A Deep Look At Northwestern's Game Day Traditions

Northwestern Athletics has a very rich history of game day traditions, some common and others...not so much.

From the moment you step foot on Northwestern's campus in beautiful Evanston, you can feel a palpable buzz in the air. You look around and can see that the students, faculty, and everyone in between bleed purple and white. While rich in academics, there is by no means a shortage of school spirit and lack of tradition amongst the Wildcat faithful. 

One of the most popular traditions within the Northwestern Athletics family and student body is the "Walk With Us" send off, where fans line up hours before kickoff to cheer and wish their beloved Wildcats the best of luck on their way to victory. 

The tradition started shortly after the late Randy Walker's tragic passing, when Northwestern honored him by naming the road northwest of Ryan Field “Walker Way.” Walker, who coached the Wildcats on the gridiron from 1999-2005, was able to bring a renewed sense of energy and excitement to the fan base during his tenure that has continued even after his passing. 

"Walker Way" is where the fans line up and where the NUMB (Northwestern University "Wildcat" Marching Band) forms a tunnel playing the fight song for the players and coaches as they arrive to the stadium.

The NUMB plays a large role across all Northwestern Athletics and is one of the oldest marching bands in the country. The band was originally founded in 1911 to play at football games but had to disband shortly after. However, in 1926 the band was fully revived and became a permanent fixture amongst the fan base and student body.

Whether performing the "Old Plus-Four Drill" to the tune of "March of the Steelmen" while making the NU monogram on the 50 yard line or going full a cappella while singing the University Hymn (Alma Mater), the NUMB is a sight (and sound) to behold.

John P. Paynter was the director of bands at Northwestern University from 1953 until his death in 1996 / Northshore Band on Twitter (@northshoreband)

Not only does the NUMB jam out on the football field, but it is also known to electrify the crowd at Welsh-Ryan Arena. The band performs at halftime on the court and in the crowd throughout the actual game!

The WildCat Dash is another fun tradition where the Northwestern freshmen are given the opportunity to lead the team out of the tunnel and on to the field in their Big Ten home opener. 

Freshmen students are leading the charge as they run out with the football team at Ryan Field / Northwestern University

While college fanbases across the country all have their own special traditions, specifically in regards to leading up to kickoff, the Northwestern fans bring a twist of their own, called Keys at Kickoff. Right before the ball is kicked and the game begins, Northwestern students reach in their pockets and take out their keys. They then hold them in the air and rattle them as loud as they can. Before you know it, there are thousands of keys bouncing around at Ryan Field rocking the stadium. It makes for quite the atmosphere.

Daily Northwestern

Lake The Posts was a tradition unlike any other. Starting back in 1982, students would storm the field after a big victory and literally tear the goal posts down. The students would then carry the goalposts down Central Street and toss them into Lake Michigan, hence the name "Lake the Posts". Sadly, this tradition no longer exists as it became quite dangerous. The more the Wildcats started to win, the more of a pain it became for the school to replace the goal posts so frequently. Alas, this tradition will never die in the history books at least.

From Ryan Field to Welsh-Ryan Arena and everywhere in between, the Northwestern faithful will be there in numbers cheering on and supporting their Wildcats, carrying on the traditions of the past while maybe even forming new ones of their own and for the generations to come.

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