COLUMN: Venturing into never-never land at Lane Stadium
Stadium entrances are the coolest part of college football.
There is Florida State's war chant coupled with Chief Osceola running out on his horse, Renegade, and planting his flaming spear at midfield. There is also Colorado's Ralphie Run, led by a buffalo that goes by the same name. Ralphie charges down the field with the Buffaloes players sprinting behind her in an electric entry onto the field.
But you can't talk about college football stadium entrances without bringing up Virginia Tech's "Enter Sandman."
In this display of enthusiasm and anticipation, the iconic Metallica song rings throughout Lane Stadium in Blacksburg, Virginia, as Hokie fans jump to the beat of the music.
Regardless of what team you are rooting for (and if you are in your seat on time for the Virginia Tech entrance and not in the concession lines for the pulled pork sandwich), you are on your feet and losing your ever-loving mind.
The whole stadium practically looks like an ocean, a wave of energy overcoming the 66,000 fans in attendance.
Even in attendance on the opposing side, I couldn't help but cheer as head coach Brent Pry escorted his team of Hokies out like a general steering his squadron into battle.
In front of me, a Virginia Tech fan engaged in the excitement as their baby's head bobbed up and down in their arms.
After the Hokies' adrenaline brought them to the sidelines, the music turned off. Shortly after, the fans took over with their voices booming throughout the stadium. It was so loud, I wouldn't be shocked if half the population of Virginia could hear it.
They sang, "Exit light. Enter night. Take my hand. We’re off to never-never land."
I had already heard great things about the entrance from Virginia Tech fans the night before when my group took to the main campus to explore its bustling nightlife, bellies full of Benny Marzano's pizza.
"You have to be in your seats early," one fan told me. This was a way better interaction than the one I had where a Hokies fan snatched my Rutgers hat off and threw it across Sharkey's Wing & Rib Joint.
I was indeed in my seat early—approximately 90 minutes before game time, to be exact. I glanced over to the student section on the west side of the stadium, which extended into the general fan section due to its size. It was already getting packed, and I was told it would be like that even two hours before kickoff.
Fans of college football, especially students, double — heck, even triple — the atmosphere of games. Of course, a lot of that has to do with the state of mind they are in heading into the stadium, but the rest of it has to do with the passion they have for the school they attend —like the school pride they felt in their first high school football pep rally.
Man did the Virginia Tech students not disappoint with their attendance and with their spirit.
I plunged into the world of college football just a week or two after I began my time as a freshman at Rutgers. I came in as a huge fan of the NFL but overlooked the NCAA version. Quickly, my interest in Rutgers football skyrocketed.
After journeying to Blacksburg last weekend to witness the Scarlet Knights halt the Hokies by a score of 26-23, I was able to witness the peak raucousness of some of the most passionate fans of the sport.
And I will never forget it.
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