Ranking the best fan experiences in college football.
This college football season was different than literally any other season in history. It was missing that feeling that comes with the college football experience. There was no tailgating. Some places had no fans at all. The experience was completely different, and for the most part, it was worse. One day, hopefully soon, the college football experience will be back in full swing.
There’s so much that makes the college football experience like nothing else in sports. The fans feel ownership of their alma mater. That leads to more excitement for big plays and more anguish for big losses.
Fans come in droves sometimes from a hundred miles away every weekend to tailgate in RVs or party on the street lined with partying college students. There’s the food and the bars and the decorations and the entire atmosphere that is a college football game. It’s so much more than three hours of an athletic contest. It’s everything for these college campuses.
Football can fund college programs, other sports, and even entire charity programs. Football is life for dozens of college campuses across the country. With that much on the line, it’s no wonder that no matter the current team’s record, the fans come out and cheer as hard as they can.
So, when looking at who has the best experience in college football, there are several factors in play. It’s the fans, the stadium, the tailgating experience (which includes the food before and after the game), and the physical game experience. Is this something that football fans have to see before they die? Will fans leave this day as one of the best days of their life? That is the bar here. College football provides unforgettable experiences, and there are some universities that are just better at it than others.
25. Arizona State Sun Devils
The list has to start with one of the best party schools in the country, right? Well, Arizona State has actually tried to move further away from its party school rankings, but its reputation precedes itself. Getting fans who like to have a good time is a great start to a tailgating experience.
The weather in Arizona makes it immaculate for just about every game. There are no worries about it being too cold to feel your face. The rain stays away from the stadium more often than not. Of course, the weather also helps with the on-field product. There’s not a ton of sloppy football when it is 80 and sunny for most games.
Arizona State isn’t going to wow you on the field like Alabama or Ohio State, but they always have really fun players to root for. Brandon Aiyuk and N’Keal Harry were great on the field giving Pac-12 defenses fits. The on-field product may not be the best, but it’s almost always fun.
The food options are pretty good. Heck, it might be worth it just to eat In-N-Out for every game. That’s worth the experience on its own.
Then, there’s “The Inferno”. The student section for the Sun Devils is one of the more underrated sections in the country. It provides a sea of yellow that intimidates opponents and makes the experience one of a kind. If you’re not a student, it’s imperative to try and at least sneak in for a quarter so you can feel what it’s like to be in The Inferno.
The concessions are pretty affordable compared to other stadiums, so you can gorge yourself on five-dollar popcorn or a mega order of nachos for $9.
24. Michigan State Spartans
Michigan State is probably considered a basketball school at heart with 10 Final Four appearances and two championships in its history, but the football experience is still one of the better ones in the country. State fans start filling the tennis courts (yes, they have their fans tailgating on tennis courts) at 7 a.m. on game days. Half of the people ready to enter the Spartan Stadium are dressed like ancient fighters, only these are clad in green. The costumes are half the fun at Michigan State.
The stadium architecture is incredibly smart, giving fans a feel like they are almost on the field! The fans are literally surrounding everything, so when the stadium is packed, it’s impossible to get away from the sound.
Something that might not sound important at first will become one of your favorite parts of the Michigan State experience. The marching band is one of the best in the country. It’s usually 300 strong and the traditions in their songs run over 100 years old. The green and white stand out when the stadium is rocking.
The rivalries within the Big Ten help put at least three must-see matchups in Spartan Stadium every year. Even when Michigan State is having a down football year, there are some incredibly exciting rivalry games. This past season, they took out Michigan on the road, but they were able to derail the season of Northwestern at home. The Spartans games are one of the best experiences in college football when they are good. It’s still a lot of fun even when they are bad.
23. Virginia Tech Hokies
Just two years ago, the Virginia Tech Hokies made it a point to improve the fan experience, and it worked (at least for the first year). They had skydivers for on-field entertainment, light shows that the fans can take part in during the third quarter, military flyovers, new Wifi to help fan connectivity, and new cupholders. Listen, cupholders are important when there aren’t enough of them.
