The 10 Commandments of USC Football
Because here, football is a religion
Football is one of the greatest and most important traditions at USC. It’s how the USC community comes together and bonds over their combined love for the school and love for football.
You don’t need to go to USC to know when it’s gameday. All you need to do is take a walk down Trousdale. Campus is covered in cardinal and gold as far as the eye can see. The scent of barbecue mixed with Corona and Natty lights wafts through the open air. And like every day in California, the sun beats down it’s radiance on the festivities.
There’s a list of 10 commandments you must follow as a USC football fan. Of course, there are many more rules you need to follow to perform gameday properly but without any commandments, USC football isn’t the same.
Thou shalt remain victorious over UCLA
UCLA will always be our biggest rival. It’s more than a simple cross town rivalry, it’s a way of life.
USC football fans will always root against UCLA, whether or not we’re playing against them. To break that commandment is to lose part of your soul.
Thou shalt attend conquest, especially for the bonfire
Conquest has become a USC tradition. The first time we play UCLA in the season, there is a huge pep rally in McCarthy quad, filled with performances from the song girls and the Trojan Marching Band with an appearance of the USC football team.
Either be there or be square.
Thou shalt support USC football in victory or in defeat
Our first game of the season came as a horrifying loss to Alabama.
We don’t need to remember the score. As any football team there will be ups and downs, but the important thing is to never lose faith.
Thou shalt memorize the fight song
The fight song is the embodiment of all things USC.
The Trojan March Band will play this song multiple times during the game, and it’s your job to scream the lyrics out as loud as possible.
Thou shalt tailgate whenever or wherever the game is
Our last home game against Utah State started at 11 a.m., so the tailgates started at 7 a.m.
Tailgating is an extension of the game, and must be taken with the same seriousness as the football game itself.
Thou shalt attend every home football game
Any USC fan should know this commandment as it is the most obvious one.
You better have a good excuse if you miss the game.
Thou shalt know Adoree’ Jackson and Juju Smith-Schuster
Arguably our two best players on the defensive on offensive side respectively, Jackson and Smith-Schuster form the backbone of our talent — whether it’s Jackson’s pick six, or Smith-Schuster’s acrobatic catch. They’re the bane of our opposing team’s existence.
Watch them, one of them will be in the end zone before you can say either of their names.
Thou shalt support the Trojan Marching Band, the twelfth man
If you are an avid USC fan you should at least know we would not be the same without the Trojan Marching Band. You will always hear their presence whether you are walking to class or watching the game in the Coliseum.
They’re integral to the football team’s success.
Thou shalt know the history of USC Football
USC has a rich history of football since the team formed in 1888. For those of you who can’t do the math that’s 128 years ago. In that time we’ve had a lot of success, so if we are having a bad game know it has gotten better and it will get better.
Thou shalt attend the weekender
Whether we play Cal or Stanford, it’s important to at least once in your life you make the trek up to the Bay Area to support our team.
Everyone who has gone says it’s worth it.
When you are preparing for the game against Stanford tomorrow, keep all of these commandments in mind. Whether you stay in Los Angeles or make the drive up to Stanford, you should follow these commandments without any excuse.