If you ask any sports analyst, coach, or college football lover which conference ranks as the best, they’ll likely say the SEC (if they’re not biased). When it comes to on field gameplay, SEC football teams rank superior. They far-and-away have dominated in terms of title wins, bowl game wins, and first round NFL draft players. Gameplay aside, the SEC also thrives off the field. That’s right, we’re talking about tailgating.
Let’s just say that if football is the SEC’s favorite pastime, then tailgating is their second favorite pastime. The two activities go together like peas and carrots. And the 14 different SEC fan bases have definitely perfected the art of tailgating. If you’re ready to head to an SEC game this fall, these are 5 tailgates you can’t miss out on:
Ole Miss
At the heart of the Ole Miss campus is a prime tailgating spot called the Grove. Ahh, the Grove. Tailgating at Ole Miss is an experience in and of itself because of it. When the clock strikes 9 P.M. on the Friday eve of a Saturday game, Ole Miss fans rush The Grove to secure their spots. Cars haven’t been allowed in the Grove since the 90s, so it literally ends up looking like its own tent city once tailgating begins. Nonetheless, you’re bound to have a good experience soaking up the Rebels atmosphere and interacting with people from all over the nation. Just make sure you’re wearing your Sunday best!
Alabama
When people think of the SEC, the first team that typically comes to mind is Alabama. Their number of title wins doesn’t lie, but they also have a legendary tailgating scene. The tailgating epicenter for Crimson Tide fans is called the Quad. Similar to Ole Miss’ Grove, the Quad is its very own crowded tent city on game days. Aside from all the people, sights, and tailgate food smells, the cheerleaders and Million Dollar Band come out to hype up fans a few hours before the game. And one hour before kickoff, UA’s mascot, Big Al, leads the football team to the stadium. It’s quite a sight for fans and non-fans alike!
LSU
If you thought that Ole Miss and Alabama tailgated hard, wait until you head over to Baton Rouge for an LSU tailgate. Tailgating is an art form for Tigers fans. As stated on their website, “Over two-thirds of Tiger fans tailgate for five or more hours before every game, and many begin celebrating the great Tiger football experience more than 24 hours before kickoff.” And while the beer and booze is flowing, it’s the Cajun food that sets the LSU tailgating experience apart. Classic Louisiana Cajun cuisine is abundant, and fellow tailgaters are more than willing to share the wealth.
Florida
Head a little further south and you’re headed straight to the Swamp. The University of Florida is a large, spread out campus, so there’s not “one place” that fans tailgate at. Rather, they spread far and wide over the 2,000 acres of land owned by the University. It makes for an energetic atmosphere that converts right to kickoff. And about two hours before kickoff, Gator fans flock to watch the football team head to the stadium in what they call the “Gator Walk”. The real fun happens inside of Ben Griffith Stadium, where the loyal and loud fans chomp it up.
That #GatorWalk crowd… pic.twitter.com/lMZn2LCPwi
— Florida Gators (@FloridaGators) September 21, 2019
Auburn
Auburn tailgates should be in a league of their own. Word on the street is that Tigers fans start to pile in and arrive as early as Thursday...for a Saturday game. Tailgating officially kicks off at 4 P.M. on Fridays, but many devoted fans will start the festivities on Friday morning. It’s much less chaotic than Alabama or Ole Miss, but still makes for a very fun and lively environment. Plus, there’s a lot more breathing room with tailgating spots at the Quad, amphitheater, and Library Lawn.
Picture Credit: Google Creative Commons Licenses, Unsplash
