Best Big 10 tradition? Hint: no sports team involved

In an era of realignment and expansion for the major conferences, tradition and history are constantly being overlooked. There is no better time than the present to examine the rich history of the schools in one of the nation’s most consistent football powerhouses (and emerging basketball force), the Big Ten, through some of its schools’ most iconic traditions.

1.) Script Ohio
At The Ohio State University, students and fans have grown accustomed to arguably the most recognizable pregame tradition in the nation, Script Ohio. The concept behind Script Ohio is essentially exactly what it sounds like—the marching band spells out the word “Ohio” in a cursive font as opposed to standard block lettering. Since 1936, the Ohio State band has preformed Script Ohio before every game, and traditionally a senior ranking sousaphone player is given the honor of “dotting the I.” If you haven’t seen it, it’s a necessity. I’ve never been a band guy, but I’m baffled at how easy they make this particular routine look, in which the band members are essentially walking through each other to create the image.

2.) The “White Out” at Beaver Stadium
One thing that never ceases to amaze me is the sheer size of some Big Ten football stadiums. Immediately “The Big House” at Michigan comes to mind, as well as “The Horseshoe” at Ohio State. Not to be forgotten, however, is Beaver Stadium at Penn State. Perennially defined as one of the most imposing stadiums in which to play, the Penn State faithful engulf their opponents in a visual blizzard for some home games, in which there is literally no Penn State supporter not entirely donning white. The attendance statistics are routinely six figures, and on occasion is liable to top 110,000. Additionally, the “White Out” model has been adopted (albeit with significantly less success) nationally, even becoming a mainstay at “The Izzone,” Michigan State’s student section at basketball games.

3.) Jumping Around for the Badgers
Every FBS school searches for the perfect song to pipe in through the speakers prior to kickoff  to get the fans and players amped. Those in charge at Wisconsin landed on “Jump Around” by House of Pain, a relatively safe bet. That said, the fervor with which Camp Randall Stadium has integrated it into its pregame routine is unparalleled by any of its imitators. It pains me as a North Carolina student to say that while we play “Jump Around” before our basketball games and think we’re getting loud, our raucousness pales in comparison to Wisconsin before the kick.

4.) Touching the Banner
It is almost impossible to make a top five list of any sort about the Big Ten that doesn’t include Michigan. The argument could certainly be made that Michigan is among the most tradition rich football schools in the nation, and as such anything that is emblematic of Michigan football is nationally recognizable. Set to the backdrop of March of the Victors, Michigan’s football team jumps up and touches the banner as they run onto the field (as opposed to the standard procedure of running through it).

5.) I Am An American
I may be a bit biased in including this on the list, as it does not have the same amount of recognition as the rest of the traditions mentioned. Before kickoff at Purdue football games is the reading of “I Am An American,” a series of inspirational verses centered around patriotism. The strength of this tradition is that it is not something that caters towards only the Boilermakers, and it is more similar to something fans might see at an SEC or ACC stadium.