SEC football fans are notorious for their seemingly-never ending title wins, Sunday best tailgate attire, and infectious atmosphere. But if you think that the SEC gameday experience is worth traveling for, then you’ve never been to a Big Ten tailgate. The Big Ten is the oldest Division 1 collegiate athletic conference in the nation. And while the teams have strong reputations for playing good football, the gameday experience beforehand may be more memorable than whatever goes on inside the stadium. If you’re heading to a Big Ten football game this fall, here are the top tailgates you don’t want to miss:
University of Wisconsin
When you hear about Wisconsin, you might think of cheese…and not a whole lot else. But, the Badgers give the state a good name and you’re hard pressed to find a school that has more fun on game day than in Madison. In fact, they take their tailgating so seriously that a state law changing the alcohol sale cutoff time was implemented to make tailgating easier. At a University of Wisconsin tailgate, you can expect to taste their famous hot bratwursts and sip on plenty of beer, both on and off campus.
Iowa
The Iowa Hawkeyes may not be the best football team, but their tailgates certainly make up for their losses. Melrose Avenue is right outside of the stadium and is the hot spot for all the goods. There’s also a ton of food trucks full of tasty bites, tailgaters hosting beer pong and flip cup games, and an all-you-can-eat-and-drink buffet in Hawkeye Village. If the food and drinks aren’t enough to entice you and losing doesn’t sound too fun, the Hawkeyes recently began a new tradition that is guaranteed to pull at your heart strings: the wave. At the end of the first quarter, fans turn and wave to the children at the University of Iowa’s Children’s Hospital that overlooks the stadium.
The Iowa wave to the Children's Hospital is back … and we're here for it ? pic.twitter.com/XoIFUsBs93
— ESPN (@espn) September 1, 2018
Ohio State
The Buckeyes are known for their diehard fans and getting rowdy in the stadium as a result of the tailgating festivities. They’ve won eight national championships, so their football play is held to a high standard. On game days, the campus is crowded with RVs and tailgating buses full of drinks and delicacies. But most importantly…chocolate peanut butter buckeyes. If you’re ready to get rowdy, this is the tailgate for you. It’s no joke – tailgate setup opens at 5 p.m. on Thursdays for Saturday games.
Penn State
If you’re a sucker for a good ‘ol fashioned tradition, head to Penn State for a tailgate this fall because they’ve got one of the best around. It’s called “Nittanyville” and it’s a make-shift tent town that’s assembled during the week leading up to each home game. There’s tons of ongoing events that hype up the atmosphere, like pep rallies and slam dunk competitions. The energy that cultivates beforehand is something you can feel in the air, and it makes the game day experience all that much better.
Picture Credit: Google Creative Commons Licenses, Twitter
