The Top 5 Wildest SEC Fan Traditions

The SEC "just means more"—more winning that is. Our beloved conference boasts more than 200 national championships across two dozen sports. We're not just good at football in the South; we're also good at basketball, baseball, golf, tennis, track and field, cross-country, swimming, boxing…you get the idea. And the fans are as passionate as the athletes. From our cars to our customs, everything is bigger in the South and that includes college sports fandom. Here are five of our favorite fan traditions in the SEC.

Calling the Hogs at Arkansas

According to legend and folklore, the calling of the Hogs tradition at the University of Arkansas began during a football game. The Razorbacks were losing and someone began chanting "woo," which is a way to herd hogs, "pig," which is a reference to wild boars the Razorbacks are named after, and "sooie!," which is a pig call. The fan was trying to support and lift morale for the team. This chant caught on, becoming a gameday tradition and communal fan greeting. The hog call is now one of the most recognizable chants in sports.

Uga in Georgia

Named after the University of Georgia in abbreviated form (UGA), Uga is not only the official mascot for the Bulldogs but also a "bone"-a-fide Southern celebrity. In 1956, the Seiler family received the original Uga as a wedding present and brought him to Georgia's first home game of the season. The head coach requested to use him as the official mascot, and Uga and his direct descendants have been on the sideline ever since. Fans flock to see Uga in his custom jersey on game day. He even travels with the team to away games and other team appearances. Uga X continues to represent the Georgia Bulldogs and is the cutest team member on the field.

Rolling Toomer's Corner

Auburn fans have a unique way of celebrating a big win for the Tigers. Fans head down to the intersection of College and Magnolia and toilet paper the commanding oak trees. This tradition started at Toomer's Drugs back when it had the only telegraph machine in town. When employees received news of an Auburn victory at an away game, they would throw the telegraph ticker tape out onto the power lines. It is said the fans switched to throwing toilet paper out on the street and into the trees in the 1970s after a player announced they were going to "beat the number two out of Alabama." After that win, the tradition of rolling the trees in celebration was born and continues to this day.

Reveille

When it comes to unusual SEC traditions, Texas A&M could have several entries on this list. We're giving this entry to A&M's mascot Reveille, known as the First Lady of Aggieland. Reveille used to roam campus unbothered until 1965 when the university decided the collie should be cared for by a sophomore cadet the entire school year. To this day, the chosen cadet must live with and attend classes with the dog and take her everywhere they go, even on dates. Because Miss Rev is the highest-ranking cadet in College Station, tradition says that if she barks during one of her caretaker's classes, it means she's bored and class should be dismissed immediately.

The Grove

Sophistication is the name of the game in Oxford. No one tailgates better than Ole Miss. Prep begins the night before home football games when fans take out their favorite spots in The Grove. No vehicles are allowed in this sacred ten-acres of green grass and oak tree. Fans set up tents with elaborate spreads that include fine food, cocktails, linen tablecloths, chandeliers and satellite TVs. For Ole Miss students, the Walk of Champions is their runway. Undergraduate women have been known to don stilettos, fine jewelry, and the latest fashions while the men can be found in collared shirts, blazers, and bow ties. As far as traditions go, tailgating beneath the twinkling chandelier light on a beautiful Mississippi evening cannot be missed.