Although The University of Alabama’s campus can sometimes be characterized as a sea of crimson, student sports fans of other schools sometimes represent the orange or purple that seems oddly out of place.
Abby Rose, a sophomore majoring in nursing, said she may attend the University, but at heart she is an Auburn University fan.
“I was born and raised an Auburn Tiger,” Rose said. “I grew up going to the games every Saturday cheering for Auburn.”
However, Rose will not be seen wearing orange and navy on campus.
“I do not wear Auburn clothing or colors around campus,” she said. “That’s a big mistake.”
Rose went to Auburn her freshman year, and transferred to the Capstone this year to pursue a degree in nursing. She said she has learned to cheer for both teams win or lose, but in terms of the Iron Bowl she has not decided who she will be routing for.
“I have been to more Alabama games in the past two years than Auburn games, so I could say I’ve been somewhat swayed,” Rose said. “I will say ‘Roll Tide’.”
Some students’ allegiances spread to schools outside of the state. Tyler Elmore, a freshman majoring in general business, wears orange and blue combined with a little hand-motion – the gator-chomp.
Elmore became a fan of the University of Florida when coach Urban Meyer came to the Gators from the University of Utah.
“Every year since then I have pulled for them through the good times and the bad,” he said.
Elmore was raised in Alabama in a family of Crimson Tide fans, so he said he only had a few choices when it came to where he would attend school. He said he chose the Capstone because of the in-state tuition option and because he had friends already in Tuscaloosa.
Despite living in Tuscaloosa, Elmore’s loyalties remain the same.
“In no way have I been swayed or thought about becoming an Alabama fan,” he said. “I have said ‘Roll Tide’ a few times and I respect the University of Alabama, but I will always be a Gator no matter what.”
Ann Woodyard, assistant professor of consumer sciences, earned her bachelor’s and doctoral degrees from Kansas State University, and said her mom raised her to be a Wildcat fan. Woodyard has season tickets for Kansas State football games.
“I’ll always be a K-State fan,” Woodyard said. “I tell people it’s in my DNA. A lot of Alabama fans respect that.”
Woodyard said this season has been particularly interesting for her as Alabama and Kansas State are both in contention for the national championship.
“I don’t want to have to make a choice at the end of the season, yet I don’t want either of my teams to lose,” Woodyard said. “I love my job, but I want to be able to go home to my mom’s for Christmas.”
Woodyard said she has enjoyed her time at the University and agrees that Tuscaloosa is a pretty good place to be a sports fan, but she will always be a Wildcat.
“I’ve thoroughly enjoyed being a fan of The University of Alabama for the two national championships,” Woodyard said, “but it’s incredibly exciting to think that the team I cheered for with my family as a little girl, where I have had season tickets for 20 years also has a chance at that level of success.”
