This weekend, I had the pleasure to attend the Purdue-Notre Dame football game in South Bend, Indiana. While I have no ties to either school, the lasting impression from the day was the rich tradition that makes Notre Dame a special place to take in an afternoon of college football.

From the moment you step on the campus, you get the feeling that you are taking part in something unique. Tens of thousands of Irish fans engulf the main quad, socializing and having a grand ole time. It is such a cool atmosphere, one where there are no worries in the world except how long you have to wait in line to get a steak sandwich, which frankly, isn't the worst problem to have.

It seems like all of the pregame traditions are like clockwork - everybody knows exactly when everything is going to happen because it's been done the same way for so long. It is an awesome sight to see the fans line up as the team walks into the stadium and then the pep rally, where thousands gather to hear the band play its familiar tunes.

While all of the pregame and in-game traditions are unique, the coolest thing for me to see was the postgame singing of the school's alma mater. If you've ever watched a home Notre Dame football game on television, you've probably seen this. Well, let me tell you, it is awesome to see in person. The team gathers in front of the massive student section in one corner of the stadium and everybody sings while linking arms and swaying back and forth. This was a tradition started by Notre Dame Coach Charlie Weis in 2006, and it's arguably the best decision that he's made in the last three years.

This tradition symbolizes what college sports are all about. While the result on the field is important, when the game is over, the things that matter the most are how you conduct yourself both on and off the field and the bonds student-athletes have with their teammates, coaches, and fellow students. I wish all schools could figure out a classy way like this to end a game, no matter if 10, 1,000, or 100,000 fans are in attendance.

While I've pumped up Notre Dame a lot here, I know that all schools have unique traditions of their own. While the publicity for these traditions range depending on the school and sport, every institution does it a little differently, which is the best thing about college sports. Traditions and passion are what make college sports unlike anything else.

So, we want to know, what are the traditions that make a game day special at your school?