A football team's first road game is one of the most unique experiences in sports. The entire experience is an isolation exercise devoid of outside interference from the moment the players and coaches leave their own locker room. Everything - the bus ride, the flight, the hotel, the walkthrough, the ride to the opponent's stadium - lacks interaction outside of the team until it bursts out of a tunnel into an unfamiliar, hostile environment. The 24/7 nature of the trip creates a critical enthusiasm steeped in reflection and understanding stemming from the "us-vs.-them" mentality.
It teaches a team about its soul, and the game performance often reflects the lesson.