Fight songs still ring true as college football tradition in face of ever

ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — The sounds of college football have changed over the years, with pop culture songs becoming part of the show at stadiums across the country.

Fight songs, though, have withstood the test of time and still ring true.

From “Rocky Top” at Tennessee to “Fight On” at USC, school bands cranking up the familiar notes and rhythm and thousands of alumni joining the student body in belting out the long-familiar lyrics are a touchstone of the nostalgia surrounding the game itself. It's a chance to cheer in common or at least try to shake off a disappointment.

Like the teams themselves, fight songs tend to spark much discussion on the topic of which one is the best of the bunch or at least the most familiar.

To Georgia Southern sport management Prof. Chris Hanna, “The Vi