We’re counting the Top10 student sections in the country for 2015!

#4 Gonzaga University - Kennel Club

We’re counting the Top10 student sections in the country for 2015!

#9 University of Virginia - Hoo Crew

Top five ACC student sections:

2. Virginia Tech: From the pregame “Enter Sandman” entrance to the end of the fourth quarter, the students stay loyal all the way. They’re the ones who have made Thursday nights in Blacksburg special. They’re the loudest for the “Let’s go! Hokies!” cheer, and one of the biggest reasons Virginia Tech has had such an overwhelming home-field advantage.

By Ryan Bath, Pit Crew Sports Media Freelance Network

In the college sports world there is a strong emphasis on the student. On campus at the University of Oregon, the Oregon Pit Crew has continued that tradition. 

When watching a collegiate event, the camera often flashes over to the dedicated fan painted from head to toe, or the one with the elaborate sign that they brought to the game. On television these fans may seem crazy, but in reality they are dedicated, loyal and an integral component of the student section at any given collegiate athletic event on campus. 

In the student section, there is a breed of students who have no choice in allegiance. An unspoken bond began with their commitment to their college, and will last forever as the students evolve into alumni. 

Much like any relationship, the “honeymoon phase” contains the strongest feelings. 

For four years of their life, these students live and breathe for their school. They have already paid to be a part of the culture; now they have also earned the right to be dedicated for years to come. 

At the University of Oregon, the student section has been lucky to see such thriving athletics on campus. A part of that success, however, can be attributed to the Oregon Pit Crew. 

“I want Oregon to be the most feared fan base in the country,” writes former Pit Crew president Alex Horwitch. “Every section filled with students should be loud and intimidating from the first minute to the last.” 

As the Athletic Department at the University of Oregon has become a nationally recognized brand, the student section has stood to become a fear for opponents across the country. 

When football season re-begins at home on August 31st against Nichols State at a newly renovated Autzen Stadium, the home fans and the Oregon Pit Crew will be ready for action. 

“You know, the noise is one aspect,” said former USC coach Pete Carroll, according to Oregon Gridiron. “But you can feel the intensity in their crowd.” 

The Oregon Pit Crew, it seems, is viewed as one of the more prominent student sections in the country. For football season, the Oregon student section shows up each game in a different color as dictated by the University of Oregon Athletic Department.

The nation is beginning to take notice of the passion by Oregon Ducks fans. 

For instance, ESPN’s Kirk Herbsreit has called Oregon fans the “most rabid” in the country and that they can go “pound for pound with some of the best fans in college football” in his Herbie Awards. 

Oregon fans are also often listed as the “meanest in college basketball” or “most rabid” in college football. 

The University of Oregon, of course, is not the only school to have embraced the camaraderie found in a student section. For instance, the Pit Crew takes inspiration from groups such as the Cameron Crazies of Duke, the tradition of Wisconsin students dancing to “Jump Around” or the “Gator Chomp” at the University of Florida. 

Similar to how other schools try to imitate Oregon’s flashy uniforms, the Oregon Pit Crew learns from the best in the country and is emerging as one of the best fan bases in the country. 

Coming into the 2013 football season, the Oregon Pit Crew shows the importance of the student section in college sports. 

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(Photo: Polly Irungu/Pit Crew) 

Every year, the Fighting Illini Student Section, Orange Krush, takes an annual road trip to an opposing Big Ten Arena.