Tailgating is a staple for college football gamedays, especially among the major college football programs. But who’s experience is the best?
Tailgating has become a staple of college football season, just as much as the games themselves. It gives fans a way to connect with other fans in the same community and get excited for the game hours before kickoff. Some fans even look forward more so to tailgating than the actual game.
However, a lot of that depends on what school you’re a fan of. Some colleges do tailgating right. Other’s don’t. And just because you’re a top-notch football program, it does not mean that you have one of the best tailgating scenes in the country.
More: Predicting every College GameDay location in 2017
Schools like East Carolina, Arizona State, West Virginia, Iowa State, North Dakota State, etc. do not have the biggest football programs or fan bases in the country, but all of them get down for tailgating season. Some fans even just go to the tailgates without going into the game itself. And they’ll stay at the tailgate for the entire game. It has become somewhat of a social event for the entire campus.
The metrics considered for this list include tradition, size of the tailgates, excitement surrounding the program, and any special parts of the tailgating scene (i.e. the cabooses at South Carolina and sailgating with Tennessee and Washington).
Now, let’s take a look at the 20 best colleges for tailgating in 2017.
20
Penn State Nittany Lions Happy Valley, PA
Scouting Report
Happy Valley turns into “Nittanyville” each Saturday that the Penn State Nittany Lions have a game at Beaver Stadium. The white tents are lined up in University Park and North Pennsylvania has one of its biggest gathering of crowds that it has all year.
Even through the recent scandals that rocked the football program the Penn State faithful still came out in full support of their team. However, the tailgating scene had to have been a little stronger before the scandal. Anything like that would bring any school down. Rest assured, they’re headed right back to where they came from.
More: Penn State’s 2017 projected 2-deep depth chart
Penn State does have one of the best tailgating scenes of any school in the Big 10. Especially with all the hype surrounding the team entering 2017, things should get even more exciting. With quarterback Trace McSorley and running back Saquon Barkley leading the offense this year, a Playoff run could be in store.
19
Florida State Seminoles Tallahassee, FL
Scouting Report
The Florida State Seminoles have one of the wildest fan bases in the country. Compared to some of the other schools on this list, Florida State does not have as many tailgating traditions. Most of the Seminole fans just get as wild as they can before entering Doak Walker Stadium each Saturday Florida State is in town.
You would be so lucky to find a tailgating scene as fun as the one in Tallahassee. The vast array of drink options would get you ready for any result that the game comes to. However, with so much success over the past few years, Florida State fans have come to expect more than just a good tailgating scene.
More: Florida States’s 2017 projected 2-deep depth chart
With running back Dalvin Cook gone, it’s now quarterback Deondre Francois’ turn to get the fans in Tallahassee excited for each gameday. With a No. 3 ranking in the Amway Coaches Poll entering the 2017 season, the tailgating could be even better than usual.
18
Auburn Tigers Auburn, AL
Scouting Report
The Loveliest Village on the Plains puts together one heck of a pregame show between the tailgates that envelope the campus and the massive crowds that gather around the Tiger Walk. Auburn is a special place for all the Tiger fans that get to live through the highs and lows of their football program each year.
It seems that Auburn always has National Championship expectations entering each season. However, Cam Newton and Nick Marshall were the only quarterbacks able to lead Auburn to a National Championship game in the last 10 years.
More: Auburn’s 2017 projected 2-deep depth chart
The focus is now on Baylor transfer quarterback Jarrett Stidham. He’ll ultimately determine how good Auburn is this year. And that could determine how much excitement the Auburn fans come to their tailgate with each Saturday before they enter Jordan Hare Stadium.
17
Oklahoma Sooners Norman, OK
Scouting Report
The Oklahoma Sooners have one of the best tailgating scenes in the Big 12. Most of the conference does not compete with the tailgates of the SEC or the Big 10, even though it fits into the description of football in the south.
Oklahoma fans wait all year for Sooner football to come back around in Norman. Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium got renovated during the offseason as well, making it able to hold even more Sooner fans.
More: 5 reasons Oklahoma will repeat as Big 12 champs
If you attend an Oklahoma tailgate you will be able to see the OU logo every time you blink by the end of the day. Between all the tents, shirts, hatz and koozies with the famed and extremely marketable Oklahoma logo on it, you won’t ever forget where you are on gamedays in Norman.
