I have been a Mississippi State University football fan since birth. Former head football coach Sylvester Croom held me when I was four weeks old, and I attended my first MSU football game at four months old — although I slept through most of it.
Something I cannot stand is the bad-mouthing of teams and fans. Sports are meant to be enjoyed and loved. It is alright if you do not like certain teams, but putting down on others is unnecessary. Cheer for your team, and have a good time.
Based on my interactions with fans, these are my top six most notable Southeastern Conference football atmospheres.
Mississippi State University
This is obviously a biased ranking, but the fans at MSU and the campus have been my home away from home. MSU fans fill the stadium no matter the conditions, whether first in the nation or last, and that is the definition of a true fan. MSU is ranked first for atmosphere because we are not bandwagon fans, which reflects the university’s authentic atmosphere as a whole. We are a family and welcoming to all.
University of Kentucky
Kentucky is ranked second based on my experience with YouTuber and Wildcats fan Gerry Brooks. Brooks is a principal at an elementary school in Lexington. He has been an administrator for 12 years. Brooks makes videos about his experiences as a principal, each video has its own sense of humor. He is also the author of the book “Go See the Principal: True Tales from the School Trenches.” I think Kentucky’s school atmosphere is a bit like listening to one of Brooks’ videos — fun and outspoken.
University of Tennessee
Tennessee fans seem like fun people to hang out with, which makes me think the atmosphere would be fun and uplifting. The only problem I have with the UT atmosphere is “Rocky Top.” That song is too easy to get stuck in your head. It only needs to be played once, and then the whole stadium will know it by heart. Who am I kidding? The entire nation will.
University of Alabama
I have never met an Alabama fan who knows how to take a loss, so I think that puts the team at a disadvantage and strains the university’s atmosphere. Many fans are just along for the ride of being number one in the nation, but when they are not doing well, it is a different story.
However, something hard to forget about Alabama is the support they offered in 2010 over the late MSU football player and Alabama native, Nick Bell. He passed away unexpectedly from a brain tumor. In this shared grief, the game between the Crimson Tide and Bulldogs was dedicated to Bell with a moment of silence before the team beat us 30-10. The sincerity shown by the players and fans softened previously hardened hearts toward them.
Louisiana State University
Considering I grew up just over 1 hour from Baton Rouge, I have many LSU friends. That said, I also know LSU fans whom I do not consider friends. This university’s atmosphere is defined by those people. I do not want to find myself in the LSU environment very often, if ever. The atmosphere is rowdy, trashy and overbearing. If the team is losing, it can be uncomfortable. If they are winning, it tends to be even worse.
Auburn University
I have not had any good experience with Auburn. The experiences I have had with Auburn were insulting and frankly scary. The fans tend to be insulting and vulgar, even after a win, which you would think is when they would be happy. I do not feel that the atmosphere this behavior produces should be allowed or celebrated. It can hurt morale and much, much more.
There are many more teams that I would love to mention and rank, such as the University of Florida and the University of Mississippi, but I would not want to hurt anyone’s feelings, especially the terrifyingly committed Ole Miss fans. And I have nothing against Florida, except for their choice of coaches. I think it is safe to guess which one I am speaking of.