Tears in the Stands: College Football’s Pageantry Through the Eyes of the Fans

Every Saturday, we scream, cuss, and ride the highs and lows of this silly sport. But sometimes college football does something different. It stops us cold, pulls at the gut, and leaves us wiping our eyes like we just got dusted by a leaf blower. A thread on r/CFB this week captured exactly that feeling, and it was one of the most raw, heartfelt looks at what this game means to people.

Memories That Never Leave

One Clemson fan told a story passed down from his grandfather. The Tigers had just run down the hill, the band was blaring “Tiger Rag,” and his friend started crying. “If heaven is any more beautiful, I don’t think I’ll be able to stand it.” No booze in the system, just pure awe.

Another fan remembered waking up his freshman year, opening the blinds, and seeing a sea of tents and grills outside his dorm. The air was crisp, the smell of tailgating in the breeze. “You just felt the anticipation. Was a total vibe I had never experienced before and probably won’t again.”

Healing Through Football

Some stories were heavier. Virginia Tech fans recalled the first game after the shooting in 2007. Balloons for the victims, both teams running out together to Enter Sandman, tears everywhere. “Definitely moved to tears,” one Alabama fan added, remembering being there with his brother who was a student at the time.

Nebraska fans remembered the Sam Foltz tribute. The Huskers lined up without a punter, took a delay of game, and Fresno State declined the penalty. “I openly sobbed and I’m not afraid to admit it.” Marshall fans talked about the annual memorial game for the 1970 plane crash that killed the team, staff, and boosters. The tributes still leave chills decades later.

Traditions That Hit the Heart

Pageantry itself can do it. At Iowa, 70,000 fans waving to the children watching from the hospital windows across the street. At Auburn, the eagle soaring overhead while the crowd roars. At Kentucky, “My Old Kentucky Home” sung before kickoff. One Mizzou fan admitted he tears up when the band plays “Alma Mater” at Faurot Field because he never knows how many more times he’ll get to hear it.

And then there’s the Rose Bowl. Fans from Ohio State, Michigan, and countless others said just walking into that stadium on New Year’s Day brought them to tears. One fan said, “You feel part of something bigger. All the millions of Buckeyes have dreamed of this moment, and now it’s your little slice of time to soak it in.”

Family Ties That Make It Hurt

Many posts came back to family. A Tennessee fan cried during the 2022 win over Alabama, thinking about his grandfather who got him into the Vols but never lived to see that day. An LSU fan said his dad promised they’d go to a game in Tiger Stadium together, but he passed before they could. He still went, sat in the upper deck during an upset, and bawled as the crowd stormed the field.

One Ohio State fan remembered bringing his elderly dad to the Sugar Bowl against Bama. When Ezekiel Elliott broke the 80-yard touchdown run, the old man cried and the whole family embraced. Another fan said he still gets misty every time he takes his son to Penn State games, knowing his boy is building his own set of football memories.

The Lighter Side

Of course, it wouldn’t be college football without some comedy. One Gamecock admitted he cried when he dropped his hot dog. Another fan tripped on shrooms at the Iron Bowl and wept at the beauty of CBS drone shots of a sunset. Nebraska’s hot dog Gatling gun, the Wiener Schlinger, made a guy cry tears of joy when he caught one. And Tennessee fans? Some said they cry every season, sometimes even when they aren’t losing.

The Final Word

This thread wasn’t about stats, spreads, or betting slips. It was about people. Families, memories, songs, traditions, heartbreak, and joy. From a wave at a children’s hospital to a band’s alma mater to a simple hot dog, fans opened their hearts and admitted what we all know deep down. College football isn’t just a game. It’s a theater of life, love, and loss, packaged into Saturdays that we’ll carry with us forever.

The fans told it best. Sometimes you laugh until you cry, sometimes you just cry. Either way, it’s the beauty of this sport.