-Ons

When you look at other sports, you don't often see people just come out and get the ability to tryout for a team.

In college football, we have seen some outstanding stories of walk-ons who come out and work their way through the ranks and become a contributor on the team.

The Smurf Turf

While some traditionalists may not like the blue turf that Boise State plays on, this is just another part that makes college football unique. Since Boise State went to the blue turf, Eastern Washington has gone to a red field.

While it may not be a trend, I am sure we will see another program try a different color eventually. 

Fight Songs

Another unique aspect about college football are the fight songs that each team comes prepared with.

While hearing the most popular songs at other sporting events is great, nothing beats the sound of the band breaking out the fight song after a big play or a win.

Script Ohio

Speaking of bands, the Ohio State band has one of the strongest traditions in the nation.

During their on-the-field routine, the band is able to spell out a script writing of Ohio and saves the best for last as they come and dot the I to wrap things up.

Tennessee Checkerboard End Zone

While some people may not like it, the Tennessee end zone is a thing of beauty.

The checkerboard design they have is unlike anything else in the nation and has become a part of the Tennessee tradition.  

New Oregon Uniforms

While we are on the topic of things that people are split on, the Oregon Ducks seem to find a way to push the uniform boundaries every year, and while some people snub their nose at it, it is something done for the fans and for marketing purposes.

Since Oregon has formed a tradition of changing their uniforms, Nike and Under Armour have been at work year after year, even creating new looks for other teams as well. 

One Year Closer to a Playoff

While most fans are certainly unhappy with the fact that we are still without a playoff in arguably the most popular sport, the fact is we are getting closer to one than before.

The powers that be have begun to talk about an additional game being added, so basically creating a four-team playoff. It seems like it is only a matter of time before fans get what they have been waiting for.

College Girls

While all sports have their attractive parts of their fan bases, college football fans are home to some of the most attractive women in the nation.

While the game may experience some breaks in the action, cameramen are sure to find a way to pass the time. 

Upsets

In the NFL, parody is what they strive for, and to a certain extent, it is what they have accomplished. In college football, certain programs have limitations that cause them to be unable to catch up to other teams.

What makes college football great is that no matter the disparity on paper, there always seem to be some huge upsets that stun the college football world. 

Michigan Slapping the Banner

Another college football entrance that has become iconic is the Michigan players running out and slapping the M Club banner.

Fans around the world recognize this, as the Wolverines are one of the most marketable programs in the nation. 

Trophy Games

Along with rivalry games, another fascinating part of college football is all of the games that have trophies on the line.

While a lot of these intertwine with rivalry games, seeing that the players are fighting for a decades-old trophy is an outstanding sight. 

Cheerleaders

One of the things that makes cheerleaders so special is the fact that no matter what sport it is, fans never mind having them on their sidelines.

In college football, cheerleaders are one of the things that keep fans coming back. 

Mike Leach

For the past few years, college football has been without Mike Leach on a college football sideline. Leach is an extremely quirky coach who really embraced the attitude of being a pirate. 

Leach has now taken his leadership to Washington State, where he hopes to revive a dead program.

SEC Football

While we can all get a bit sick of hearing how good the SEC is, the fact is, the SEC is really good.

Every season, we can count on some outstanding top 15 matchups that will go on during conference play, and they often have huge implications. 

New Conference Alignments

Last year, the first wave of changes began around the nation. This year, the national landscape sees further changes as the SEC, Big East and Big 12 all see significant changes to their makeup. 

Oregon Mascot Riding out on a Motorcycle

While a lot of teams around the nation have outstanding entrances, the Oregon Ducks have one of the best out on the West Coast.

While the band lines up, the Oregon Ducks mascot comes screaming out of the tunnel on a motorcycle and is soon followed by cheerleaders and the players.

Trick Plays

While some NFL teams will break out a play every year, college football seems to have a trick pulled every week.

From fake field goals to onside kicks to fake punts and all sorts of trickeration, the college coaches always keep us guessing. 

Student Sections

Pro teams certainly have no problem drawing large crowds that are capable of creating a huge advantage. One problem in professional sports is the fact that too often corporate ties bring down the noise level of the crowd.

At college games, you do not see that as much of an issue, and the addition of a student section truly makes these games fun and stand out. 

Chief Osceola

Chief Osceola is one of the most unique and exciting icons of college football.

Before each home game for Florida State, Chief Osceola rides out onto the field and gets the home crowd fired up by planting his spear at midfield. 

