Fansided

Ranking the 10 best college football fight songs

By Phil Poling

12 November 2016: USC quarterback #14 Sam Danold leads the Trojan band in a song after the game against Washington. USC defeated Washington 36-13 at Husky Stadium on November 12, 2016, in Seattle, WA. (Photo by Jesse Beals/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
12 November 2016: USC quarterback #14 Sam Danold leads the Trojan band in a song after the game against Washington. USC defeated Washington 36-13 at Husky Stadium on November 12, 2016, in Seattle, WA. (Photo by Jesse Beals/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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COLUMBIA, SC – OCTOBER 27: Tennessee Volunteers band plays during the college football game between the Tennessee Volunteers and the South Carolina Gamecocks on October 27, 2018, at Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia, SC. (Photo by Andy Lewis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
COLUMBIA, SC – OCTOBER 27: Tennessee Volunteers band plays during the college football game between the Tennessee Volunteers and the South Carolina Gamecocks on October 27, 2018, at Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia, SC. (Photo by Andy Lewis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

No. 3: Tennessee Volunteers

While, “Down the Field,” is the official Tennessee Volunteer fight song, “Rocky Top,” is the tune every fan pines for. And it’s been played at every Volunteer game since 1972; Boudleaux and Felice Bryant wrote the bluegrass hit in 1967.

The Volunteer band, the “Pride of the Southland Band,” first played the song at halftime in 1972 against Alabama. It likely would’ve stayed that way – just a halftime tune – had the fans not loved the song. Long-time band director W.J. Julian said, “not playing it [Rocky Top] would cause a mutiny among Vol fans.”

It rivals the West Virginia anthem, “Country’s Roads,” but WVU’s fight song, “Hail, West Virginia,” can hold it’s own. “Down the Field,” doesn’t quite exude that same feeling. And although it just escaped Top 2 status – Rocky Top, you’ll always be, h-. Ah, I can’t do it.

“Rocky Top, you’ll always be
Home sweet home to me
Good ol’ Rocky Top
Rocky Top, Tennessee”

This is a beloved song by not just UT fans, but fans of music in general. Plus, people like songs with names in them. It gives them something to cling to. And a good ol’ place like Rocky Top Tennessee? Well who could dislike that?