Traditions of the ACC

The Atlantic Coast Conference (the “ACC”), which was established in 1953 and now has teams from Miami to Boston, has a rich history loaded with tradition and students and alumni that delve deep into their faithfulness to their school, and in some cases exude craziness. Below are some of the ACC’s most notable, and one of their kind traditions that give us a glimpse into the true meaning of school spirit throughout the ACC.

At every home game, the Virginia Tech Hokies football team storms out onto the field to Metallica’s “Enter Sandman.” Since 2000, this hype song has become the Saturday anthem in Blacksburg, Virginia! Fans, the band, and the team itself can be seen jumping up and down in unison to the beat of the music. It’s enough to give any proud Hokie goosebumps, and enough to send shivers down the spines of their opponents!

The Notre Dame Bagpipe Band are the official pipers of the Fighting Irish! On home-game Saturdays, the Bagpipe Band will play their rendition of “Scotland the Brave” as the players walk to the Knute Rockne Gate of Notre Dame Stadium. This has become the battle hymn of the team, and a tradition that truly takes root in the school’s origin. Go Irish!

The “Cameron Crazies” is the name given to the student section in Cameron Indoor Stadium—home of the Duke Blue Devils men’s and women’s basketball teams. This section of spectators is known for being cleverly comical in their efforts to humiliate Blue Devil’s opponents. “Dirt sheets” are handed out prior to the game and are filled with embarrassing information about the opposing team’s players, including run-ins with the law and academic mishaps.

Chief Osceola and Renegade are the Florida State University Seminole’s official, and unique team mascots. Osceola was a historic Seminole leader, and Renegade, his trusty steed. Dressed in traditional Native-American themed wardrobe, designed and approved by the Seminole Tribe of Florida, Osceola rides Renegade bareback carrying a feathered spear. Each game begins with Osceola charging Renegade to midfield and launching a flaming spear into the ground!

Rameses is a Dorset Horn sheep that makes an appearance at the University of North Carolina Tar Heels’ football games as their LIVE mascot! This blue horned mascot made its first appearance at a pep rally in 1924, and there have been 22 Rameses since. On a typical gameday, Rameses leaves his fellow rams behind in the field and pasture he lives in during the week. He gets all cleaned up and dressed in his Tar Heel Blue before heading over for the day’s festivities. After a long day of entertaining football fans, Rameses favorite snack is the bushes that line the football field of Kenan Memorial Stadium.

Touchdown Tommy is a cannon kept by the University of Miami’s Sigma Chi Fraternity that is fired each time the Hurricanes score in Hard Rock Stadium. The cannon firing tradition began with Touchdown Tommy’s predecessor, Lil’ Joe. From the initial run out of the tunnel, to the end of a hard-earned victory, and every touchdown in between—Tommy lets out the shot heard around Coral Gables!