30 bucket list items college football fans need to experience

23. The Grove at Ole Miss

Tailgating wasn’t invented in Oxford, but the good folks at Ole Miss perfected it.

Lined by massive oak, elm and magnolia trees, and surrounded by academic buildings, The Grove is a large grassy area at the center of campus at the University of Mississippi. There, Rebels fans and visitors congregate prior to football games in order to spend time with one another, eat massive spreads of food – often in a tent, and sometimes under a chandelier – and enjoy an ice cold sweet tea – or often something stronger.

Originally a pregame meeting spot for campus fraternities and sororities, Rebels fans now flock to The Grove at 9 PM on the Friday night prior to a Saturday kickoff to claim the perfect spot. Vehicles are no longer allowed in The Grove, which adds to the intimate family atmosphere. The Rebels also spend time in The Grove prior to games, completing the Walk of Champions on their way to the field.

Though nearby Vaught-Hemingway Stadium has a capacity of 64,038, crowds of more than 100,000 are regularly estimated for big games in Oxford, and as a result, the party outside often extends well after the game begins. And it goes on long after the final whistle blows. As the saying goes in Oxford, “we may not win every game, but we’ve never lost a party.”

There’s a reason why, according to the official Ole Miss website, Sports Illustrated ranked Ole Miss “the nation’s No. 1 tailgating school,” and The Sporting News tabbed The Grove “the Holy Grail of tailgating sites.”