Tom Dey, a senior marketing major at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, coordinates a group of 25 students to show up hours before Husker football games with the hope of securing front row seats. These students set the standard for the rest of the student section at Memorial Stadium, leading stadium cheers and traditions with boundless Husker spirit.
"It just started as a sense of community," said John Oeth, a construction management major from Omaha, Nebraska. "A whole bunch of guys got together (to) be like: 'Oh, let's get front row. Let's get hyped, you know, for a game or two.'"
The group starts their days by meeting up before the gates to the stadium even open, eager to secure their seats. They all wear matching red-and-white striped overalls. Landen Oppliger, a mechanical engineering and mathematics major from Blair, Nebraska, wears one of the only five giant Runza hats ever made, sent specifically for the group.
"Once those gates open, we fly to the seats, lock it in for the two hours waiting for the game to start," said Dey, who also was a homecoming royalty finalist from Wheaton, Illinois.
Dey and the others have started numerous traditions for the student section, including arm waves in anticipation of a touchdown. Once a touchdown is made, the group does pushups to encourage the team.
The group has become a staple for viewers of the game, both in person and at home. Fans will often want pictures during the games after seeing them on their screens.
"I just love the environment and how the whole state of Nebraska comes together to watch a football game, which is really cool," Dey said.
Watch a day in the life of the group's game-day experience:
