Behind the facade of falling leaves and candy overloads, in between one too many pumpkin spice lattes is the greatest celebration in the month of October: sports.

October brings nearly every sport together for a plethora of pads, a bounty of bats and countless athletes.

The NFL is in the middle of the season, NCAA football is holding strong, Major League Baseball is closely approaching the World Series and both the NBA and the NHL are in the preseason. But wait, there is more.

NASCAR is finishing the race for the cup, Major League Soccer is in week 34 and here at Harding the Bisons are engaging in football, soccer, volleyball, golf and cross-country.

In what other month can you watch the second-ranked team in the nation lose and then flip to another sport to watch a team win in a blowout?

On Oct. 11 you could’ve attended more than 10 collegiate sporting events in the state, headed over the state line and your opportunities for sporting events would have tripled.

There are so many aspects to sports, both live and televised, that we don’t think about but that really make the experience incredible. Going to live events provides entertainment, stadium food and an experience you will never forget. Watching sports at home is a great way to bond with family and provides the ability to watch multiple games at once.

Between the pitches from the mound and the cheers from the crowd, October can say nothing else but sports. When we get to October, the crispness in the air can compare to no other.

When we watch games in October, every play is crucial. When we live in October, a sport becomes more than just a game. Sports in October simply are the best of the best.