I am an absolute sucker for a good fight song. A great band playing a range of hits throughout a game and capping it off with the fight song after every touchdown is a foundational piece of college football.
When I looked into Liberty one of the first things I looked into was, you guessed it, the fight song.
Academics? Residence Halls? Food Options? Hosh Posh. There’s nothing better than yelling “PLAY THE FIGHT SONG” after a touchdown from my living room while my blind dog looks at me with disappointment where his eyes would be.
(Side note. Someone, anyone, upload our fight song to Spotify. I’m begging you)
With us beginning out into CUSA this fall I wanted to dig deep and learn more about each program. Ideally, we smoke these teams in October and never actually have to hear any of these teams play them. However, you can learn a lot from a school about its fight song, and before we start developing rivalries, it will be one of my factors of what teams I will root for early on. So with that…
CUSA Fight Song Power Rankings
(I didn’t include Liberty because I’m either a homer who puts them at one or I’m a hater if they’re at three)
Number 8: La Tech Bulldogs “Louisiana Tech Fight Song”
Right off the bat, it’s evident that no one decided to name the fight song. Not great before I even hit play. When the song did start it sounded like something they would play before a Broadway show starts (Love me a good musical) which isn’t what you want for a football team. It’s clearly an old song with the word “foes” being one of the lyrics and I can’t imagine it gets anyone hyped. We also have some questionable lyrics.
“hold up your chin, and let’s all go in”
Not touching that one with a ten-foot pole.
Too short, lyrics stink, takes the air out of the room.
Number 7: UTEP Miners “UTEP Fight Song”
When I searched the song on Youtube one of the suggested results was “UTEP Fight Song Mariachi” and I got so excited I almost made it number one. However I used the pep band edition to keep it fair across the board, Musically the song is great, it just sounds like something characters sing at the beginning of a Disney movie. The biggest gripe I have is it doesn’t have that sing-along type of feel where everyone is chanting and singing up until the end. There is also a weird tempo change for a couple of bars in the middle that throws me off. It has a ton of potential but it’s just missing a couple of things to put it over the top.
Number 6: Jacksonville State
First things first I”m so glad they include the fact that they’re in Alabama in their fight song because I forget once a week they aren’t a Florida school. This little diddy sounds like the Family Guy theme if I’m being honest. I love the trumpet riff at the end, great jazz vibes. Just nothing to me here that stands out from the rest. Basic fight song.
(If anyone can get me a video of Rich Rod signing this tune I will move it to number one)
Number Five: Sam Houston State
Big-time hymn vibes from this one. My only real beef is that it takes a few measures to get to the lyrics part. I want four beats and then BAM. Time to start signing. Classic CFB fight song and it checks all the boxes. School name, colors, mascot.
Now I can’t confirm or deny this because, at the end of the day, I’m too lazy to look it up, but the Youtube comments tell me it’s the same music the Coast Guards use. We did take the theme to The Star Spangled Banner from an old English Drinking song so I won’t knock them for this.
Number Four: Middle Tennessee State
We’re into the back half and all the songs from the rest of the way all standout. This to me sounds like when I fired up the PS2 to play EA Sports College Football. Just classic college football coming through the speakers. Great pace, great lyrics, great vibes.
There’s also a breakdown at the end where they chant MTSU at varying speeds. I can’t wait until I’m rooting for MTSU for whatever reason chanting alongside the 30,000 fans that will absolutely be packed into Floyd Stadium on a Wednesday night in October.
Number Three: Western Kentucky
I have no idea when this was written but I just know it was way before the Kennedy administration. Screams old school college football fight song written with words no one uses anymore. Clearly written by English majors.
“Stand up and cheer for dear old Western Kentucky”
“And we’re bound to win the fray”
There’s also a breakdown of “rah rah rah” in the middle. Booing and Rah Rah Rahing are my favorite things to do at sporting events.
I also love the fact it’s the same thing repeated twice similar to our fight song. Great work WKU
Number Two: NMSU
When I first played this I had to listen to it several times because I had no idea what just happened. And then I had to check the lyrics to make sure the video was accurate (Richie FactChecks). Yes, you read that right.
Aggies, Oh Aggies
The hills send back the cry
We’re here to do or die
Aggies, Oh Aggies
We’ll win this game or know the reason why
And when we win this game
We’ll buy a keg of booze
And we’ll drink to the Aggies
‘Til we wobble in our shoes
Here to do or die? Keg of booze AFTER you win? Wobble (baby wobble baby wobble baby wobble baby wobble baby) in our shoes? Did they let me write their fight song?
Great music and a time to chant along spelling out Aggies. My only beef with this song is the chant takes too long. Six letters is too long.
Number One: FIU
This checks all the boxes when it comes to fight songs. One of the best I’ve ever heard. I listened to multiple versions and it always slaps. The only time I don’t want to hear it is when we’re playing them on September 23rd.
