Having been a college football fan since birth and a sports writer for 15 years, I've been able to experience some of the sport's great traditions from the West Coast to the Midwest and even in the Deep South.

I've witnessed fans grilling buffalo burgers aboard yachts on Lake Washington before Rick Neuheisel's Huskies beat Gary Barnett's Buffs.

I've watched the Ohio State band dot the "i" in Columbus and tasted the pregame pork ribs in Oxford, Miss.

I've touched the Bronze Boot in Laramie and been booted from bars post-Border War in Fort Collins.

Yet there is nothing quite like feeling the roar of the military fly-overs at Falcon Stadium or hearing the words, 'Here comes Ralphie!' at Folsom Field.

I'm still relatively young, but my bucket list includes attending an Army-Navy game, a Harvard-Yale game, the Rose Bowl and experiencing my own, personal Touchdown Jesus.

Until then, here's my list of top 10 college football traditions (good, band and BCS-ugly):

10. Walking the Grove

at Ole Miss

Mississippi is an also-ran on the field in the SEC, but there is no question that Oxford is the home of the nation's best tailgating atmosphere.

The food is to die for. It's not uncommon to see chandeliers and fine china being used under some of the tents. And the southern belles walking around in their fanciest dresses only enhance the scenery under the shade of the old oak trees.

The neatest thing about the pre-game festivities at Ole Miss is when all of the fans line up along the 10-acre grass field and the players walk through them on the way to the stadium.

9. March of the Cadets

and Midshipmen

One of the great things about college football is the fact that the three service academies are such an important part of the tradition.

Watching the Air Force routinely upsetting top programs never gets old.

But the patriotic spectacle of the

Army-Navy game, including the march of the cadets and midshipmen into the stadium, gives you goose bumps.

8. The tunnel walk

in Lincoln

Nebraska fans simply can't wait for the Cornhuskers to take the field on fall Saturdays. The anticipation is more exciting than Christmas Eve.

To add to the drama and build up, the Huskers are shown live on the super-sized video boards walking from the locker room together through the tunnels in Memorial Stadium before taking the field.

The simple but brilliant video introduction creates a Red Sea of madness before kickoff.

7. The Ohio State

marching band

Who says being in the band isn't cool? It certainly is when you're marching with the Ohio State band in front of 100,000 fans at The Horseshoe.

The Buckeyes might finish No. 2 in the BCS every year, but the band is second to none with its amazing ability to script "Ohio" and the dotting of the "i."

6. Chief Osceola

Some of you might not think Florida State's mascot is politically incorrect, but you forget that Bobby Bowden started coaching in 1832 and actually knew the real Chief Osceola.

Ralphie isn't intimidated, but a lot of other mascots and teams are when the Chief (portrayed by an FSU student) rides a powerful Appaloosa horse to the 50-yard line and throws a flaming spear into the turf while glaring at the opposing sideline.

CU will face the Seminoles on Sept. 27 in Jacksonville, Fla.

5. Aggies affection

Most college football fans are impressed with yell practice at Texas A&M. I guess the fact that 50,000 Aggies will show up to practice cheering on the eve of a game is pretty impressive when you consider Mike Bohn just hopes to sell 50,000 tickets for CU's actual games.

But my favorite College Station tradition is when the Aggies kiss their girls after a touchdown.

The dude that came up with that idea was pretty smooth.

4. The running of Ralphie

There is no question Colorado has the best mascot in college football. Uga is cute, but imagine if the little guy tried to lead Georgia out of the tunnel?

If watching a 1,300-pound buffalo thunder around Folsom Field doesn't get you ready for some football ... well, move back to Nebraska.

3. Notre Dame

Love 'em or hate 'em, the Fighting Irish will always be the most storied program in the country.

The Four Horsemen. Knute Rockne. Rudy. Joe Montana. Touchdown Jesus.

Here's hoping Charlie Weis is as smart as he thinks he is because college football is more interesting when Notre Dame is really good.

2. The Heisman Trophy

It's not fair. An offensive lineman or a safety doesn't have a shot of being invited to the Downtown Athletic Club.

And players from Boise State and Bowling Green, no matter how deserving, will never receive enough votes to win.

But outside of an Olympic gold medal, can you think of a piece of individual hardware you would rather have on the mantle than the Heisman Trophy?

1. The BCS?

I'm as confused about this choice as you are considering the fact that I loathe the BCS system.

It's absurd that college football, our country's second most popular sport behind the NFL, doesn't decide a national championship on the field of play.

Is there anything better than March Madness? Only thinking about how awesome a postseason college football tournament would be.

The university presidents are using tradition -- the Rose Bowl is more important than bracketology -- as an excuse to allow computers to determine who's No. 1.

It's absolutely maddening. Yet we're still fascinated by the beauty of college football.

And we can't stop talking about it in large part due to the controversy the BCS creates every year.