What differentiates college football from the National Football League? Is it the vast array of trick plays that are prevalent in college and will never see the light of day in the NFL? Sure. Could it also be plethora of teams and the importance that is placed on every single game of the regular season? Absolutely.
However, the one thing that truly separates the collegiate football game from the NFL, more than anything else, is the student section. There is no equivalent in the professional game to 6,000 screaming college students all packed together like sardines, screaming and living and dying by every converted third and seven.
What the student section represents is the most unadulterated form of fandom. This section is not rooting for professional players who they have no connection with — they are cheering on their peers, fellow students who are enrolled in the same educational institution they are. The connection that the student population shares with student athletes at any Division I school is a unique one, and as such, the dedication level of the fans is truly something special.
Autzen Stadium, the home of the Oregon Ducks football team, is constantly heralded as one of the loudest and most raucous environments in the nation. There are many reasons for this but one reason that stands at the forefront is the student section. Within the student section, there in particular is one group of students that lead the charge and act as the “face” of the student section; these are the students of Section Eight.
After spending two years in the Oregon Marching Band, Kevin Wade could not help but notice the students donning face paint and leading the chants in Section Eight at home games in Autzen Stadium.
“I saw all the kids having fun down at the front row of the student section,” Wade said. “So I was like … ‘I want to be with them’”
From there he was hooked, and showing up at the gates of Autzen Stadium seven ours before kickoff became the norm for his fall Saturdays. He even went so far as to spend the night in front of the stadium with a few friends in preparation for the monumental matchup against USC two years ago.
While this behavior might seem excessive to some, it is this dedication to the Oregon football team that truly makes Autzen Stadium one of the most feared venues in the entire nation.
Wade is not alone in his dedication either. Several other students join him on these autumn Saturday mornings to wait to see their team play.
University student and Pit Crew member Andrew Stephens has joined Wade and other students on these early morning stakeouts and spoke of the steps it took to ensure a front row seat to the game.
“We camp right outside the south entrance, the student entrance,” said Stephens. “We hang out there for four hours and put on all our stuff as CMS lets us in. Everyone springs to the top of the north ramp and we hang out there for another hour and then at the 90-minute mark before kickoff, they let all the students sprint down into their section and it’s just the ultimate mad dash of students.”
This frantic dash from the top of Autzen into the student section has resulted in scrapes, bruises and at times even broken bones for the students participating. So why wait outside in the elements all day and risk bodily injury just for a good seat to a football game?
“Memories. That and just being around a great group of people … It’s a lot of fun,” said Stephens.
DuckSeason is the Emerald’s yearly football magazine for the upcoming season. This story has been republished from the magazine.