Virginia Tech has been known as a welcoming tailgating experience. That’s what makes most tailgates great. The ability to walk up to any Hokie fan and eat a hot dog and grab a cold drink. There are games, parties, pregame shows, and everything fans traditionally love about tailgates. There’s just a different feel at Virginia Tech where everyone is part of something. Obviously, don’t wear an opposing fan’s colors and expect a pleasant experience, but neutral fans looking for a good experience are always welcome.
Lane Stadium has a certain feel about it. The team coming out to the Metallica song Enter Sandman gets the entire house-rocking before the first snap. It’s really an intimidating experience. How loud these fans get for their team is impressive.
This is also the team that has the yearly game-ball run before the homecoming game. Members of the Ranger Company will run the ball 100 miles around campus on the week before the homecoming game. That may not be a part of the “game-day” experience, but it is something to see in the days coming up to the game, and it shows the commitment these fans and students have to the football program.
22. USC Trojans
So, it may not be football weather, but game day in Southern California sounds great. The weather is great, you get everything that comes with LA living (concerts, bars, sporting events, partying with the rich and famous), and the team is a special brand of football greatness.
The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum comes with a special kind of history. The feeling fans get when they walk in is like standing within said history. The stadium itself is an experience. Their self nickname “best stadium in the world” does have a reason behind it. It’s the home of World Series games, Super Bowls, and the Olympics.
The marching band is amazing, Traveler, the team’s mascot, welcomes fans inside the coliseum, and that everyone gets to wear red and gold, one of the better color combinations in college football.
The Olympic torch inside the stadium is just plain cool. It gets lit before the fourth quarter of every game. Talk about motivating. Seeing the lighting of a literal Olympic torch helps the stadium hit heights no other stadium can.
In true Los Angeles fashion, the beginning of the game is full of dramatics. The Trojans put a curtain in the front of the tunnel, so fans can watch the team come out on the big board, but the team doesn’t see the fan’s reaction until they walk out. It helps build the intensity of the moment.
21. Washington Huskies
Where to start with the game-day experience for a Washington Huskies game? It has to be with the noise. It starts with the sound of a 15-second siren that plays after every touchdown, and it continues with the record-breaking sound coming from the fans. Obviously, fans of the Pacific Northwest have a reputation for being loud (the Seattle Seahawks and Seattle Sounders regularly rank as some of the loudest fanbases in their respective sport), but Washington Huskies fans take it to another level. One time, the crowd noise was recorded at a ridiculous 135 decibels.
The tailgating experience is literally second to none. That’s because half the people heading to Husky Stadium are doing so on a boat. So, fans get to mix a day of partying on the water with a college football tailgating experience. It’s something no other college football team can provide and makes the Huskies games unique. It’s really an experience every great football fan needs to see at least once.
The stands at Husky Stadium are so unique. They stand straight up, which gives that exhilarating feeling of stadiums past. Is it kind of scary? Yes. Does that add to the experience? Depends on who you ask, but the daredevil inside says absolutely.
Speaking of the stadium, the game-day views are insane. It’s probably the most scenic stadium in college football. The Cascade Mountains can be seen from the stands and being on the water gives it a special scene for a college football game.
20. Army Black Knights
There’s something special about the Armed Forces football teams. Obviously, it’s hard not to root for those who chose to sacrifice their life for our freedom (unless you are a veteran of one of the other armed forces). Seeing a game at West Point is severely underrated, but it’s something that every great football fan has to do.
There’s a different feel to Army games. Most college fans feel a special connection to their college. However, Army fans are usually fellow enlistees. That is a different level of fandom. The fever pitch this fanbase hits is unlike any place in the country.
People of all ages come to Michie Stadium to take in an Army Black Knights game. Speaking of the stadium, it’s one of the coolest stadiums in the land. It’s right on the Hudson River at the U.S. Military Academy. The open-air stadium gives a great view of campus and the waterfront.
