Top 6 Tailgating Bowl Games
December 30, 2011 in Commentary, Featured, Tailgating Ideas
Bowl season is already underway but the real season is just about to start; college football bowl tailgating season. Here is the Top 6 Bowl Games that as a tailgater makes you want to pack up the RV and head out to the lot.
6. Chick-fil-A Bowl – Virginia (5-3 ACC) vs. #25 Auburn (4-4 SEC)
- December 31, 2011 – Georgia Dome: Atlanta, GA (71,228 capacity)
Welcome to Atlanta where the players play and tailgaters party like every day. The Chick-fil-A Bowl embodies what the “southern comfort” tailgating experience is all about: drinks, food, and hospitality. The Chick-fil-A Bowl operates like an open house party where everyone is invited to come socialize and simply have a good time. Perhaps the best part of the Chick-fil-A experience is the smell of fresh-cooked meats and poultry consuming the air. Nothing beats the combination of cold beer and fresh BBQ.
5. Tostitos Fiesta Bowl – #4 Stanford (11-1 Pac 12) vs. #3 Oklahoma St. (11-1 Big 12)
- January 2, 2012 – University of Phoenix Stadium: Glendale, AZ (72,200 capacity)
The Tostitos Fiesta Bowl offers an ideal tailgating locale. Imagine a huge outdoor party in beautiful weather and mountainous ranges surrounding the landscape. The Tostitos Fiesta Bowl is truly a one-of-a-kind tailgating experience. Attendance last year reached 67,232 and ticket sales so far have surpassed this figure. College football fans have been rumored to get a little rowdy at the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl with the influx of Arizona State University students that frequently attend this bowl game.
4. Taxslayer.com Gator Bowl – Ohio St (6-6 Big Ten) vs. Florida (6-6 SEC)
- January 2, 2012 – Everbank Field: Jacksonville, FL (84,000 capacity)
This is a bowl game tailgaters will definitely not want to miss. Last year Mississippi State played Michigan State at Everbank Field and attendance soared to 77,497. This year, the Gator Bowl will host its own Florida Gators in a much-anticipated match-up against the Ohio State Buckeyes. On an interesting note, former Florida football coach Urban Meyers, who recently signed as head coach for the Ohio State Buckeyes, says he will not be in attendance. Nevertheless, this bowl has all of the ingredients for a perfect tailgating experience: warm weather, enormous parking lots, and two teams with some of the craziest and dedicated fans in college sports.
3. AT&T Cotton Bowl – #8 Kansas St. (10-2 Big 12) vs. #6 Arkansas (10-2 Sec)
- January 6, 2012 – Cowboys Stadium: Arlington, TX (80,000 capacity)
There is no question the 2012 Cotton Bowl will attract a crowd for the record books. This game is one of only four bowls pitting two Top-10 teams. Records show the last time Arkansas played Kansas State was in 1967. This history-making match-up is highly anticipated by many college football fans and this excitement should similarly be reflected in its pre-game celebration. Dozens of lots surround Cowboy Stadium and they will be consumed with tents, music, smoke, and erratic wildcat and razorback fans drinking and screaming their way to victory.
2. All State BCS National Championship – #1 LSU (13-0 SEC) vs. #2 Alabama (11-1 SEC)
- January 9, 2012 – Louisiana Dome: New Orleans, LA (69,703 capacity)
With great games come great expectations. The LSU vs. Alabama match-up should encompass what the ideal college football experience is all about: fantastic teams, passionate fans, and pre-game excellence. When tickets for the game are selling as high as $6,500, it is always reasonable to assume a substantial amount of funds will be allocated to pre-game parties. College football is the heart and soul of these two sports programs and fans are ready to go “all-in” on this whole experience – expect a lot of drinking and freshly-grilled Cajun cuisine.
