Erin Grant
Staff Writer
Florida Southern student Cole Woodard, a dedicated Florida State University football fan, recently found himself thrust into the spotlight. Woodard was recently featured on the ESPN TikTok with 11.2 million views and 1.3 million likes, rocking an Xbox headset and using a Waffle House menu as a play sheet.
Lakeland native and Sports Communication and Marketing Major, Woodard ventured to the Duke/FSU game on vacation to celebrate a good friend’s engagement.
“It wasn’t intentional,” Cole shared, “but I had the idea in the back of my head from a ‘Family Guy’ episode, and I just thought it’d be funny to pretend.” His reference is to a scene from “Bri-Da,” the second episode of Season 18. Woodard’s comedic passion for FSU football drew the attention of the commentators multiple times throughout the game as they speculated on what plays he may call next. His antics at FSU games have gotten him on TV before, and he didn’t realize exactly how viral he’d gone until after the game.
“This is crazy,” he said, marveling at the millions of views the video had racked up in just a few weeks. “I didn’t even know the cameras kept coming back to me—I was just focused on the game,” he admitted. “When I finally saw how big it was afterward, it was surreal. But I was glad people found it funny.”
Though unplanned, the response to the video was overwhelming. The ESPN and Barstool Sports social media pages shared the footage to several different social media platforms, sparking a small movement.
Woodard’s antics turned out to be more than just a silly moment at a football game. Due to the traction on the video, he had the opportunity to go to a Miami Dolphins game against the Cardinals.
“At the Miami game tailgate, people kept stopping me, even Miami fans- that’s when I knew it was big. I think it’s just been super cool to see people laugh about it and all that.”
Despite the experience being overwhelmingly positive, Woodard is still adjusting to his newfound fame. Juggling his job, school and a social life, the newfound attention has been “a challenge to navigate.” Despite this, Woodard is thankful for the experience, and hopes it’ll get him closer to his dream of a professional career in sports.
Even if nothing comes of the viral video, Woodard is still happy he got to be “part of FSU history.” For him, it’s all about cheering on his team. “I just motivate, because that’s all I know how to do, is just use my voice positively.”
Woodard plans to continue going to the last few FSU games of the season, and he’s already been invited to share his secret plays at several tailgates. Whether he’s cheering on FSU or considering a future career in sports media, Woodard is enjoying his gameday fame, and the positivity it’s spreading.
As for his Waffle House order? “It’s the All-Star Special with hash browns, smothered, covered and chunked,” he says, “and of course a sweet tea-because I’m from the south.” A fitting breakfast for an FSU superfan whose love for FSU football is as hearty as his go to breakfast.
