The pageantry of college football is the draw.
When it comes to American sports, football is king. Of the top 100 most-watched television broadcasts in 2022, 86% were either professional or college football, according to Nielsen ratings. With marching bands, game day traditions and historic rivalries, the pageantry of the college game is what attracts many fans. “It’s the feeling on game day and what it’s like walking into not just the stadiums, but the parking lots with the tailgating that you see,” says Matt Hayes, a national college football columnist for the blog Saturday Down South. “The way people are so invested in the school because it’s their school. Both the people who went there and the people who grew up around there love them, so I think just the investment in the team makes all these places so rare and so unique.”
Woven into the fabric of college football is tailgating, the time-honored tradition of showing up early to eat and drink before cheering your team on. Every school has its own way of doing things, but some do it bigger than others. Here are 20 college campuses with vibrant tailgating scenes.
Auburn University
Home to the famous shopping and dining area Toomer’s Corner and known as “The Loveliest Village on the Plains,” Auburn University in Alabama is a “top-notch” tailgating spot, says Bryan Fischer, a national college football writer for FOX Sports. Tailgating officially begins at 4 p.m. on the Friday before a Saturday kickoff, giving fans plenty of time to party before the game. Aside from the game itself, one of the most anticipated events of the weekend is the Tiger Walk, a pregame tradition that began in the 1960s. Two hours before the game, the team walks from the athletics complex down Donahue Drive to Jordan-Hare Stadium with thousands of fans lining the street to cheer them on. When Auburn wins, fans fill the streets near the entry to campus and Toomer’s corner to roll toilet paper over the two oak trees that sit near the entrance gates.
Baylor University
In many ways, the tailgating scene at Baylor University in Texas mirrors that of other southern schools — thousands of fans in school-colored clothing grilling, drinking, eating, tossing footballs and enjoying the day. But Baylor is one of just a few campuses where fans can enjoy a unique pregame experience: sailgating. McLane Stadium, where the Bears play, is set on the Brazos River in Waco, allowing fans to pull their boats up to it and near The Corner Tailgate, a popular tailgating area across from the stadium, to enjoy the festivities on the water. The river feeds into the Baylor Basin, where fans can tie down their boats and also enjoy tailgating from the water. Those who prefer a more traditional tailgating experience have plenty of lots to choose from around campus and near the stadium.
Clemson University
Tucked away near Lake Hartwell in the northwest tip of South Carolina, Clemson University is a hotbed for college football talent and one of the liveliest tailgating spots in the country. Like Auburn, Clemson does its own rendition of the Tiger Walk, where the team walks from the parking lot into Memorial Stadium as thousands of fans wait alongside, ready to greet them. The Tigers have won three national championships and are typically one of the best teams in the country each year. The passion and excitement can be felt around campus among tailgaters on game days. “When you’re there, you feel very outside of the busy bustling day-to-day life. I think that pairs very well with the tailgating scene,” says Dan Wolken, a national sports columnist for USA Today. “There’s nice shady spots. There’s sort of one road in and one road out, so people end up there all day and, in some cases, late at night.”
Louisiana State University
To some, it may be hard to top the tailgating scene at Louisiana State University. “It’s kind of the gold standard for food on game day,” Wolken says. “You can walk through the parking lot in Baton Rouge and you’re going to get five different recipes of jambalaya, and it’s all going to be good.” You’ll find some of that iconic Cajun food on the Parade Grounds, a popular tailgating spot on campus. At Touchdown Village you’ll find some of the most hardcore tailgaters, equipped with large RVs, grills, televisions, food and anything anyone would need to enjoy a tailgate. If you’re not a Tiger fan, no need to worry. LSU fans are known for their Southern hospitality and are likely to share some of their good cooking with you. Just be prepared for a bit of friendly trash talk before kickoff. While on campus, be sure to visit Mike, a tamed live tiger that serves as the school’s mascot.
North Dakota State University
While not a member of the Football Bowl Subdivision with the bigger schools in the country, North Dakota State University has been a powerhouse in the next tier down, the Football Championship Subdivision. The Bison have won 17 FCS national championships, including nine since 2011. The program has also produced a pair of highly drafted NFL quarterbacks in Carson Wentz and Trey Lance, along with star Green Bay Packers wide receiver Christian Watson. Though it gets cold late in the season, that doesn’t deter the Bison faithful from filling campus on game days to tailgate and enjoy some deer, buffalo and moose meat. The passion is so high among this fanbase that ESPN’s College GameDay, the network’s college football pregame show typically reserved for the most intriguing game of the week, has visited the Fargo campus several times to broadcast.
Texas A&M University
One of the more recent additions to the Southeastern Conference, Texas A&M University fits the bill of its conference rivals when it comes to the football game day experience. Kyle Field provides one of the best in-game atmospheres in college football, Hayes says, but the excitement starts well before kickoff. The night before every home game, more than 25,000 fans fill the stadium for the traditional Midnight Yell. That energy is carried over to game day, where thousands of fans fill the campus in one of the free or paid tailgating locations. “A&M is a little bit more unique, because not only do you have all the stuff around the stadium, but you’ve got the Aggie Band marching in formation,” Fischer says. “They’ve got a lot of military-esque things around the stadium that kids can go to.”
