What separates college football from every other sport in the country is the pageantry surrounding it. At every big showdown there is an inescapable lore that permeates through the air.
Much of that culture is represented through unique items throughout universities across the country. Whether they be cars and motorcycles or a rock, they all carry tremendous weight amid the 150+ years of college football.
Cllct chose 10 that stand out above the rest and spoke to representatives from each school about the item’s importance within football tradition.
Virginia Tech: Lunch Pail
Developed by longtime Hokies defensive coordinator Bud Foster, the Lunch Pail symbolizes the blue-collar approach taken by the Virginia Tech defense that made them a staple of the AP Top 25 throughout his tenure alongside former head coach Frank Beamer.
The pail, which once belonged to a coal miner, contains the names of the 32 Hokies who died in a tragic campus shooting on April 16, 2007. Wherever the football team goes, the Lunch Pail goes.
“In my mind, the Pail and the players who earned the right to carry it over the years epitomize the standard of toughness, character and work ethic that defined the Hokies for so long. The Lunch Pail stands for hard-nosed Virginia Tech football at its very best.” — Bud Foster (Virginia Tech assistant coach, 1987-2019)
Georgia Tech: Ramblin’ Wreck
The gold and white 1930 Ford Model A Sport Coupe has led Georgia Tech out on the field before every home game since Sept. 30, 1961.
Its driver is elected, and the car is an embodiment of the Yellow Jackets’ engineering institution.
“The wreck is one of the coolest traditions in the country. It leads the team onto the field every home game, so standing in the tunnel you smell the fumes from the Wreck, and it just signals it’s game time. It’s iconic. It’s one of most recognizable symbols of Georgia Tech in general but especially GT football.” — Roddy Jones (Georgia Tech running back, 2007-2011)
Notre Dame: "Play like a Champion Today" sign
This one is controversial, to put it lightly. Oklahoma and Notre Dame both claim credit for inventing the sign. Oklahoma says former head coach Bud Wilkinson put the sign up in either 1947 or 1948, while Lou Holtz claims he got the idea for the Notre Dame sign from a book about the school. Holtz also heads a company called Play Like A Champion Today LLC, which trademarked the phrase in 2021, and entered into a licensing agreement with Notre Dame.
So, while multiple schools have battled over the slogan and sign, Notre Dame certainly seems to be in the driver’s seat, and there’s little doubt the Fighting Irish are the ones that made the phrase famous.
Every player touches the sign before heading out to the field for every Notre Dame home game as a reminder to play like a champion that day and every day.
“As a kid it was this beacon and part of Notre Dame lore. But then when I got there as a player, it was that last little switch you flip before you go out in the tunnel and actually get ready to play a football game, which I always thought was cool that you got to live out this tradition that you had seen your entire life. And now it really was that moment before you get ready to go out there and go to work.” - Mike Golic Jr. (Notre Dame offensive lineman, 2008-2012)
Florida State: Chief Osceola’s flaming spear
It’s hard to imagine a more intimidating proposition for an opposing team in any sport, not just college football, than watching Osceola and Renegade ride out onto the field at Doak Campbell Stadium and plant a flaming spear at midfield to the tune of 80,000-plus war chants.
The tradition, which was born in 1978, pays tribute to the Seminole Tribe of Florida. Many schools have mascots who perform pregame traditions at midfield, and several of them even do it on horseback. But no other program incorporates a flaming spear.
“Osceola and Renegade bring stability and an excitement to our school that connects us to the Seminole Tribe of Florida. It is much more than just a cool entrance and tradition. It represents the bravery, dignity and pride of the unconquered Seminoles, and that resilience and unconquered spirit has been embraced by the Florida State community.” - Charlie Ward (Florida State quarterback, 1989-1993)
Oklahoma: Sooner Schooner
Pulled by Boomer and Sooner - two white ponies - this Studebaker Conestoga wagon replica races across the field after every score.
