How does GA and SEC tailgating stand up to the rest of college football? Here’s a new ranking
Here we are folks. It’s fall in the South, and that can mean only one obvious thing: college football. That also means tailgating season is upon us, and the race to have the best tailgate scene is as competitive as any conference championship.
The real magic happens outside the stadium, where tailgates turn ordinary parking lots and fields into elaborate celebrations and the SEC is notorious for having some of the best in the country.
A 247Sports survey ranked the University of Georgia third for best college football tailgate experiences, with the rest of the top ten largely dominated by SEC teams. That passion for pregame rituals runs deep and tailgating has a long history, stretching back more than a century.
Tailgating is more than a picnic
Tailgating as a social tradition has deep historical roots that stretch back well beyond its modern association with football games. American Heritage Magazine reports the practice likely began in 1861 during the American Civil War when spectators from Washington, D.C., brought picnic baskets to the Battle of Bull Run and gathered to watch the battle.
The more sport-specific root of tailgating is traced to Nov. 6, 1869, at the first recorded college football game between Rutgers University and the College of New Jersey (now Princeton University). Fans traveled to the game and enjoyed meals and socializing outdoors around the event
The top 10 best tailgates in college football
Tailgating is a deeply ingrained Southern ritual that combines all the things we love: cars, booze, food and football.
Here are top ten best, overall:
- 1- LSU
- 2 - Ole Miss
- 3 - UGA
- 4 - South Carolina
- 5 - Tennessee Volunteers
- 6 - Alabama
- 7 - Penn State
- 8 - Clemson
- 9 - U of Texas
- 10 - Ohio State
SEC steals the show
The SEC isn’t just bringing strong football programs to the conference, it’s a leader off the field as well. Whether you’re in the parking lots, fields, or rivers outside the stadium too, its always going to be a party on game day.
Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge
If you want energy, this is your best bet
Expect:
- Wild crowds
- Ubiquitous Cajun food (with heat that is decidedly not for the weak)
- Parties that start at dawn, and go all day
University of Mississippi, Oxford
“The Grove” ranks among the nation’s most famous tailgating spots, and is often referred to as “the holy grail of tailgating).
It’s Southern, swanky and lasts all day.
Expect:
- Chandeliers and white tablecloths
- Finely dressed attendees
- Refined, but rowdy
University of Georgia, Athens
Tradition runs deep around Sanford Stadium, but so do the crowds.
Expect:
- The “Dawg Walk” exactly 2 hours and 15 minutes before kickoff
- The phrase “between the hedges” which refers to the field’s literal and spiritual location
- Chapel Bell (but only if they win)
University of South Carolina, Columbia
Gamecock Park’s “Garnet Way” lets players pass through fans en route to the stadium, and the vibe is uniquely Carolina.
Expect:
- Cockabooses, the absolute peak in tailgating uniqueness
- Comfort food like barbecue and fried chicken
- Casual but creative
University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Vols fans party by land and by boat.
Expect:
- “Vol Navy” along the Tennessee River with floating tailgates
- So, so much orange and white
- Family-friendly areas like Vols Village
University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa
As one of the winningest programs in the conference, Bama fans are a bold crowd.
Expect:
- Houndstooth as far as the eye can see
- Endless shouts of “Roll Tide”
- The biggest pep rally in the world (probably), known as the “Elephant Stomp
As any good Southern football fan knows, tailgating is as much of a tradition of the game itself and there are as many ways to enjoy game day as there are fans.
What’s your game day tradition? Email me at srose@ledger-enquirer.com or find me on social media.