The Army-Navy Game might be the most must-see game on the college football schedule. It has a different feel. Sure, there are other rivalries, but nothing like this. You have to be there to really feel it. The student section is always the best, but at the Army-Navy Game, there are two sections packed with opposing fans. Thousands of fans on opposite sides of the stadium cheering for opposite teams. The elation on one end of the field and devastation at the other end of the field makes for an epic experience.
19. Oregon Ducks
Oregon has been one of the most fun teams to watch on the field for the better part of the last two decades. Whether it’s the Chip Kelly offense, LaMichael James running through defenses, or Justin Herbert growing his legacy as one of the most talented QBs in college football, the Ducks provide a great experience on the field. There aren’t many defensive battles at Autzen Stadium.
The tailgates are relatively small compared to some of the tailgates on the list, but they are still incredibly fun. The Mo Tailgate Center is an interesting experience, with a dining hall experience to take in before game day. Oh, and the cheerleaders, marching band, and even the players show up to march down the center aisle right before the game. It’s one of the best indoor college football experiences.
There are a lot of rules that generally hurt Oregon’s tailgating experience (smoking ban in parking lots, restrictions on alcohol consumption), but it’s hard to beat a pregame party in the Pacific Northwest.
The environment inside Autzen Stadium is great. The fans are loud, the stadium is kept up nicely, and the fan section is bumping. It’s regularly ranked among the loudest stadiums in college football.
18. Texas Longhorns
Texas does football. The state, the college, the people; everyone in Texas is all about football. The top college in the state does football with the best of them. Horns up is the hand signal to get into the tailgate, and wearing burnt orange is a requirement.
When talking about the tailgate, one thing that’s recommended to bring is a koozie. Why? Because tailgaters are apparently handing out free beer up until game time, so you need to only bring your own koozie to keep the beer cold. Free beer is crucial for any game-day experience. There are multiple sponsored tailgates from local radio stations and businesses that give you the Austin feel without having to try very hard. It’s all right there.
Even during the pandemic with tailgating banned on campus, the passionate Texas fans were going to find a way to do it safely. That shows the passion and determination of these Longhorns’ fans.
Longhorn City Limits is usually welcoming live bands that can be heard across the parking lot. Then, there’s Bevo Blvd. The college-sponsored street party gets all the fans together for a tradition of watching Bevo the bull arrives at the stadium before every game. This is also where the Stadium Stampede greets the team before they get ready for game time. It’s as close as fans can get to the team this close to kickoff.
It’s clear that Texas takes tailgating seriously. They say everything is bigger in Texas, and that includes the party before football games.
17. Tennessee Volunteers
It takes a certain kind of people to get excited about being called “Volunteers”, but Tennessee fans fit the bill. If you’ve ever gotten into a Twitter beef with one of these fans, you know exactly how passionate they are.
The tailgating experience is great in Knoxville. The smell of Tennessee BBQ spreads across the parking lots of Neyland Stadium. It’s really an experience in itself. Everyone is cross mingling between tailgates. There are hundreds of RVs across the parking lots.
There’s the Vol Navy that comes down the Tennessee River on game day. It’s called “sail-gating” and it’s one of the experiences of the Tennessee football experience that makes it so different than other tailgates. Coming down the river has that same feeling of walking out of the tunnel. This is what takes the tailgating experience to the next level.
The Vol Walk is another great tradition of the Volunteers. Sure, they literally stole it from Auburn, but that doesn’t take away from how special it is to the game-day experience. The marching band blares its sounds of the game down the street like a parade, the team comes rumbling down after walking past the Walk of Fame, and the fans hit a fever pitch once everything is said and done.
This is all without even mentioning Rocky Top. Every team needs a good song, and Rocky Top by the Osbourne Brothers is one of the best. It blasts in the bars and nightclubs before and after game day, it is played by the band, and it blasts through the stadium loudspeakers. You may not know the song now, but if you go to one Tennessee game, you’ll know it by heart.
