With the turning of the leaves and the start of school, the fall season is rolling in and football fans are gearing up. College football games are taking over Saturday plans and watching is the only agenda for many, or so we may think. We don’t all gather for the game alone; we gather for the experiences that come along with it. A day full of football is not just about the game.
The sport brings every kind of fan together: the youth, the elderly, the alumni, the die-hards, the typical “college student fan,” those unsure of what teams are playing and everyone in between.
Game days look and feel different from any other day for everyone watching.
On campus, student houses line the streets. The blaring music begins at sunrise and students take over the front lawns, anticipating the game with drinks in hand and muddy shoes.
Outside the stadium, tailgates take over parking lots. The cornhole boards are out, lawn chairs are set on the pavement, the portable grill is hot and no matter the time, the beer tabs are popped.
During game time inside the stadium, watching the teams run out from the tunnels gives the spectators a thrill, and chants from the crowd are occasionally deafening.
For those watching at home, people crowd the living room and the kitchen is busy. Children run around the house in team helmets and cheerleader outfits. Countertops and coffee tables are full of food and new recipes, with the additional smell of candles filling the air.
Almost everyone has a smile on their face, and nothing but enjoying the company of those around you seems to matter.
Inside a bar, strangers have conversations as if they’ve known each other their whole lives, but in reality, they have one thing in common: The team they’re rooting for is playing.
Games can be viewed from just about anywhere, with every television bringing a sense of community. You don’t have to be inside the stadium to experience the energy the game produces.
Fans who gather and watch the game, no matter the location, celebrate or mourn with each other all the same.
Football has the ability to connect people because it creates an inclusive environment for everyone.
Those who study the teams and know individual players’ statistics can find the same amount of joy in the game as those who just enjoy people watching, the concessions and the band performance at halftime.
For Ohio University students, Peden Stadium is the place to be on home game days. The Ohio Bobcats football team brings competition to the Mid-American Conference and entertainment to the crowd. In 2024, they won the MAC Championship game against Miami University from Oxford, Ohio. Since then, the solidity of the program remains.
Whether you’re a student involved in the sea of green and white overalls, or you’re just there for pictures, the games bring entertainment and a time to connect with others.
A part of OU football that will never be forgotten is the Marching 110. Voted the No. 1 college marching band in the United States, it truly is the “Most Exciting Band in the Land.” Their energy alone has the power to fuel the entire stadium for the second half.
Any student Bobcat attending a game is sure to leave with a notable, and personal, experience.
There really is nothing comparable to a college student section at a football game. Rain or shine, students will be there, crowded together and rooting for their school.
For students attending the game for reasons other than football, the emotions radiated from others after a play, even if you don’t understand it, are undoubtedly contagious.
To the fans, football is more than a win-loss record.
At the end of the season, those who shared a game day with others remember the memories they made together, not just the plays made on the field.
Football is so prominent that it’s even intertwined with holidays and traditions.
Families, friends and neighbors kickstart Thanksgiving Day with the Turkey Bowl, a game of backyard flag football. No matter the weather, it is a tradition for many, and the holiday spread is not consumed until it takes place.
Additionally, for Ohio State or Michigan fans, “The Game” is played annually the Saturday following Thanksgiving. “The Game” is a battle between the Buckeyes and the Wolverines, who are two of the top teams in the country and hold the title of being the biggest rivalry in college football of all time.
New Year’s begins the close of college football with the New Year’s Six games, either ringing in the new year with excited or hopeless fans.
Nevertheless, people are gathered together, experiences are shared and memories continue to live on.
Sometimes, football brings a day of fun and a positive outlook for the rest of the season. Other times, it brings a day of superstition, sweaty palms and a loss of appetite. Regardless of the outcome or location, fans await the next game.
That’s the power of football.
Aleni Bender is a junior studying organizational communication at Ohio University. Please note the opinions expressed in this column do not represent those of The Post. Want to talk to Aleni about her column? Email her at ab285023@ohio.edu
