Some traditions embark upon greatness. Alabama, for instance, is currently in the midst of a renaissance, where the concept of national titles is not only garnered through reminiscence alone. The Crimson Tide hoisted the BCS trophy last year and appear more than capable of repeating.  Other traditions are that of nostalgia. Notre Dame, for one, hasn’t won a title since 1988 but continue to cling to the idea of being an elite program more than twenty years removed.

Whether teams are basking in the tradition, masquerading in it, or chasing it, one thing is absolutely certain. Great traditions are not indicators of conference championships, Heisman winners, or national title banners; they are more rather proof of a school’s history, its longevity, its promise, and more than anything, its faith. Traditions start and end with it. No reasonable being will attempt to persuade a Huskies or Gamecocks fan that Washington or South Carolina shouldn’t contend for a national crown now.  It doesn’t matter if the last title came in 1991 or never at all. Faith is ever pointed toward the possibility, always.

A few programs this past weekend gave their fan bases reason to hope. And unlike the Michigan’s, Notre Dame’s, and all the schools whose histories began more than a century ago, these squads are still finding an identity, particularly because their programs have only begun.

And so the players, coaches, faculty, staff, students and community members that support South Alabama and Georgia State, for instance, can not only brag about being part of a tradition at their respective institutions; they can attest to having started it.   

South Alabama, which will join the Sun Belt Conference in 2013 in the Football Bowl Subdivision, rolled through Edwards Waters 64-0 on Saturday to improve to an impressive 3-0 mark. The polished play has not come overnight.  The Jaguars opened the season with a 56-0 trouncing of Pikeville followed by a convincing 39-21 victory over Nicholls State.

No one has noticed the team’s progress more than its coach, Joey Jones.

“I’m very pleased with where we are as a football program right now,” he professed Monday. “We have come a long way. In particular, I’m proud of the way we have advanced from last spring up to now; we’re a much better football team in every aspect.”

The win was already a milestone for the Jaguars, in that the game was played in Dothan, Alabama, the first contest South Alabama has played away from Mobile. Moreover, it gives the Jaguars a 10-game win streak dating back to seven exhibition contests in 2009.    

Thus far, the Jaguars have relied on a stingy defense and electric special teams play, while the offense has been moderately successful. In three games, the defense has amassed seven interceptions, with Michael Wilson collecting two of them. As well, Jereme Jones is averaging 24.7 yards per punt return and has taken one back for a touchdown this season. As well, T.J. Glover often gives the Jaguars favorable field position by returning kicks an average of 38.7 yards per attempt. On offense, Kendall Houston leads a balanced rushing attack with 195 yards and two touchdowns on just 22 carries. How balanced is Jones’s running game? Five Jaguars have tallied more than 100 yards on the season and 13 different backs have carried the ball at least twice.

It hasn’t hurt that the Jaguars are facing far inferior teams this season. South Alabama will continue to play a contingent of NAIA and lower division squads for the next two seasons until it fully transitions in FCS play. The schedule toughens up quickly for Jones’ program, as the team is scheduled to travel to Mississippi State and North Carolina State in 2013.  

 “We have some opponents that are good teams,” Jones noted about the upcoming road. “What we have to do, and what we need to battle every day, is worry about ourselves and not our opponents.”

South Alabama doesn’t have to look too far before its schedule becomes more difficult. On October 30^th, the Jaguars welcome another new program and future FCS squad in Georgia State. The Panthers are a year ahead of the Jaguars in the transition phase and already face mainly FCS schools on its schedule.    

Like South Alabama, Georgia State secured its program’s first road victory, and in thrilling fashion, this past weekend. With one second left on the game clock, the Panthers got a 30-yard field goal from Iain Vance to give them a 24-21 win over Campbell (North Carolina).

Special teams play was critical to the Panthers victory overall, as returner Darren McCray was named FCS Kickoff Returner of the Week after he broke loose for a 96-yard touchdown in the win. Punter Bo Schlechter was an honorable mention pick for Punter of the Week after averaging 50 yards per boot, respectively.

The Panthers are now 2-2 on the season. And while they will take the victory, its greatest result this season likely came in a loss. Undoubtedly, Georgia State’s first contest against an FCS opponent wasn’t an easy one, as they welcomed fourth-ranked Jacksonville State. Supposedly over matched, Georgia State took Jacksonville State to overtime before falling 34-27.

Head coach Bill Curry treasured the stiff test, as he acknowledges how competitive it will be in 2012 when the Panthers join the Colonial Athletic Association, home to schools like James Madison which knocked off Virginia Tech earlier this year.

“I am amazed at the CAA,” Curry noted. “It is the toughest football league, pound for pound, in America. The SEC can’t go up and play an even heavier heavyweight because there are not any. The CAA moves up in class and beats the stuffing out of Virginia Tech. I’m impressed. I would say that we have a long way to go to join those guys, but in 2012 we will be ready.”

Already, Georgia State has some promising talent. Redshirt freshman quarterback Drew Little accounts for most of the Panthers’ offense, having compiled 558 passing yards and thrown four touchdowns thus far. Travis Evans and Kelton Hill share a bulk of the running load for Georgia State, each averaging more than 6-yards per carry. 

Overall, there are high expectations circling the start up program. Georgia State has one of the largest student enrollments and alumni bases in the state. The Panthers play in a high profile city in that of Atlanta. They are led by a high profile coach in Bill Curry, who has coached at major college programs such as Georgia Tech, Alabama, and Kentucky.

So it was no surprise that the Panthers opened the season in front of more than 30,000 fans when they defeated Shorter 41-7. And though the attendance has descended since the first game, Georgia State will likely see a resurgence in interest when they face what would be considered a mammoth task for any program much less one just getting started, in top-ranked Alabama, on November 18^th.    

The excitement surrounding the program hasn’t distracted Curry. Though his team’s star might be shining brighter than that of Georgia and Georgia Tech right now, the head coach is focused on his program’s improvement.

“I feel an enormous burden to Georgia State University,” he explained. “And I feel for our brethren. We have all been through it and I feel empathy. The minute you feel like you’re anything special, the next week it happens to you. This business is very humbling. Now we want to establish strings of excellence in the details of winning football games. Whether that happens in the next week, or the next year, we want that to happen now. We don’t want a delay. There is no reason we shouldn’t do it now.”

It’s obvious by his approach that Curry has been there before. He recognizes that traditions start on the field and then bleed into the stands. And from there, they have their own life, regardless of what transpires in the win and loss columns. He also recognizes that traditions are more about faith than prognosis. He and South Alabama’s Joey Jones are not only responsible for building a football program. They are charged with initiating a legacy for generations to follow.