University OF South Florida AND University OF Central Florida

The Bulls and Knights, relative infants in the history of college football, don’t have the long, historical evolutions to have built natural traditions, so it’s important to simply create them. At USF and UCF, the effort to mold time-honored traditions is certainly being fast-tracked and identities are being shaped.

TRADITION: Stampeding Herd of Thunder

What is it? Whereas most marching bands take the field in uniform, regimental columns with precise stepping as in a parade, the USF band takes an opposite queue. True to their nomenclature, the USF Herd of Thunder races onto the field like a pack of wild animals, whooping and hollering along the way.

TRADITION: UCF War Chant

What is it? Seems like a blatant rip-off of FSU’s war chant and chop. In UCF’s version, the fans don’t motion the arm forward, but to the side. The scene looks like 30,000 people all trying to hail a cab or wipe mud off a windshield. The chant sounds eerily similar to FSU’s but with a few variances in range and staccato. Don’t worry, UCF has many years to perfect this and create something that an actual knight might perform. How about something along the lines of a jousting ritual?

TRADITION: Go Bulls Hand Signal

What is it? USF’s foray into hand shadow puppetry looks no different than Texas’ ‘Hook ‘Em Horns.’ The gesture is just one digit removed from the ‘Hang Loose’ sign or ‘I love you’ in sign language. The gesture is meant to resemble bull horns with pinky and forefinger extended. Heavy metal concerts must be full of Bulls fans as the gesture is unceasingly flashed by patrons.