A Higher Education In Tailgating - The Top 10 Tailgating Schools

By Jared King

03/08

Don't be mistaken: every school has great tailgating potential. It's the fans, not the venue, that make a great tailgate. So when we say this is a list of the best tailgating schools, we're not exactly being scientific. We've heard from the fans, and done some undercover investigating on our own (yep, it’s a tough gig). We tasted and we talked about food, people, space, excitement, and most of all, the good times. Here are our top ten tailgating schools of 2008.

Number 10: USC
If you need good weather, you have it here. If you need beautiful people, they are all around. If it is championship football you are looking for, they have that here too. The USC faithful have much to be proud of and have a blast while celebrating the USC football legacy. Hang around Exposition Park eating, drinking, laughing and listening to the Trojan Band getting fired up at the pep rally and you find yourself consumed by all that is USC. Add to that a team that very rarely lets you down, and tailgating at USC will not disappoint.

Number 9: Wisconsin
Cheese, Beer, and Bratwurst are trademarks of any good tailgate. And you'll find more cheese, beer and bratwurst in Wisconsin than pretty much anywhere else in the world. Is it cold? Yep. It's really cold. But, the cold doesn't matter after you have consumed enough of the three previously mentioned amenities. Badger fans beat the cold away and make for a great tailgate anyway!.

Number 8: Alabama
Tailgaters are spread all over at the University of Alabama. The Black Warrior River is lined with campgrounds, tents and gazebos that are packed with crimson-wearing Bama fans. Every parking lot, restaurant, and apartment complex is loaded with barbecue grills, golf carts and coolers. The place to be at Bama is the lot that surrounds Coleman Coliseum. The Bama faithful arrive as early as Monday and set up their temporary residency. "Sweet Home Alabama" is the anthem here and with ribs from Dream Land and Archibalds, it is a wonder why people even bother to bring their grills. Just strolling through this complex is enough to merit a trip to T-Town.

Number 7: Colorado
Boulder, Colorado is one of those places that people would want to visit even if it wasn't the home of the Buffalos. Looking up on the Rocky Mountains and drinking one of the great local brews adds that extra touch to Colorado tailgating that you just can't get anywhere else. Great weather, beautiful mountain scenery, and microbrew beer — Oh, and they play football, too!

Number 6: Tennessee
Pretty much anywhere you tailgate in the South is good. The weather, the food, and the drinks are always great. In the SEC, they love their football. The thing that makes Tennessee special, other than the droves of blaze orange-wearing Vols, is the ability for tailgaters to come by land or by water. Taking the trip up the Tennessee River is a cool way to stretch game day into a long weekend, or a week or two. What's the perfect way to tailgate at Tennessee? - On the deck while on the way there!

Number 5: Michigan
Ann Arbor is always a good place to catch a game. They've got good people who are knowledgeable about the game and who are happy to invite you to the party. Good food and drinks ranging from beer to bourbon (if you need to get warm quick) are supplied in mass quantity and there are plenty of tailgating activities to take part in. Start the day off right with some Ladder Golf and Corn Hole, two games that are great for tailgates.

Number 4: Auburn
Tailgaters invade Auburn, Alabama from miles and miles around. These Tiger fans are as serious about their partying as they are about football. There are few places where they get as rowdy for a night game as in Auburn. Each campsite has its own special food and drink.

Number 3: LSU
LSU is all about the party. LSU tailgaters are serious about their food; there's none better in the country. The tailgate clubs of LSU bring hundreds of pounds of meat, jambalaya, gumbo, shrimp, and enough beer to fill the stadium. "Death Valley" on a Saturday has a more diverse menu than anywhere you find on Bourbon Street. Tailgaters start filling in around Wednesday and the better spots will run upwards of $500 for the season. Money well spent, as far as we can tell.

Number 2: Ole Miss
If tailgating has a heaven, The Grove is it. When you roll into Oxford you’ll find two things: Southern Charm and beautiful people. The Grove is packed with Rebel fans gathering under shade trees, talking, drinking and dining on the some of the most elegant spreads in tailgating. All tailgaters should make it a point to visit Oxford and spend a game day at The Grove. But don’t forget your dress shirt and tie!

Number 1: Penn State
Tailgating in the rolling cow pastures surrounding the stadium at Penn State, fans of the Nittany Lions outnumber the stadium occupancy by the thousands. With the most active alumni base of any school in the country, hotel rooms in the Happy Valley book up for game weekends months in advance. The perfect Penn State tailgate begins with Grilled Stickies from Ye Olde College Bakery, and ends with - what else? - a Lions victory!

It was tougher than I thought to rank schools for tailgating, because really there's no such thing as a bad tailgate. We applaud the tailgaters who made our list, and look forward to spending time at many more tailgates. Keep the grills lit and the drinks iced down, and maybe we'll run into you at the next tailgate.