The Ohio State University
The Ohio State University is a college football powerhouse and has a large, passionate fanbase that comes in droves on game days. Ohio Stadium, known affectionately as “The Horseshoe” or “The Shoe” due to its shape, holds more than 102,000 fans, all of whom and more come to campus early to get ready for the game. Walking around campus, you’ll find fans donning Buckeye necklaces and the iconic school colors, scarlet and gray. While on campus, be sure to visit Buckeye Grove, a patch of land with trees planted in honor of every Buckeye football player who has earned first team All-American honors. “The Buckeyes fans really take over that whole entire area right around the stadium,” Fischer says. “You’re talking about 100,000 people, so it can get packed and get wild, especially for the big games. Whether it’s a night game or a noon game, they tend to get there pretty early. They’re excited. It’s definitely impressive to see how they spread out.”
University of Alabama
The University of Alabama has won 18 national championships and is generally in the conversation to win another each year. With no professional football team in the state, the Crimson Tide have the allegiance of hundreds of thousands of fans across the state and region. Nearly 100,000 fans packed Bryant-Denny Stadium to watch the University of Alabama Crimson Tide in 2022, according to 247 Sports. Before kickoff, those fans and others who are there for tailgating pack the area on campus known as The Quad as well as an area near the stadium called the Walk of Champions to create one of the most iconic game day atmospheres in college football. But some don’t wait until game day to start. “They’re the folks who, if it’s a Saturday game, they’re arriving on Tuesday and getting their RV spot,” Fischer says.
University of Florida
The atmosphere inside Ben Hill Griffin Stadium at the University of Florida is an intimidating one for opposing teams and fans. But the energy starts much earlier: Tailgating officially begins at 6 a.m. on game days. A large and passionate fan base, Gator supporters cover the campus in blue and orange as they revel in the typical tailgating traditions of eating, drinking and playing games on the various lawns and parking lots available. Shortly before the game, the marching band plays and fans line the entrance to the stadium, affectionately known as “The Swamp,” as the team gets off the bus to head in and prepare for the game. It’s a great environment that transfers into the stadium for the game, Fischer says. Afterward, the marching band and the Florida Drum Line head to Turlington Plaza just east of the stadium to play a free show for fans.
University of Memphis
In 2010, the University of Memphis in Tennessee officially opened “Tiger Lane,” an expansive grassy area — with parking spots for vehicles — that lines the path up to Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium. Since then, it’s been the go-to spot for tailgating for Tigers fans. Here you’ll find thousands of fans gathered in tents or around vehicles, taking advantage of the open spaces to grill, drink, play games and enjoy company. It costs to rent these spaces, though, and prices vary based on the package fans select. Some full-season packages cost more than $13,000. But that cost hasn’t deterred some fans. “I think that’s sort of becoming a tradition, that people go out to Tiger Lane,” Wolken says. “That’s a pretty good scene.”
University of Michigan–Ann Arbor
Traditionally one of the most successful programs in the Big Ten Conference is the University of Michigan–Ann Arbor, and with that has come a large and loyal fan base. Michigan Stadium, known affectionately as “The Big House,” seats nearly 108,000 people, making it the largest stadium in college football, according to the NCAA. The grounds around it prior to the game are packed with tailgaters, creating one of the largest tailgates in the country when the Wolverines play home games. “What’s special about Michigan is just being in Ann Arbor and in that city before the game, just going to some of the famous restaurants around there,” Fischer says. “It’s kind of got that small town feel, but then you walk over to the Big House and you’re in one of the biggest stadiums in the country.”
University of Mississippi
Arguably the “most renowned” tailgating spot in the SEC is the University of Mississippi, Wolken says. The Grove, a large tree-covered lot just north of Vaught Hemingway Stadium, is the main spot for tailgating. Part of the experience is the food, drinks and excitement for the game, but another is coming dressed in style. Men wear seersucker shirts and sport coats while ladies don sundresses — not the typical attire for a football game. But at the school known colloquially as “Ole Miss,” sometimes the tailgating experience is a bigger attraction than the game itself, Wolken says. “The Grove is The Grove, regardless of how good the team is,” he says. “The tailgating at Ole Miss is so renowned that, in some ways in the past, it has actually been considered a detriment to football because people will either come in late, won’t come in at all, or leave at halftime and go back to tailgating.”
University of Notre Dame
For many college football fans, experiencing a football game day at the University of Notre Dame in Indiana is a bucket list item. “It’s sort of a pilgrimage type of place,” Wolken says. “There’s a lot of people who just want to go and be on the Notre Dame campus on a football Saturday, even if they don’t have a ticket to get in.” Presiding over the Catholic campus is the “Word of Life,” a 132-foot mural of Jesus on the side of the Hesburgh Library. It’s known as “Touchdown Jesus” because its arms are in a similar position to a referee’s signal for a touchdown and it faces the north end zone of Notre Dame Stadium. The centerpiece of campus is the Main Building, with its renowned gold dome. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, trumpet players from the Notre Dame marching band lined several floors inside the rotunda to play a pregame show known as “Trumpets Under the Dome.” That tradition has continued just outside of the building.