The Schooner was first introduced to OU in 1964, in a game vs USC, and became the school’s official mascot in 1980. It celebrates the pioneers who settled Oklahoma Territory around the time of the 1889 Land Run.
“The Sooner Schooner rolling across the field is one of the most famous traditions in college athletics and is cherished by OU fans everywhere.” - Joe Castiglione (Oklahoma athletic director, 1998-present)
Clemson: Howard’s Rock
The most exciting 25 seconds in college football begins with Howard’s Rock.
As Clemson football players run down The Hill at Memorial Stadium, they all rub Howard’s Rock for good luck. The rock — from Death Valley, California — was a gift to legendary Tigers coach Frank Howard. The rock was first placed at the top of The Hill in 1966 and players began rubbing the rock in 1967.
Howard reportedly told his players, “"If you're going to give me 110%, you can rub that rock. If you're not, keep your filthy hands off of it."
"If there is a better entrance in college football or, for that matter, any sport I haven’t seen it. As the Clemson faithful watch the buses come to the top of The Hill and see their Tigers form up behind Howard’s Rock the stadium is electric. And just when you think it can’t get any more frenetic, it does! The cannon fires, the players rub that rock and run down into Death Valley, well if that doesn’t get your juices flowing for some college football nothing does. It never gets old." - Don Munson (Clemson football play-by-play announcer, 2014-present)
Purdue: World’s Largest Drum
In 1921, Paul "Spotts" Emrick, the first full-time director of Purdue’s “All-American” Marching Band, wanted to set the band apart from other schools.
The result ... an 8-foot-tall, 315-pound drum that is now more than 100 years old. Like the “Play like a Champion Today” sign, there is debate over who actually has the biggest drum, as Texas long claimed its “Big Bertha” to be the largest, and the Longhorns recently even introduced “Big Bertha II."
Purdue hasn’t changed, keeping the dimensions the same. And in reality, no college football team actually has the largest drum in the world. But Purdue’s remains a staple to the Boilermaker and college football community.
Alabama: Houndstooth Hat
Legendary Alabama coach Paul "Bear" Bryant began wearing the black and white trilby style hat in the late 1960s, and sported it through the end of his coaching career, one that saw more national titles than anyone in history — a mark that remained until Nick Saban reinvigorated the Crimson Tide program and wrote his own way into the record books.
A Bryant Houndstooth hat actually sold at Leland's for $28,000 in 2021. Unlike the other items on this list, which are parts of the school and the lore football program, the Houndstooth hat only became famous at Alabama due to its style in combination with Bryant's success.
Nonetheless, it remains a staple at Alabama football games more than 40 years after his death.
“I watched Coach Bryant wear that hat for four years. And there’s one word that I would say comes to mind. Class. He always talked to us about carrying ourselves with class. And I think that's what championships ought to represent. I was a part of something that's great, and something that was legendary and has a legacy.” - Jeremiah Castille (Alabama cornerback, 1979-1982)
USC: Trojan Warrior Sword
Mounted on a stunning white horse - Traveler - the Trojan Warrior has ridden out to midfield of USC home games since 1961.
There, he dismounts from Traveler and plunges his sword into midfield before raising his fist to the air, signifying the fight within the Trojans.
Oregon: 1996 Harley Davidson Fat Boy
The Leader of the Quack, the rider of the motorcycle, has led Oregon onto the field for every home game since 1997.
The ‘96 Harley features Oregon colors and logos and the Ducks’ mascot hops on the back of the bike as they charge the field.
“The deal was, what I was told in the beginning, was to go fast and make a lot of noise. Being able to provide some spark, to get the fans and the players ready for the game and fired up, you know, I enjoyed it for a long time. It was a privilege to be able to do that. It’s the teenager in me somewhere. - Doug Koke (Leader of the Quack, 1999-2022)
Matt Liberman is a reporter and video producer for cllct.