Gameday on the Plains is defined by tradition. Tailgating, Tiger Walk, the War Eagle's flight and rolling Toomer's Corner are but a few of the practices Auburn fans hold most dear.
But some gameday customs are a little less widely known or followed. Nevertheless, they are an integral part of the festivities for those who hold to them.
"I only use the same shaker while we win," said Lauren Goetsch, senior in international business. "I've had the same one since the first game of last year."
Personal traditions surrounding shakers are a popular choice.
"At my house we have all these different shakers. My mother has shakers that are 30 years old," said Ashley Wallace, junior in German and international trade. "We call them the holies of holies, and they cannot mix with the commoner shakers. Certain shakers can only be broken out during extreme circumstances."
Wallace said special shakers might be used during overtime, and other shakers are thrown away if too many negative things happen during a game.
Some traditions are carried on by large groups, like the Auburn University Marching Band tuba section's tradition of stealing the trombone section's spirit stick.
"Every gameday, the trombones bring a spirit stick to practice," said Mason Chandler, first-year veterinary school student and tuba player.
The orange-and-blue stick topped with an Incredible Hulk action figure is the coveted prize, Chandler said.
"They try to hide it from us, but every game except one game last year, we took it."
Another tuba tradition involves a miniature pep rally of sorts under the stadium, or "the tuba speech" as it is referred to.
"We get in as close as we can ... and then the speaker runs and then jumps in the middle of us," Chandler said. The practice involves jumping up and down with thumbs up, as well as a rendition of "Glory to Ole Auburn"--improvising their own lyrics of "Glory, glory to the tubas."
"It's so hard to add to the festivities of the day," Chandler said. "That's just a way to do it."
While some might see such rituals or traditions as conflicting with religion, Wallace found a way to mix the two for one of her traditions.
"I care about Judaism; I find it interesting," Wallace said. Wallace used the menorah her mother bought her to celebrate Hanukkah when everything else seemed to fail during one Auburn game.
"We were watching the Championship ... Oregon was winning," Wallace recalled. "I had done pretty much everything. I had got my lucky socks on, my lucky jersey, did my hair the way I had done it all year, had my holy shaker--I mean, we had everything out that we possibly owned that could have been any kind of superstitious good for Auburn."
But as the team continued to lose, Wallace decided to put the menorah, which she described as having "good ju-ju," on top of the TV.
"The game just starts to turn around, and we start to win," Wallace said. "It's my lucky menorah now. I always--if I have to watch anything about Auburn on TV--I'm always going to keep it near me in case I need it."
It's important for fans to relieve the tension and get pumped up before a game, but it's even more so for the players.
For Chad Slade, offensive lineman and freshman in liberal arts, a call home to Mom is the best way to start the game.
"She tells me a quick prayer and just tells me everything is going to be all right," Slade said. "From now on, it's going to start being a gameday ritual."
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