University of Oklahoma
When it comes to tailgating at the University of Oklahoma, “they get after it,” Hayes says. All the typical fixings of a good tailgate are there, including the Walk of Champions, a tradition started in 2014 where players march through a sea of fans to the stadium. The event happens two hours before kickoff and is preceded by a pep rally from the marching band and cheerleaders. Young fans can enjoy the Sooner Fan Fest, a large tailgate geared toward children with food, games, music, cheerleaders and inflatables. Fans can set up their tailgate at 5 p.m. the day before a game. With Oklahoma set to join the SEC in 2024, expect the tailgating scene to only grow bigger, OU blog Sooner Scoop reported. “Everything we’re doing in Norman has to be re-examined in light of moving to the SEC,” the university’s president, Joe Harroz, told Sooner Scoop.
University of Oregon
The University of Oregon football team might be known by many fans for its unique and ever-changing uniforms, thanks to its partnership with apparel giant Nike. But the game day experience in Eugene is more than just exciting football and bright green and yellow uniforms. “It’s definitely a unique culture there in Eugene just because of the way you have a lot of people coming from the Portland area and around the state,” Fischer says. “They’ll get there early for games, especially night games. They’re camped out there for a long time.” Food, drinks and entertainment can be found all over campus, with some places like the alumni association offering them on an unlimited basis.
University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Fans of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, like those at Baylor, have their choice of tailgating on land or water. Circle Park, just a few hundred feet from Neyland Stadium, is where many Volunteer fans convene to eat and drink. But some of the fun happens on the Tennessee River, where the floating tailgate party known as the Vol Navy docks right outside the stadium. Another popular tradition is the Vol Walk, where fans greet the team as they exit the bus and walk down Peyton Manning Pass and Phillip Fulmer Way, past the statue of General Robert Neyland and into the stadium.
University of Texas at Austin
The University of Texas at Austin football program has long been one of the more successful programs in college football, and its fan base is quite large. The tailgating scene is a frenzy of people in burnt orange gearing up for the Longhorns game. Many schools have embraced pregame concerts as part of the tailgating experience. This is something Texas has done well, Fischer says, adding that it has increased the energy on game days. And as the saying goes, everything is bigger in Texas. That holds true when it comes to tailgating, as fans go all out with RVs and other elaborate tailgate setups. “It’s not just some random folks in their RVs. It’s a little built up in terms of the experience,” Fischer says. “That’s becoming more and more commonplace, and I would say Texas is at the front leading edge of a lot of those things.”
University of Washington
Another school where tailgating on water is possible is the University of Washington. Husky Stadium is located on Union Bay, which feeds into Lake Washington and provides one of the more picturesque scenes in college football. On some game days, upward of 12,000 fans might be out on the water, according to the school’s website. Across campus, the north and south parking lots are packed with cars and tents for tailgating. But sailgating is the way to go for fans who can make it happen, Hayes says. Because of its popularly and limited space, you might spend time on the waitlist before eventually getting a spot. After the game, the school hosts events where fans can gather and hear analysis of the game from coaches and listen to the Husky Marching Band.
University of Wisconsin
Among the best in the Big Ten Conference when it comes to tailgating is the University of Wisconsin–Madison, Wolken says. An area known as Badgerville is where thousands of fans congregate to enjoy food, drinks, inflatables and live music. Fans might even see athletes from other Wisconsin teams out among the tailgaters and, with luck, snap a photo with their favorite athlete. About 2 1/2 hours before kickoff, fans can enjoy the Badger Bash, an indoor and outdoor tailgating tradition for 50 years, with food, drinks and entertainment. Here the band plays and leads fans into Camp Randall Stadium for kickoff. “Madison is a quintessentially great mix between a college town and small city with an incredible amount of activity going on downtown through to the stadium,” Wolken says.
West Virginia University
The passion for West Virginia University football runs deep in Mountaineers fans. For many, so does their love of moonshine. You’ll find both at tailgates on game days in Morgantown. Lots open at 7 a.m. on game days for fans to start tailgating. “A lot of passionate fans,” Fischer says. “You’ve got a lot of local pull there and they love their university. You’re going to be walking through tents to get to the stadium and you’re going to run into a few folks that are dressed like the mountaineer, so it’s a little bit different walking through some of those areas. You really can’t go wrong in places like that that are part of the town and incorporate that feeling the school has.”
Fun college campuses for tailgating
— Auburn University
— Baylor University
— Clemson University
— Louisiana State University
— North Dakota State University
— Texas A&M University
— The Ohio State University
— University of Alabama
— University of Florida
— University of Memphis
— University of Michigan–Ann Arbor
— University of Mississippi
— University of Notre Dame
— University of Oklahoma
— University of Oregon
— University of Tennessee, Knoxville
— University of Texas at Austin
— University of Washington
— University of Wisconsin
— West Virginia University
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20 Fun College Campuses for Tailgating originally appeared on usnews.com
