So you’re going to Autzen Stadium for the first time? Congratulations! Here are a few things to remember in order to make the most of your time in college football heaven.
Arrive early
The student section is general admission, so the better seat — er, standing position — you want, the earlier you should expect to arrive. The students who routinely occupy the front row have been known to arrive more than six hours before kickoff. Oh, and if you’re watching a game from the student section, don’t expect to sit down (except at halftime).
Walk to the stadium
Don’t plan on parking at the stadium. Instead, walk to Autzen through Alton Baker Park. It’s roughly a one-mile journey and is a beautiful and fun way to enter a stadium. When the bike path turns and Autzen becomes visible for the first time, it’s a gorgeous sight to behold.
Embrace the reputation
Autzen Stadium features one of the most feared home crowds in college football, despite being just over half the size of some of its counterparts. That reputation comes as a result of unrelenting, unbearable noise on every defensive snap. When you occupy a seat at Autzen, consider it a duty to maintain this essential role.
Learn the fight song
The Oregon Marching Band plays “Mighty Oregon” when the Ducks take the field and after scoring plays. 60,000 fans clap along, and a few even sing the lyrics — but most don’t seem to know them. The song is an easy one to learn, and there’s something undeniably awesome about an entire stadium singing the same song.
Know the forecast
It never rains at Autzen Stadium … except when it does.