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Weekly Editor's Blog: You've Gotta Believe!

By the time the fourth quarter rolled around at muggy, rain-soaked Jordan-Hare last Saturday night, the atmosphere inside the stadium had grown quite tense. Auburn was trailing Kansas State 13-9 in its season opener, and the offense seemed incapable of scoring a touchdown.

That’s when it happened.

A sprightly orange-and-blue clad fan in Section 15 stood up and began to yell at his fellow Tiger supporters. “You’ve gotta believe!” he implored, arms wide, palms turned toward the sky. “You’ve gotta believe!”

After every series of downs, he continued his tirade. To his delight, Auburn went on to win the game 23-13, scoring twice in a span of 50 seconds late in the game. But this optimistic fan sums up the thing I love most about the kickoff of college football season. Everybody believes!

Need proof? Ask the boys who play for Appalachian State. This obscure little David rolled into Michigan’s Big House and felled the Big Ten’s Goliath, all because they believed they could. Arkansas State gave mighty Texas a run for its money, while Georgia Tech’s Rambling Wreck hung 33 points on Notre Dame, avenging last year’s opening loss.

Still, the most moving display of hope and optimism came during pregame festivities at Virginia Tech. Both the Hokies and the East Carolina Pirates honored those slain in last spring’s brutal massacre. The event proved a healing balm for students, faculty, staff, and the entire Tech community. What’s more, it showed what college football can be—no, what it ought to be.

View last week's blog.