16. Oklahoma Sooners
Oklahoma’s game-day experience is different because a lot of it takes place inside bars instead of inside parking lots. O’Connell’s is the go-to bar for everyone visiting a Sooners game. The bar usually packed with Sooners’ fans, the menu is above average for a tailgating bar, and a full bar gives fans everything they need while they wait for Oklahoma kickoff.
The Walk of Champions will give you chills on game day. It’s relatively new (debuting in 2014), and is like the walks of other big schools. Legends Lobby is a sort of Hall of Fame for the Sooners that lets fans take in the long-standing history of this college program. Oklahoma has a lot of the traditions we’ve seen before (Stripe the Stadium, fans chanting “Oklahoma”), but there are one-of-a-kind traditions as well.
The Sooners start every game with a “Boomer Sooner” chant. It’s really intimidating since one side of the stadium screams “Boomer” while the other screams “Sooner”. It’s one of the best chants in college football. There’s also the Sooner Schooner is probably the most famous tradition, only because of when it crashes. However, having a two-horse buggy run onto the field after every touchdown is a sight to see.
15. West Virginia Mountaineers
Hearing “Country Roads” after every single sporting event is one of the better traditions in college sports. Keeping John Denver’s great work alive with one of the best songs to belt out with a crowd of 50,000 people. West Virginia fans know how to celebrate wins, and it usually has to do with this classic blaring up and down High Street.
That’s just the start. There’s always the reputation for burning couches. If you’ve never been a part of a good couch burning, it’s definitely a bucket list item. However, WVU is so much more than that reputation.
The gold and blue hits the parking lots of Milan Puskar Stadium starting before dawn. RVs line the spaces with Mountaineer fans ready to celebrate their great friends and family from across the Appalachian Mountain trail. Like all good tailgates, Mountaineer fans will cross mingle making it one big party. Going from one tailgate to the next for hours before the game lets you see just how welcoming this fanbase is. Unless you wear the other team’s colors, of course.
Mountaineers have a reputation for a reason. One doesn’t have to go to the game to get the “game-day” experience. There are yard parties with TVs and projector screens on just about every street in Morgantown. There are also about a dozen bars within a block with some crazy drink specials in the downtown area. That’s not even considering Mario’s Fishbowl, which is a local favorite.
14. Auburn Tigers
It’s a great tailgate when it starts on Thursday. That’s right, Auburn fans lineup the parking lots starting two days before kickoff. Some of these fans use just about all of their vacation days on football season. When classes end on Thursday, the anticipation for game day begins.
The food options are great around campus. Some tailgates will make food based on the opponents they are playing that week (LSU week’s cajun feast sounds delightful). There are food trucks for those not looking to jump into a tailgate.
Once in the stadium, then the experience takes it up a notch. The game begins with the War Eagle, an eagle that flies into the stadium before landing towards the field. They’ve had eight different eagles in team history, and it is a special way to kick off the festivities.
Auburn’s Tiger Walk has been mimicked by colleges across the country, but there’s nothing like the original. Sometimes thousands of fans will come out and follow the team towards the stadium. This is the bucket list item for any good college football fan.
Auburn’s campus is right down the street from the major downtown area. The party goes from game time immediately to postgame when the bars and restaurants are within walking distance of the stadium. Jordan-Hare Stadium is right in the middle of the campus. It is the heartbeat of the Auburn University. It makes it so much easier to get to and from the games. It’s also making things easier for students. That convenience usually leads to a much better experience.
13. Wisconsin Badgers
The Wisconsin Badgers don’t get the same love as other Big Ten fanbases like Ohio State, Michigan, and even Penn State. Wisconsin is always just a little disrespected, whether it’s in tailgate rankings or in College Football Playoff rankings.
When one thinks of Wisconsin, cheese usually comes. to mind, and cheese is very prevalent at the Badgers tailgate festivities. Cheese curds are especially easy to find across Wisconsin’s campus. This sounds like my kind of party. There are also brats as far as the eye can see. It’s not a healthy tailgate, but nobody’s going to Wisconsin to get a nice, vegan meal.
