From mascots to rituals: Every Big Ten school’s most iconic football traditions

College football is built on traditions, and nowhere is that history more evident than in the Big Ten Conference.

From century-old fight songs and legendary marching band performances to unforgettable stadium rituals, iconic mascots and new traditions stretching from coast to coast, every Big Ten game day offers customs that connect generations of fans and define Saturdays each fall.

Here’s a look at each Big Ten school’s most iconic customs and traditions:

Illinois

• Marching Illini “Three-In-One” marching performance at halftime of every home game
• Oskee Wow-Wow: The school’s fight song and rallying cry since the early 1900s
• ILL / INI chant: One half of Memorial Stadium yells “I-L-L,” and the other responds “I-N-I”

Indiana

• The Walk of players, coaches and the band outside Memorial Stadium
• “R-O-C-K in the U.S.A.”: The band honors Bloomington native John Mellencamp
• Players touch Hep’s Rock for strength and unity, honoring late coach Terry Hoeppner

Iowa

• The Hawkeye Wave to patients at the Stead Family Children’s Hospital
• The Tigerhawk Walk outside Kinnick Stadium
• “Swarm” entrance where players hold hands and jog slowly together onto the field

Maryland

• Terp Alley walk outside SECU Stadium
• Rubbing the nose of the Testudo (diamondback terrapin) statue for good luck
• Giant sections of the state flag drape over the student section before the game

Michigan

• Players leap to touch a 30-by-4-foot Go Blue banner as they take the field
• Student section leads 100,000 fans in a singalong to The Killers’ “Mr. Brightside”
• “The Victors” fight song, which blares after every Wolverine score

Michigan State

• Players and fans leave pennies on The Spartan statue outside the stadium for good luck
• “Go Green, Go White” stadium-wide chant, which echoes throughout each game
• Zeke the Wonder Dog, a Frisbee-catching labrador retriever who entertains the crowd

Minnesota

• “Minnesota Rouser” fight song written in 1909, with fans spelling out M-I-N-N-E-S-O-T-A
• Ski-U-Mah, a famous battle cry created in 1884 and shouted throughout the game
• “Row the Boat” mantra representing teamwork, sacrifice and relentless effort

Nebraska

• The Husker Legacy Walk outside Memorial Stadium
• The Tunnel Walk, a tradition since the mid-90s featuring a winding red carpet to the field
• The Cornhuskers have sold out more than 400 consecutive games at Memorial Stadium

Northwestern

• Fans growl and mimic a clawing cat with their hands to distract the opposing offense
• Push-ups matching the cumulative point total after every Wildcats touchdown
• Players rush to the student section to sing “Go U Northwestern” after victories

Ohio State

• Script Ohio, where the band (nicknamed TBDBITL) spells out “Ohio” in cursive
• Dotting the “I”: A senior sousaphone player dots the “i” in Ohio and takes a bow
• A pep rally and concert known as the Skull Session before every home game

Oregon

• The mascot leads the team onto the field while riding on the back of a motorcycle
• After the third quarter, the crowd sings “Shout” in honor of the movie “Animal House”
• Driven by its Nike partnership, Oregon has an almost endless combination of uniforms

Penn State

• The White Out, creating one of the loudest and most intimidating environments in sports
• “Zombie Nation” chant to “Kernkraft 400” where fans shout “We Are Penn State!”
• A drum major performs a running forward flip during the pregame performance

Purdue

• Boilermaker Special, a 19th-century steam locomotive replica that drives onto the field
• Fans shake their keys at kickoff to honor legendary Boilermaker Leroy Keyes
• Rallying cry: One person shouts “Boiler Up!” and the crowd responds with “Hammer Down!”

Rutgers

• The First Chant celebrating Rutgers as the birthplace of college football in 1869
• Since 1949, a replica artillery cannon is fired every time Rutgers scores a touchdown
• The Blackout Game, where fans swap the traditional scarlet red for black attire

UCLA

• Home games at the Rose Bowl, one of college football’s most picturesque stadiums
• The Bruin Walk outside the Rose Bowl Stadium
• The 8-Clap, featuring rhythmic clapping, fist-pumping and a loud “U-C-L-A” chant

USC

• Traveler, a white horse that gallops down the Trojans’ sideline after every touchdown
• The Spirit of Troy band rousing the crowd with “Fight On!” and “Conquest”
• Lighting the historic Olympic torch above Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum

Washington

• Fans tailgate on boats on Lake Washington, then sail to docks outside Husky Stadium
• A vintage World War II-era siren blasts when the team takes the field and after scores
• Dubs II, an Alaskan Malamute who leads the team onto the field

Wisconsin

• House of Pain’s “Jump Around” plays and 80,000 fans jump in unison at Camp Randall
• The Fifth Quarter band postgame concert as fans stay in the stands to dance and sing
• Singing “Build Me Up Buttercup” by The Foundations during a late-game stoppage

READ MORE: From fight songs to mascots: Every ACC school’s most iconic football traditions

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Mike Garbett is a content specialist working with McClatchy’s Content Innovation Lab.