If you’ve never taken a road trip to watch the Warhawks play, you should. For the last three years I have been able to go to at least one away football game.

My first trip was to Texas Christian University in 2011. After a small ticket mix-up, we had the privilege of gracing the Horned Frog student section with maroon and gold. Other than dodging Jack Daniels bottles and plastered fraternity members, it was a good time.

Last season I was one of the 30-40 students who traveled with the BCM to Little Rock, AZ. Even though we didn’t make it home in time for the Malone Stadium parking lot celebration, it was a night none of us who made the drive will ever forget.

We made the trip to Norman, OK this year. The trip included waking up at 5:30 a.m., riding in a cramped van for 10 hours, sleeping on a Texas church floor and a shower situation that was not ideal. It was worth it.

There’s something about raising your “talons” and chanting “Sun Belt” in a hostile stadium that is absolutely invigorating. Generally, I’ve found that the home team fans are more curious about our school than they are rude and impolite.

I would even go as far as to say that road games are in some cases, more fun than home games (especially when the Warhawks unexpectedly knock off a top 10 team). As a lifetime college football fan, I’ve seen so many traditions of other schools on television and on video games.

And after making these trips and seeing other student sections and fan bases, I have come to a conclusion about home games here in Malone stadium; we have almost no history or traditions. This is due in part to the fairly recent mascot change and the lack of prior football success.

For example, at Oklahoma they have a tradition where a student hangs upside down out of the back of a covered wagon being pulled at high speeds by horses, all while waving their school flag. They also shoot things all during the game. Every few minutes there was “bang.” For what reason you ask? Who knows?

At Arkansas, the crowd obnoxiously calls the hogs by chanting “whooo pig sooey.” They did this what seemed to be five million times.

I don’t want this to come off as if I’m bashing the school I attend, I along with several others, find it ridiculous that no one knows our Alma mater in the pregame festivities. Its usually like 20 people singing and everyone else is just staring at each other aimlessly humming to the tune.

I will say this; the “talons out” campaign seems to be an excellent beginning to creating traditions. Students, myself included, enjoy having a unifying symbol that joins together throughout a football game. Its time for us as the Warhawks student section to learn the Alma mater and fight song as these larger schools do.

If done, there is no doubt in my mind that Malone Stadium will soon be a road trip destination for our opposing fans.