16
Notre Dame Fighting Irish South Bend, IN
Scouting Report
The tradition surrounding the Notre Dame Fighting Irish is among the best in the country. You feel the greatness and history pulsing through South Bend near Notre Dame Stadium. Most of the tailgates take place right outside the stadium
Joyce Lot is one of the most famous places to tailgate outside Notre Dame Stadium. Something else you have to include in a list like this is the amazing campus and backdrop around the University of Notre Dame.
More: 2017 game by game predictions for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish
If you visit Notre Dame for a football game, tailgating and walking around the campus are two things you must do. Even if you are one of the many that is not a huge fan of the Irish and their fans, you have to appreciate all of the history and tradition associated with this blue blood football program.
15
Texas Longhorns Austin, TX
Scouting Report
There should be a new energy at Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium in 2017. With first-year head coach Tom Herman coming over from the University of Houston, Texas Longhorns fans believe this is the year that Texas will be back. However, they seem to believe that every year now.
All jokes aside, Texas is a special place to tailgate. There are very few schools that have larger crowds that gather in one spot for pregame events. Concerts, cookouts, and food trucks are all commonly seen outside DKR.
More: Longhorn’s 2017 projected 2-deep depth chart
Getting some Texas barbecue and hearing some country music is a genuine Austin experience and gets you ready for a special gameday in the stadium. Even with the Horns experiencing a down time with the program, tailgates have not slipped up at all.
14
Michigan Wolverines Ann Arbor, MI
Scouting Report
Head coach Jim Harbaugh has injected some more excitement back into the tailgating scene in Ann Arbor. Moreover, there’s no other stadium in the country that fits more people than Michigan Stadium with a capacity of nearly 110,000.
Michigan carries a top 10 ranking into the 2017 season which will give fans some more energy than in recent years at the beginning of the year. If Harbaugh, quarterback Wilton Speight, and the Wolverines can have a successful season then being in Ann Arbor for “The Game” against the Ohio State Buckeyes at the end of the season would be a must see.
More: Michigan football 2017 season preview and predictions
The fans in Ann Arbor are some of the most intense and largest groups of fans in the nation. When Michigan is good they will come out in numbers that very few schools can match.
13
Washington Huskies Seattle, WA
Scouting Report
Under head coach Chris Peterson, the Washington Huskies have returned to relevancy in the college football world. That makes it even better to “sailgate” in Seattle before each game at the 70,000 seat Husky Stadium.
The sailgating scene at Washington is done in what’s known as Husky Harbor at Lake Washington. As long as you can stay out of the rain in Seattle, tailgating there will be a great time and is one of the best pregame setups of any team in the PAC-12.
More: 2017 Washington Huskies season preview and predictions
Considering Washington is not as big of a college football program as many of the other schools on this list, it’s impressive how special of a tailgating scene they have put together. Yet, if quarterback Jake Browning can lead the Huskies to another Playoff appearance in 2017, then they might be ranked among the elite tailgating teams before too long.
12
Ohio State Buckeyes Columbus, OH
Scouting Report
With how much success the Ohio State Buckeyes have seen under head coach Urban Meyer, you might expect them a little higher on the list. Regardless, there’s just an overwhelming sense of camaraderie in place in Columbus outside The Shoe. Ohio State fans have a why of annoying you because of how much team pride they have.
Since the Buckeyes have made it to the Playoff in two of the last three years it’s hard to deny their recent pedigree of success. A Big 10 Championship is needed to officially prove that Ohio State is truly the best team in the conference. Even though the Buckeyes made it to the Playoff last year, the Penn State Nittany Lions actually won the conference. And the Michigan State Spartans won in 2015.
More: 5 breakout candidates for the Ohio State Buckeyes in 2017
The best teams in the Big 10 are, ironically, also the best tailgating schools in the conference as well. Michigan, Ohio State, Penn State and Wisconsin are all tremendous tailgating scenes that are all worth checking out if you’re a big college football fan.
11
Florida Gators Gainesville, FL
Scouting Report
The Florida Gators are back to their usual success with former Colorado State head coach Jim McElwain at the helm. They had a tough run under former head coach and now South Carolina head coach Will Muschamp. Florida fans combined some of the best parts of SEC tailgating into one place in Gainesville.
Winning SEC East titles just build the excitement surrounding The Swamp. Students always get up for Florida’s football season, no matter what the expectations are. Even the four win season that the Gators had under Muschamp seemed a fun season outside the stadium.
