“When I travel and I’ll be wearing some Tennessee merch, I’ll always get a ‘go Vols!’” said Connor Hopkins, a sophomore at UT.
Hopkins traveled to Athens, Georgia, last fall to attend the University of Tennessee at the University of Georgia football game.
There are various reasons why students choose to travel for large-scale games. Many say that they have other friends who go to these schools, and it is a great chance to visit them.
“I’m actually from Atlanta,” Hopkins said. “A lot of my buddies went to UGA, so it was a good opportunity for me to catch up with those people that I haven’t seen in a little bit.”
Students are also interested in seeing the different traditions, inside and outside of the game, that each school has to offer.
“I wanted to experience other SEC schools, and see their environment, and their traditions,” said Courtney Harvey, a freshman at UT.
Courtney attended the Tennessee at Mississippi State University game this season with some of her friends. While she expected to enjoy herself with other UT Students, she experienced much more than that.
“Their cowbells are something I think everyone should experience,” Harvey said. “It was just insane to be in the stadium during that.”
Similar to Rocky Top here in Tennessee, Mississippi State has cowbells they ring at every home sports game. It is a sign of good luck and a long-standing tradition for the Bulldogs.
Emmie Lindros, a sophomore from Georgia, attended the Tennessee at Georgia game last season and said similar things about experiencing unique traditions outside of Neyland Stadium.
“It was really cool to go with my friends and see what was normal for them and go to their tailgate spots,” Lindros said.
While there might be some bad blood between the two teams, SEC football games have a certain culture that comes along with them. Many say that the Southern hospitality and charm are still felt on rivalry grounds.
“For the most part, I feel like I was treated pretty nice when I was with my UGA friends,” Lindros said. “We were in an older section, so a lot of them were kind about it.”
While this might be true, Hopkins explained how he had a strange experience while wearing UT orange at UGA.
“I definitely got barked at a lot,” Hopkins said
Harvey is only one of the many Vols fans who travel to away games. Seeing a longstanding community no matter where you go is a comfort for most.
“The Volunteer spirit was definitely there,” Harvey said. “I feel like it’s everywhere you go, whenever you see someone else in Tennessee, you’re always like, oh ‘go Vols!’”
It was comforting to Harvey to know that no matter where she goes, there is always a Volunteer community present if she needs it.