The Big Game: Ohio State vs Michigan

Rivalries are great, but the game between Michigan and Ohio State takes hatred to a new level.

These two teams have been going at each other for decades now, and with the addition of Urban Meyer to the rivalry, things are going to get even more interesting. 

BCS Rankings

While many people do not like the ultimate goal of the BCS system, the rankings sure do provide the nation with some hot topics to talk about in the second half of the season.

You may not miss the bad about the BCS, but there is plenty of good to miss during the downtime of the season. 

Tailgating

While NFL cities around the nation do a great job of tailgating, college fans take it to a new level.

No matter what campus you find yourself on, you will not have to look hard for a large group of fans who are putting on a party. 

Howard's Rock

Before kickoff, the Clemson fans get a treat when they see their players lined up at the top of the hill, and before heading on down, they rub Howard's Rock and get ready for battle. 

Mascots

While other sports have their mascots, college mascots are a part of what makes college football great.

From morning through the end of a Saturday night, the mascot will be out and about getting fans ready for kickoff and entertaining them all game long. 

Bowl Season

As much as fans would love to see a playoff, the fact is that right now what we have is a bowl season that usually provides us with some great games.

While there are certainly way too many bowl games, they are better than nothing for right now. 

Opening Week Games

While every season generally opens with a lot of lackluster games, this year there are some great match ups.

The 2012 schedule will kick off with games between Boise State and Michigan State, Clemson and Auburn, South Carolina and Vanderbilt and Alabama and Michigan

Notre Dame Opener in Dublin

One other game that will kick off in the first week of the season is a game between Notre Dame and Navy.

The difference with this game is the fact that the two teams will be heading across the Atlantic and will be playing in Dublin, Ireland. 

Bevo at Texas

Another traditional site in the college football world is Bevo at Texas Longhorn games.

Bevo is always present and accounted for at Texas games and is part of what makes the program special. 

Thursday Night Games

Over the past few seasons, the NFL has begun to shift some games to Thursday night, but it generally is towards the second half of their season.

On the other hand, college football has had Thursday night games for quite some time now, and it is generally a great way to kick off a weekend full of games. 

Weekly Rankings

The weekly rankings are a two-sided argument.

On one hand, the rankings come out too early and do give teams an early edge. On the other hand, they allow teams see where they stack up around the nation.

Either way you look at it, it is a way to strike up some great conversations around the water cooler. 

Conference Championships

Before heading to the bowl games, certain teams are given an opportunity to play for their conference title. Conference title game generally feature two outstanding teams and are, in some cases, better than the majority of the bowl games being played. 

The Heisman Race

Before a single pass or single touchdown is even scored, the conversation and argument around the Heisman trophy will begin.

The best part about the award is the race that ensues, and it runs all the way into December. 

Army vs. Navy

One of the most unique games of the year is the battle between Army and Navy.

These two teams have found an important calling in life, but when they line up against each other at the end of the season, it is a sight like none other in college football. 

USC Song Girls

While cheerleaders are loved all over the nation, the USC Song Girls are widely known and recognized across many fan bases.

Granted, most people are not going to like the Trojans, but many accept the Song Girls for their work. 

College Football Stadiums

College football stadiums have become almost like holy places for some fans.

Fans come from all over to gather together for six or seven games a year and create a home field advantage unique to their program. 

ESPN Coverage

If you turn on ESPN right now you will see coverage of college basketball, the NBA, NFL news and some talk about spring baseball. 

When the calendar eventually turns closer to the 2012 season, the four letter network cranks up their coverage and gives fans everything they could desire. 

New Stars

Every season, the college football world is treated to new stars around the nation.

When certain players have to leave for graduation or for the NFL draft, it allows other players to step up and make their presence known. 

Freshman Sensations

Along with upperclassmen stepping up, some teams are fortunate enough to have some of their young stars come out of nowhere. For the past few seasons, teams have gotten significant contributions from freshmen who have helped make for a special season. 

The Rose Bowl Stadium

The Rose Bowl Stadium is one of the most gorgeous venues in the entire nation.

While this is the home for the UCLA Bruins, there is no more spectacular view than the sight of a packed stadium in January that is ready to watch the grandaddy of them all, the Rose Bowl. 

Senior's Final Home Game

For some players, there comes a time when they look at the schedule and realize that in their last season, they have reached their final game.

Regardless of whether you are a role player or a senior who passed up on the draft for one last year, this is a special game for every program in the nation.