More: 5 reasons Florida football will have a breakthrough year in 2017
The best time you will have with Florida fans during a tailgate will be the Florida-Georgia rivalry game in Jacksonville. “The World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party” describes in and of itself how much fun Florida fans can have during a tailgate.
Another run to the SEC Championship Game would build up so much hype around the program that fans would flock in nearly the hundreds of thousands around Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.
10
Alabama Crimson Tide Tuscaloosa, AL
Scouting Report
It feels weird to rank the Alabama Crimson Tide anywhere but No. 1 in a list involving anything about college football before the 2017 season kicks off. Tide fans are accustomed to perfection now under head coach Nick Saban. Winning a National Championship almost every other year now creates a pretty fun gameday atmosphere.
Students and locals alike form together in a joyous atmosphere that surrounds the enormous Bryant-Denny Stadium on the edge of the University of Alabama campus. The Alabama “A” is present all over the place and is much like the Oklahoma “OU” logo or the Texas “Longhorn” logo during football season.
More: 2017 Crimson Tide projected 2-deep depth chart
Tailgating tents take over the area around the stadium and the smell of southern barbecue and adult beverages fills the air. Tide fans are ready for the college football season months before the actual kick off and the fact that we are less than three weeks away from the 2017 season has to be building up in excitement in Tuscaloosa.
9
Wisconsin Badgers Madison, WI
Scouting Report
The Wisconsin Badgers have one of the most unique tailgating atmospheres in college football. Camp Randall Stadium just continues the awesome tailgating atmosphere that comes about a few Saturdays each year in Madison.
With the Badgers expecting to have another big year in 2017, expect to see fans out in more force than usual. Another thing that makes Wisconsin tailgating so unique is the student presence. The students are located right on top of the tailgating area due to where the student housing is located in Madison.
More: 5 reasons why the Badgers can win the national title in 2017
It’s not hard for anyone to get to tailgates right outside Camp Randall. It is located right in the heart of the capital of Wisconsin which gives a great backdrop to the tailgating landscape, much like what’s in Lincoln, NE.
8
Nebraska Cornhuskers Lincoln, NE
Scouting Report
Even with the Nebraska Cornhuskers falling into a humdrum rhythm of winning eight or nine games each year, fans are still as passionate as ever. Nebraska football is a way of life in Lincoln and it’s often the most exciting time of the year in the city.
The University of Nebraska has a beautiful campus with Memorial Stadium showing the skyline of downtown Lincoln over the back endzone. But it could be another down year at Memorial Stadium with the departure of players like quarterback Tommy Armstrong.
More: 2017 Huskers’ projected 2-deep depth chart
We’ll see how good of a squad third year head coach Mike Riley can put together this year. If nothing else, the tailgating scene in Lincoln should not be affected by the product that Riley puts on the field in 2017.
7
Texas A&M Aggies College Station, TX
Scouting Report
Any fan base that has earned the nickname “The 12th Man” at their home stadium is obviously a tremendously enthusiastic group. Once the Texas A&M Aggies made the move from the Big 12 to the SEC, then the school was committed to matching up the tailgating experience.
Kyle Field is now the biggest in the SEC, as far as capacity goes. Aggie fans can get hyped up for each gameday outside their huge home stadium in College Station. Even with some tough finishes to seasons the last few years, head coach Kevin Sumlin has a special type of energy buzzing around the place.
More: 2017 Aggies’ projected 2-deep depth chart
The quarterback battle between Jake Hubenak, Kellen Mond and Nick Starkel will be at the center of the tailgate discussions for now. The two younger guys have a bright future and could be the talk of the town in College Station for years to come.
6
Georgia Bulldogs Athens, GA
Scouting Report
The Georgia Bulldogs are similar to the Florida Gators in their tailgating scene, but do it up a bit bigger. The entire town of Athens puts on a huge show for gameday for the Dawgs. Moreover, the fans in Sanford Stadium are crazier than just about any other fan base in the country.
Tailgating in Athens might give you a better idea of how fans do it with the best of them in the SEC. Georgia fans go hard whether their team is at the top of the college football world or not. Some people might feel better about Georgia being at the top of this list than others. However, you cannot judge Georgia tailgates until you actually go on a gameday.