Regent Street is a must-visit on game day. If you can’t do it the weekend you go, go back next weekend. It’s an amazing experience where every bar on the street sees hundreds of fans come in and out in a sea of red. The bars then bring their bartenders outside and line the streets with vendors. It’s like a street fair but for every home game.
Inside Camp Randall Stadium, Wisconsin fans are singing just about every song on the loudspeakers. Sometimes, it can be heard over telecasts. They also have the only acceptable wave in sports. To make the wave cool is an experience in itself.
A warning for fans with kids: there are some R-rated chants happening at Badgers games. So, bring some earplugs.
12. Florida State Seminoles
Tallahassee is far from the most famous city in Florida. It trails Miami and Orlando by far, Tampa and Jacksonville by quite a bit, and even places like St. Augustine and Sarasota have more popularity than Florida’s state capital. However, Tallahassee has Florida State, and for that reason, the panhandle will continue to get major crowds.
The Florida State Seminoles are the one team in sports that seems to escape the “glorifying native Americans” moniker because of how they went about it. The Seminole Tribe, which is extremely prevalent in Florida, wrote a letter of support for the school and its representation. They use Osceola every game day, a representation of a Native American warrior. The women of the Seminole Tribe even make his clothes for each game.
That makes the experience great. Knowing that Florida State is working with a tribe to honor the Seminole Tribe while also getting a crowd of thousands on their feet for a major ACC matchup makes it better.
Beyond that, on Friday night, many students and fans head to the Downtown Getdown, which is basically one big block party. It’s a perfect way to start the football weekend.
Possibly the coolest tradition in college football that most probably never heard of is Sod Cemetery. Florida State takes the sod of opposing teams’ fields and literally buries it next to their practice field. They even build a tombstone with the score of the game for certain hard-fought victories away from home.
11. Ohio State Buckeyes
Ohio State hasn’t lost a home game since 2017. That really helps the atmosphere in Columbus when it’s a celebration every other Saturday. The Buckeyes are one of the best teams in college football every season, and its fans will let you know across campus. Although, that condescending feeling actually helps when you visit campus. It adds to the ambiance.
The tailgate seems like a strange experience at first. Ohio State’s fans don’t all come together into one big party. It’s more of an exclusive experience. However, getting into one of these experiences is a huge accomplishment. There are different experiences in every single parking lot on campus. It really provides a much different experience.
This would be a lot higher in the ratings for game-day experience if “Hineygate” was still a thing, but the university ended that back in 2009. If you aren’t aware of its history, a quick Google search will let you see what they missed.
The chants are great for Ohio State. They start days before games across campus. O-H-I-O echoes across halls and through the streets. Then, on game day, it’s basically on repeat for 10 hours.
While good weather is a positive for other stadiums, bad weather actually enhances the experience at Ohio State. Seeing the fans overcome everything in the name of the football team makes it a fun experience overall.
10. Nebraska Cornhuskers
Nebraska hasn’t been able to find their old ways of victory on the field, but the party still feels like 90s Cornhuskers football. Lincoln is quite the scene on game day. Husker! Power! Those words can be heard from far away when everyone on campus is screaming them.
Nebraska has an insane sellout streak. No matter how good or bad the team is, fans have packed Memorial Stadium for 375 straight games (2020 does not count since fans were not allowed in the building). It’s hard to guarantee a full stadium anywhere, but Nebraska football is more important than just about anything in the state.
One of the other cool traditions is the band’s pregame performance. A marching band is always keeping the crowd in the right headspace, but Nebraska’s marching band has another performance pregame. It builds up the crowd in a way that few teams can. Usually, getting to the stadium early just means finding a good seat and mingling with people around you. Nebraska gives people a better reason to get to their seats early.
