There are so many reasons to love college football: rivalries; tailgating; grown men painting their faces; singing the school's fight song, even if you never went there.

Take the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis.

The school is home to 4,400 midshipmen and a lot of history. Although most of the campus is open to the public, there is so much to learn that taking a guided tour is really the best way to see everything.

One of the first stops is the statue of Bill the Goat, the school's mascot. Behind him is the first indication on the tour that Navy takes its sports very seriously. A flag pole has a flag for every time Navy beat Army last year — in any sport. (There are a lot of flags from last year.)

Next is the Naval Academy Athletic Hall of Fame in Lejeune Hall. The building lacks the historic charm of other buildings and is easy to overlook. But that's why there are tours.

Chet Davis, an academy alum-turned-tour guide, pointed out the best of the school's athletes among photos that line the walls there and offered bits of trivia. For example, basketball great David Robinson was 6 feet 6 inches when he was admitted to the academy. Administrators didn't think that he would keep growing, but when he graduated in 1987, he had topped 7 feet.

Also in the building are all 52 footballs (soon to be 53, Davis assured the tour group) from every Navy win over Army, painted gold.

The rest of the tour revolves around the life of the midshipmen and their teachers. The beautiful dome of the U.S. Naval Academy Chapel is 221 feet tall, and underneath the building is the crypt of naval hero John Paul Jones.

The final stop is Bancroft Hall, the midshipmen's dorm. The largest dorm in the U.S. under one roof, it has all the amenities needed for its 4,400 residents.

Heads up: Navy plays Army on Dec. 6 in Philadelphia.

If you go: The visitor center is just within the Gate 1 visitor's entrance on King George Street. You'll need photo identification for all visitors 16 and older.

Tours fill up quickly but leave frequently; you can spend that time watching a 13-minute movie about life at the academy.

Admission is $8.50, $7.50 for seniors 62 and older, $6.50 for students in grades 1 through 12.

410-293-8687, www.navyonline.com