More: 5 reasons why Jacob Eason will be the SEC’s best QB in 2017
Even when you visit the campus of the University of Georgia during the offseason, you can feel the energy that would be present during the actual season.
5
South Carolina Gamecocks Columbia, SC
Scouting Report
The South Carolina Gamecocks are not doing as well right now as they did during the height of former head coach Steve Spurrier’s tenure. However, head coach Will Muschamp performed better than expected in 2016.
Yet, the South Carolina tailgating experience is truly one that is so unique you will not find anywhere else. The park across the street from Brice-Williams Stadium and the cabooses you can rent behind the stadium create such a unique atmosphere.
More: 2017 Game by game predictions for the South Carolina Gamecocks
South Carolina fans have a ways to travel off the campus of the University of South Carolina to get to their tailgating destination but it is worth it in almost every way. Quarterback Jake Bentley seems to have the program back on track as well.
4
Clemson Tigers Clemson, SC
Scouting Report
Next up on the list is another school from the state of South Carolina. The Clemson Tigers are sure to get quite the boost to their tailgating atmosphere after winning their first National Championship since the 1980s.
Head coach Dabo Swinney has brought a new level of excitement to this program and Clemson Memorial Stadium or “Death Valley”. The excitement in the tailgating scene translates all the way to Clemson’s entrance down the hill after touching Howard’s Rock.
More: 2017 Tigers’ projected 2-deep depth chart
We’ll see what happens with the Clemson football program after losing superstar quarterback Deshaun Watson. Yet, winning that first National Championship for Swinney could be exactly what he needs to have the Tigers back at the same point at the end of the 2017 season.
3
LSU Tigers Baton Rouge, LA
Scouting Report
The phrase “Geaux Tigers” would be the last thing you want to hear after concluding a gameday in Baton Rouge if you are not an LSU fan. These fans bleed purple and gold and will continue to be some of the most loyal people to LSU until the day they die.
You can get yourself some great Cajun food and a genuine bayou atmosphere outside Tiger Stadium with usually more than 100,000 fans waiting to cheer on their team. However, getting back to the top of the college football world is what most of these fans want above all else.
More: 2017 LSU football season preview and predictions
Jambalaya, gumbo, shrimp, etc. are some of the trademark foods of LSU tailgates. You can smell the food on thousands of grills near Tiger Stadium from miles away for just a few Saturdays each year. This is one of the very best tailgating atmospheres in the country, even by SEC standards.
2
Tennessee Volunteers Knoxville, TN
Scouting Report
With the LSU Tigers and the Tennessee Volunteers as two of the teams rounding out the top three on this list, we now enter into SEC exclusive territory. And much like the Washington Huskies, Tennessee’s staple for tailgating is hitting the water. Numerous Tennessee fans set up their sailgate on a boat on the Tennessee River.
The Vol Navy is one of the most famous traditions in tailgating and the landscape surrounding Neyland Stadium is one of the most beautiful of any campus. The University of Tennessee is encompassed by a sea of orange that fills up the nearly 103,000 seat stadium.
More: 2017 Tennessee Volunteers season preview and predictions
Head coach Butch Jones’ time in Knoxville may be up before too long, but Tennessee fans will tailgate every Saturday no matter how their team performs on the field.
1
Ole Miss Rebels Oxford, MS
Scouting Report
When you think of great tailgating traditions, you think of The Grove on the campus of the University of Mississippi. Even with all the scandal shrouding the Ole Miss football program and former head coach Hugh Freeze, there’s sure to still be a great atmosphere on campus during gamedays.
More: 10 best Ole Miss players of the Hugh Freeze era
Vaught-Hemingway Stadium might not have as good of a fan presence as recent years but that doesn’t change the tailgating traditions that are present at Ole Miss. Moreover, the Ole Miss campus is one of the best in the country and is decorated with Rebels tailgating gear each gameday that takes place in the Fall.
Star sophomore quarterback Shea Patterson has the weight of an entire program on his shoulders and he will largely determine what happens on the field for the Rebels this year. A trip to a bowl game would be a positive outcome in 2017 compared to what most people expect from Ole Miss this season.
Next: Five under the radar teams getting no love right now
However, the Ole Miss Rebels have the unquestioned best tailgating atmosphere in college football. If you’ve never had the opportunity to get to the Grove and pop open a cold one you’re missing out. This is a bucket list item, even for those that aren’t college football diehards.