At the University of Michigan, a football Saturday can feel like something bigger than a game.
It’s the sheer scale of a game day in Ann Arbor, with more than 100,000 fans descending on campus dressed in maize and blue.
It’s the traditions that have been passed down from one generation to the next, connecting today’s Wolverines with the players and fans who came before them.
And then there’s the Big House itself.
From the moment the band begins playing to the final notes of “The Victors,” game day at Michigan Stadium is filled with sights and sounds that are unique to the Wolverines.
For first-time visitors, it can be a lot to take in. Where else can you watch players touch a banner on their way into the stadium, hear one of college football’s most recognizable fight songs and join 110,000 fans singing along to an early 2000s song by The Killers?
Whether you’re a lifelong Wolverine or making your first trip to Ann Arbor, here are five experiences that belong on every Michigan football fan’s bucket list:
Watch players touch the Go Blue banner
The tradition dates to 1962, when Michigan players first ran beneath a banner held by M Club members for inspiration. Today, as the Wolverines charge through the tunnel and leap to touch the Go Blue: M Club Supports You banner, it connects generations of players and fans.
Hear ‘The Victors’
The Wolverines’ iconic fight song has echoed through generations. Listen to the marching band thunder through the parking lots and head toward the stadium as it plays the legendary fight song that defines the spirit of the winningest program in college football history.
Sing ‘Mr. Brightside’
Nothing captures the spirit of game day in Ann Arbor like 110,000 fans belting out The Killers’ “Mr. Brightside” at the end of the third quarter. The tradition took hold during a rainy 2017 game against Michigan State and is now an unmistakable part of fall Saturdays at the Big House.
Maize Out game
Few sights in college football are more striking than Michigan Stadium during a Maize Out, when over 100,000 fans wearing maize transform the Big House into a sea of the Wolverines’ signature color. This season’s Maize Out game was Sept. 12 against Oklahoma.
Rivalry Saturday
Witness the unmatched tension when the Wolverines welcome either Michigan State or Ohio State to the Big House. And, if you’re up for it, add a trip to either Spartan Stadium or the Horseshoe (or both!) to see the rivalry in two of the the sport’s fiercest atmospheres.
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Mike Garbett is a content specialist working with McClatchy’s Content Innovation Lab.