1. Rose Bowl Game – #10 Wisconsin (11-2; Big Ten) vs. #5 Oregon (11-2; Pac 12)
- January 2, 2012 – Rose Bowl: Pasadena, CA (92,542 capacity)
In 2007, Sports Illustrated named the Rose Bowl the number one venue in college sports. The Rose Bowl continues to offer the perfect opportunity for tailgaters to have a blast while soaking in its legendary history and tradition. Tailgaters park on the adjacent golf course that surrounds the historic stadium coupled with views of the San Gabriel Mountains as the backdrop. The Rose Bowl is the most famous postseason college football game and has attracted the highest number of attendees since 1945. Last year’s attendance totaled 94,118 in a TCU versus Wisconsin match-up – demonstrating the Rose Bowl attracts thousands of enthusiastic tailgaters and football fans irrespective of what teams are playing.
The 5 Best Tailgating Cities in the USA
January 5, 2012 in Commentary, Featured, Tailgating Ideas
Football, friends, food, and beer – together, these four things almost guarantee a good time. So, it’s no wonder that hundreds of thousands of Americans tailgate all over the country every weekend during the fall and early winter. But, as with anything, if you’re going to do it, you should make sure you do it right. With that said, here are the five best cities to tailgate. If you can’t make it to one of these locations to celebrate our country’s favorite sport, at least take some notes and adjust your routine accordingly.
No. 5 – Los Angeles, California
L.A. might not be known as a football city and USC is suffering from the consequences of their recent string of NCAA violations. That doesn’t mean Trojans fans don’t still love their love their football team, and they definitely still know how to party. With some of the country’s most beautiful weather…and coeds, L.A. is easily one of the best spots to party before kickoff. As an added bonus, Pasadena is only 20 minutes away. It might not be within city limits, but it’s close enough to lump the Rose Bowl in here too. Who knew pigskin and palm trees could be such a good combo?
No. 4 -Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Even when the Eagles aren’t winning, their fans still show up passionate as ever. Passionately angry, but hey, it’s still passion. Rain, snow, sleet, horrible team…doesn’t matter; there’ll be a party outside of the stadium well before game time. Add in the prospect of the perfect cheese steak, and you can’t go wrong.
No. 3 – Gainesville, Florida
Chances are if you live in an SEC state, college football is probably pretty high up on the list of “things you live for”. That definitely translates over to the tailgate scenes outside of each of the conference’s stadiums, every single Saturday. Florida fans take their zeal for tailgating to a whole new level though. Ask any student, and they’ll tell you that party really starts after the first class ends on Friday. The fact that a good chunk of Gainesville picks up and goes to Jacksonville for “the world’s largest outdoor cocktail party” for a weekend in late October every year proves two things. Florida fans love their football, and they know how to tailgate.
No. 2 – Green Bay, Wisconsin
A small town in the middle Wisconsin might not seem like a likely contender for the country’s best tailgate spot, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Rooting for the Packers is one of the few things to do in Green Bay, and the locals embrace it every chance they get. It probably wouldn’t be crazy to say half the town shows up outside Lambeau to support their team every week. Beyond its love of the Pack, the state of Wisconsin is famous for three things: beer, sausage, and cheese. If that doesn’t sound like a solid foundation for a tailgate, what does?
No. 1 – Austin, Texas
If you live in Texas, there’s a 90% chance that you love football and barbecue more than life itself. Those two things also happen to be the two most important factors to a successful tailgating experience.
On football Saturdays, the entire town of Austin becomes one of America’s biggest parties. The fans bleed burnt orange, and I have on good authority that they teach proper grilling technique as a high school elective in Texas…Okay, that might not be true, but it might as well be. The perfect combination of good football, voracious fans, and great weather make Austin America’s number one tailgate spot. It doesn’t matter what team you root for, one Saturday of partying in Austin will be enough to have you yelling, “Hook ‘em”.
Tags: Austin Texas, best places to tailgate, best tailgating cities, Gainesville, Green bay
No Comments »