The "Why I love Wisconsin football" contest has come to a close and we received some amazing responses from fans all over the country. Today we have our final featured entry, which is from Mary in New Bern, North Carolina. (It's a long one but worth the read!)

Mary's entry has been selected to be our grand prize winner and she receives two tickets in the Varsity Club for the Michigan game. Congratulations, Mary!

My name is Mary from New Bern, North Carolina and I love Wisconsin Football!

For me, it is all about the tradition of Badger Football Saturdays. My brother Jim Farquharson and I are the third generation of our family to spend our autumn Saturdays at Camp Randall. Jim attended games with our mother, Margaret 'Peggy' Porter Farquharson, Class of 1958, until her death in 1979. Mom never missed a home game and made it through the 1978 season although weakened from chemotherapy and requiring a wheelchair. Our grandfather Philip H. Porter who received both his bachelor's and law degrees from UW was the first in our family to have 'season tickets' although at the time Grandfather began this tradition, there was no such entity as season tickets. The football team, in fact, was in its infancy. Nonetheless, except for his active duty time in the Navy during WWI, it is my belief that Grandfather never missed kickoff at Camp Randall.

Our ancestors doubtlessly had their own special game day traditions, just as Jim and I do. My own weekend begins on Friday when I fly out of North Carolina to Milwaukee where I pick up my rental car and sometimes stop for a visit with our sister Leigh Joost before driving to Madison. Long before arriving at Mitchell airport, my mind is on our traditions, especially the edible ones. I can imagine the smell of brats grilling even before departing the Carolinas. Saturday morning, Jim and I drive to the Square, park at the Doty Street Ramp and board the Bucky Shuttle to Camp Randall. Sometimes we get off the bus at Union South although usually we arrive in front of the Barry Alvarez and Pat Richter statues approximately one hour before kickoff.

From the drop off point, Jim and I cross the street to the numerous food vendors. We always have a brat from the Madison East Kiwanis Club stand. The folks there are great, the brats awesome and we are loyal Eastsiders, having grown up just across the Yahara River from where Pat Richter first tossed around a football. Other events may vary, but this ritual holds firm. Even when challenged for time, we always observe this tradition, and we always finish the brat before crossing Regent Street to head for our gate. There is just one more stop before entering the stadium which is for a program , usually purchased from the same sunny-faced young woman stationed at the last stand on Breese Terrace on the way to the gate.

The traditions at this point transition from tastes and smells more into sight and sounds, although unless you have lived away from the Midwest for a time, you cannot know how delicious the smell of autumn itself really is, a fragrance which never fades away. The fallen leaves and the frost on the ground, the scent of wood smoke from chimneys of nearby homes creates for me an intoxicating seasonal perfume. That smell permeates the entire experience. Entering the stadium and viewing the panorama of color before us (yes, mostly red) my vision swims a little. It must be something in the air because my eyes traditionally water at this point.

We take our seats, greeting our season ticket holder 'neighbors' and catching up on our mutual activities since the previous home game. Having been in these seats for so long, the crowd is a bit like family and this will be the first season that Grace and Joe are not there. Grace has had the seats to the right of us for many years. None of us are getting any younger and these wonderful snowbirds have been leaving Wisconsin for their Florida winter home earlier each year. Last season was their final one and they will be missed. The couple who sit directly in front of us drive from Rockford, and Mark who sits to my left comes from Schaumberg, Illinois. Occasionally, I buy a seat elsewhere so our sister Leigh can come over from Milwaukee and sit with Jim.

All of the pregame ceremonies and activities are spectacular but none moves me as much as the Band's Run-on. Viewing this event, even just thinking of it brings back that eye-watering thing. I hear my Mom's voice in my head as I sing 'On Wisconsin' and 'Varsity.' In my mind's eye, I can see my grandparents warmly dressed (my grandmother Ruth Thomas Porter, also a UW alum, is wrapped in an old mink coat) entering Old Camp Randall. I imagine Grandfather's parents, Lew Porter (the architect who designed The Red Gym and Science Hall in addition to contributing to the design of the Camp Randall Memorial Arch) and Carolyn Howe Porter, UW Class of 1884, as if they were here to witness the majesty of this Saturday afternoon. I imagine the voice of my beloved Aunt Mary Leigh Porter Herdegen who never missed an opportunity to break into singing these terrific songs or East High's Pep Song. Aunt Mary Leigh recently passed away and I miss her most of all.

Mental images of the games themselves are all wonderful, but I have to admit that my favorites center around scoring. There is no more beautiful sight than that of an NCAA official in the end zone with his arms straight up. I can't get enough of hearing 'Hot Time in the Old Town' because that tradition means our boys are lining up to kick the extra point. One of the best mental pictures in my library is of a big Badger running back (they are all huge) pushing forward for a first down dragging behind him a string of defenders hopeless to make a stop. Finally, when it comes to memorable Camp Randall traditions, the arm wave during 'Varsity' really 'says it all.'

Traditionally, Jim and I always stay for the Fifth Quarter. We wait until most of our section has cleared before leaving, as much for extending our viewing and listening time as for the fact that Jim has cerebral palsy and has to pick his way carefully out of the seats to the exit ramp. Badger fans are great and anyone who sees Jim trying to get out yields to him. Thank you for that, Section G!

Crossing the street to the bus stop, I am remembering highlights of the game we just attended and thinking ahead to the next one. When I board the plane in a day or so to return to North Carolina, I will carry all these memories with me. Traditionally, my vision will again cloud up as I play back the strains of 'Varsity' in my mind.

I LOVE Wisconsin Football!

Thanks to all for participating! If you missed any of the winning entries, you can see them below.

• sportid=200&storyid=18428"> --> Why I love Wisconsin football: Featured entry No. 1
• sportid=200&storyid=18505"> --> Why I love Wisconsin football: Featured entry No. 2
• sportid=200&storyid=18524"> --> Why I love Wisconsin football: Featured entry No. 3
• sportid=200&storyid=18638"> --> Why I love Wisconsin football: Featured entry No. 4
• sportid=200&storyid=18713"> --> Why I love Wisconsin football: Featured entry No. 5