Auburn is nicknamed “The Loveliest Village on the Plains” taken from a line in the poem “The Deserted Village” by Oliver Goldsmith. The university is lovely and far from plain as it is home to some of the most incredible traditions and one of the best gameday atmospheres in college football.
Most universities boast a pregame teamwalk that attracts large crowds to witness their beloved team make their way into the stadium. The band, cheerleaders, and mascot get involved making team walks a prideful force of connectivity to the gameday experience. Auburn arguably executes this tradition more impressively than any other. In fact, the university is credited with founding the teamwalk tradition. Thousands of fans flood Donahue Drive between the Athletic Complex and Jordan-Hare Stadium for the Tiger Walk. The Auburn University Marching Band, cheerleaders, and popular mascot, Aubie stir up more thrills. Getting close to the players requires arriving early and securing a spot. Few scenes can match this spectacle. The Tiger Walk is often transplanted at road game destinations, which further proves the commitment to this incredible tradition.
The Auburn Marching Band continues to fuel pregame energy at Four Corners. Fans partake in the catchy War Eagle fight song and the Bodda Getta chant. These classic sounds of college football saturate the atmosphere and unify this loyal fan base.
As a cavernous Jordan-Hare Stadium fills with orange and blue, fans anxiously await the Eagle Flight. Shortly prior to kickoff, a majestic eagle circles high above the arena. In unison, fans holler, “Waaaaaaaaaarrrrr Eagle!” followed by “Hey!“ as the eagle lands.
Auburn has been known as the Tigers since 1892, but according to popular legend, in the same year, a Civil War veteran spectator had brought his pet eagle with him to the game against Georgia. This eagle, which he found on the battlefield 30 years earlier, had broken loose and began circling the field. As it flew, Auburn began to push toward the Georgia end zone en route to a victory. This ultimately inspired fans to begin chanting War Eagle, and still today, the phrase is used as both a greeting and battle cry.
An Auburn victory ignites one of college football’s most unique traditions – rolling of Toomer’s Corner. Fans pour into this iconic spot on campus and heave rolls of toilet paper into the trees causing white drapes of tissue to cascade from above. These restroom streamers are an expression of joy unmatched anywhere in the country.
The time honored traditions that have built the spirit of Auburn have been electrifying gamedays here for over a century. Over the years, this small southern town in Alabama has become one of the finest spots to spend a Saturday across the landscape of college football.
