BYU fans united in a whiteout theme for the BYU vs. Kansas State football game on Sept. 21, dressing in white to showcase their school spirit.
BYU freshman Emily Lund said dressing up in white made the game feel more special.
“It’s just more fun that way,” she said. “The vibe of it is so much better.”
Lund said themed games add an extra layer of excitement, creating a stronger connection between fans and the team.
Megan Johnson, another BYU freshman, agreed, saying that dressing up helps fans feel like they’re part of something bigger.
“It’s fun to be included,” she said. “It’s part of being a community and becoming something more.”
This sense of inclusion is one of the reasons themed games, such as the whiteout, resonate with students and alumni alike. Fans are able to visually express their connection to the school and that unity makes game day feel even more exciting.
For Kansas State fans, dressing up in team colors and costumes is just as important.
Kansas State fan Ernie Navarro traveled to Provo for the game. He explained dressing up has become an integral part of his experience as a fan.
“We’re called superfans,” he said. “We love our team so much, we just want to stand out.”
Navarro said wearing team colors is a way to visibly demonstrate support for the team, showing that fans are fully committed to cheering on their players.
Tim Murry, another Kansas State fan, said wearing team colors has been a long-standing tradition.
“I grew up in Manhattan, Kansas. It’s a part of my life,” Murry said, reflecting on how game day traditions have been passed down through generations in his family.
Mikayla Dotson, a BYU Athletics employee, said the dressing up is a means of connecting fans to each other.
“Dressing up is so important because it’s one of the only ways that we can connect everybody in the audience,” she explained. Dotson noted that while cheering is universal, wearing the same color serves as a visible representation of unity.
From her view point in the press box during the Sept. 21 game, she said she was surprised to see how many fans embraced the whiteout theme.
“I was kind of expecting maybe half the people to show up in white, but everybody was wearing it,” she said.
Dotson said themed games not only showcase school spirit but also add a fun, unique twist to the experience.