Catch the fever

Third in a series

The allure of the NFL never appealed to Bobby Bowden and Terry Bowden.

For the father and son, one a legendary coach at Florida State and the other back on the sideline coaching the top-ranked team in Division II, they already have reached the mountaintop of the coaching profession.

In the South, football doesn't get any better, or bigger, than the college game. "People always wanted to know why we never went to that top level," Terry Bowden said. "Well, to us, the NFL was never the top level. In the South the biggest honor you can have is coaching on Saturdays.

"Growing up in Alabama, there were no pro games to go to on Sundays. You grew up going to college games and your heroes were college football players."

Football in the South is Bear Bryant, Neyland Stadium, Tiger Walk, the Heisman Trophy, marching bands, The Swamp, fight songs, tailgating, ESPN Gameday, bowl games, Division II playoff games, Larry Munson, Tiger Stadium, The Iron Bowl and much, much more.

Sure, the NFL has the best players in the game. Still, in the opinion of many die-hard fans, the NFL doesn't come close to matching the electric atmosphere of most college games.

"I've lived all over the country, but football is much bigger in the South," said Phillip Huntley, of Iron City, Tenn., as he enjoyed tailgating before a recent North Alabama game at Braly Stadium. "It's almost like a religion here, which is the way it should be. I guess we're just more intelligent in the South."

The quality of college football in the South is second to none. The Southeastern Conference has produced three consecutive national champions and currently boasts the No. 1 (Florida) and No. 2 (Alabama) teams in the nation.

In Division II, UNA won three consecutive national championships from 1993-95 and is a perennial contender for the title. Fellow Gulf South Conference member Valdosta State has two championships in the past five seasons and Delta State also has a national championship.

College players from outside the Southeast are amazed at the passion that southern fans have for the game.

"Down here, everybody just lives football," said Alabama tailback Mark Ingram, a Michigan native. "The fans, they live football. It's a great environment to play in. You got to love SEC football. It's the best football conference in the country."

Perhaps no state epitomizes the Southern love of football more than Alabama. The annual Iron Bowl between Alabama and Auburn is regarded by most college football analysts as one of the top, if not the top rivalry in all of college football. Alabamians take their college football very seriously.

Terry Bowden, who grew up in Birmingham and later moved to West Virginia, said football is so important in Alabama because of the image that other parts of the country have about the state.

"Being from Alabama and having left at a young age and living in another part of the country, I heard people's derogatory comments about the state as I grew up in the 1960s and 1970s," Bowden said. "There is a lot of negativity sometimes associated with the state because of the riots and the racism. But there is one thing in this state that we don't have to look up to anybody in and that's football.

"In Alabama, we stand toe-to-toe and head-to-head with anybody in the country over the years in football. We hang our hat on that and hang our pride on that. It's bigger than just a part of our state. It identifies us as being special and not being looked down on. That's why it carries such a big place in most of our lives here."

For those who play college football, there is nothing better than being on the field with their teammates in front of a huge crowd. Football is the ultimate team game and those who play at the collegiate level thrive on the camaraderie they feel with their teammates.

"Football is a bonding of brothers, who must come together for one common goal," UNA linebacker Michael Johnson said. "You put in long hours and don't get a lot of sleep, but that common goal makes everyone come together and forget about what else is going on outside of football for those two or three hours every day.

"College football is special because it is so pure. There is not a lot of money involved like the NFL. You have genuine players who are out there playing for each other and not for some big contract."

Like Johnson, UNA quarterback Harrison Beck said being a part of a tight-knit team is a big part of what makes college football so special. Beck said the intensity that the players feel on the gridiron is a feeling that most people never experience.

"The thing I love is seeing guys make the outstanding plays," Beck said. "You're able to do things with your body on the field that you wouldn't ordinarily be able to do. It's like watching small little miracles because guys have such great physical ability that they are able to tap into. The heat of the moment really brings out those great plays.

"I know I can throw the ball 10 yards further in a game than in practice. That's the adrenaline that you get from being out on that field in front of the fans. You are willing to do anything that you can to help your team get that win. You just don't get that kind of intense focus in everyday life."

Of course, there is much more to college football than the players. The pageantry associated with the game is a big part of the college football experience.

The cheerleaders, mascots and marching bands that play their school's fight song over and over and over again help create that special atmosphere, as does the tailgating.

Florence High School coach Alvin Briggs, who played for legendary coach Pat Dye at Auburn University, recalls his first game with the Tigers.

"The first time I walked on the field with that jersey on, I was in awe of how the people reacted when we came out of the tunnel," he said. "I happened to be in front of the line for special teams, and I was like, 'Wow,' and it was still an hour before kickoff."

Muscle Shoals' graduate Leigh Tiffin, who followed in his father's footsteps as Alabama's place-kicker, said he understands the love of football.

"It's just a part of the culture here," he said. "It's something the people in Alabama can get behind this team. They don't have a pro team; they don't have a lot of other things as fars as sports go. Then, the great tradition has always been here, and that's why people love it. I love Alabama football, too. I don't know why you wouldn't."

Tailgating before the games is also big at NFL cities, but college tailgating is truly special. Fans gather several hours before kickoff to enjoy tailgating with friends and strangers.

College tailgating is not limited to the Division I teams. UNA games in recent years have been enhanced by the tailgating that goes on at Spirit Hill before each game.

"I enjoy hanging out with my friends before the game, enjoying the food and listening to the music," Huntley said. "The tailgating just makes the game more enjoyable. It's much more of an event now instead of just a football game."

Bowden, who returned to coaching this year after a 10-year absence, has had the opportunity to see college football across the nation as a coach and TV analyst. He said the tailgating is a big part of what makes college football such an enjoyable experience for fans.

"Without a doubt, the great enjoyment of college football is the tailgating and the atmosphere of a college campus," he said. "The spirit and enthusiasm is what makes it so special. It is so much less commercial than professional sports. Your tailgating is so collegiate and so much about community spirit. It really makes game days so special."

Sports editor Gregg Dewalt and staff writer Bryan App contributed to this report.

Jeff McIntyre can be reached at 740-5737 or jeff.mcintyre@TimesDaily.com.