While Ann Arbor might get all the Big House glory, the Dearborn Wolverines have carved out their own unique brand of school spirit. These suburban warriors prove you don't need a 100,000-seat stadium to show your pride.
At UM-Dearborn, it's all about the tight-knit community vibes – think less "touch the banner" and more "touch base with literally everyone you see on campus." Their version of tailgating might involve the student center parking lot, but the enthusiasm is just as intense.
In Gainesville, if you're not chomping, you're not trying. The Gator Nation takes their reptilian pride so seriously that they've turned their arms into makeshift alligator jaws at the slightest provocation.
The Swamp (aka Ben Hill Griffin Stadium) is less a football field and more a 90,000-person chomp-fest where decibel levels have been known to register on the Richter scale. Between Albert and Alberta Gator's public displays of school spirit and the famous "We Are the Boys" tradition after the third quarter, being a Florida Gator is less about attending a university and more about joining a slightly swamp-obsessed cult – in the best way possible, of course!
At UCLA, school spirit comes with a side of sunshine and a healthy dose of Hollywood glamour. The Den, UCLA's student section, turns Pauley Pavilion into a blue and gold paradise faster than you can say "lights, camera, action!"
These Bruins know how to make noise – and look good doing it. From the Victory Bell rivalry with USC to the mysterious appearance of the UCLA letters on campus buildings, Bruins pride themselves on being loud, proud, and, let's face it, perpetually tan. Their eight-clap cheer is so catchy that even the palm trees seem to sway along.
Howdy! At Texas A&M, school spirit isn't just a thing – it's THE thing. These folks have so many traditions that they literally need a guidebook to keep track. From the bone-chilling "midnight yell practice" where thousands of students gather to practice cheering to seniors wearing boots so iconic they have their own cultural significance, Aggies take pride to a whole new level.
The 12th Man tradition means the entire student body stands during football games, ready to jump in if the team needs them. Sure, they haven't been called onto the field since 1922, but hey, it's the thought that counts! And don't even get us started on their beloved collie mascot, Reveille, who outranks the Corps of Cadets.
Hold onto your snow boots, because Syracuse University bleeds orange year-round! When students aren't tunneling through the infamous lake-effect snow, they're packing the Carrier Dome (now the JMA Wireless Dome) with a sea of orange. The "Loud House" lives up to its name as 35,000+ fans channel their inner snow-warrior spirits to cheer on the Orange.
With traditions like kissing the Carrier Dome goodbye and painting themselves orange for games, Syracuse students prove that neither snow, nor rain, nor academic stress can dampen their spirits. Plus, Otto the Orange is basically the coolest fruit-based mascot in existence. Who knew citrus could be so spirited?