Then, there’s the tunnel walk. Usually, it’s walking out of the tunnel that gets fans excited, but Nebraska made the walk to the field an event. A camera follows Nebraska from the locker room to the field and plays it on the big board. There’s the red balloon tradition (fans literally hold onto a red balloon until Nebraska scores. It really stinks when they get shut out).
Misty’s Steakhouse is a must for a football weekend. The beef is great and the restaurant has an old-school feel you just don’t find anymore.
9. Texas A&M Aggies
Texas A&M feels underrated in just about every facet of its game-day experience. Kyle Field deserves more love than it gets. The school just spent $400 million on upgrades for the stadium. It makes the experience a lot better for a fanbase who literally sued the Seattle Seahawks because they claim they are the true “12th Man”. Now, the Seahawks have to pay the Aggies every year to keep using the 12th Man.
There’s a reason why Texas A&M has the claim to that moniker. The fanbase is one of the best in sports. It gets loud. Like, really loud. The 100,000 strong get so loud, opposing teams have changed the way they practice to prepare for it.
This is also the campus that holds “yell practice”. Hundreds and sometimes thousands of students go to Kyle Field at midnight the day before the game to just stand on the field and practice yelling. That sounds like something everyone should experience. It also sounds like quite the stress reliever from a week of classes.
The Aggie’s marching band is one of the best in the nation. Their military marching style makes the halftime show much better than something to fill time in between game action. While other stadiums see the stands empty at halftime, Kyle Field stays filled between halves. This is the one halftime show you have to see in all of college football.
The tailgates are insane. There are maroon school buses, army trucks, and some great bar scenes. It’s not the SEC’s best tailgate, but everything else about Texas A&M makes it a must on any fan’s list of places to see.
8. Georgia Bulldogs
The headlines come from the hedges surrounding Sanford Stadium, and they sure are cool, but the Georgia Bulldogs football experience is so much more than that. It all starts with the music scene. The 40 Watt Club is one of the best indie music venues in the country. It’s a must to catch a night of music when visiting the university.
The bar scene at UGA is insane. It’s right across the street from campus and is home to over 80 different bars. That’s a lot of choices for students and alumni alike. So whatever you may be looking for (cheap drinks, good food, karaoke, dancing, or anything in between), Athens has it.
Once fans wake up on Saturday, it’s time to prepare for kickoff. Tailgating is spread across different parts of the campus.
The in-game traditions are just amazing. Freshmen are taught at orientation how to “call for the dawgs”. They literally make students wait to enter the dining halls until they sing the song at a sufficient pitch. Most of the song is just barking, though. One of the coolest traditions takes place outside Sanford Stadium. The ringing of the chapel bell is a right of passage. Students line up after Georgia wins to literally ring the bell at the campus chapel.
7. Clemson Tigers
Clemson made it a point to make the game-day experience even better five years ago. Some of the upgrades impacted the highest-paying clients (luxury boxes and such), but there are some necessary adjustments like better Wifi, improved bathrooms, and an upgraded speaker system. That’s not why Clemson’s Death Valley is one of the best. There are plenty of other reasons why this is a place to be every Saturday.
Clemson fans are as loyal as any in the country. They come out in droves, they make sure they have a major presence at every away game, and during home games, they make the experience second to none. There are only 17,000 residents in the town where the university sits, but every game there are more than 100,000 fans in the stands.
The tailgates have that home-like feel of being able to walk in and understand the hospitality. The crowd is mostly orange with the occasional purple shirt here and there. Everyone is grilling more than enough for everyone, and the drinks are flowing from tailgate to tailgate.
The running down “The Hill” is a unique take on the walk most colleges do. After standing near Howard’s Rock right before the game starts, the players literally run down the hill before entering the stadium. If that doesn’t get fans pumped up, then what will?
6. Alabama Crimson Tide
Obviously, it’s hard not to take part in an experience of one of the most successful, if not the most successful college program ever. Sure, other programs claim more titles, but the era of dominance Nick Saban is taking part in right now is unlike anything seen in sports in a long time. That brings the kind of experience one wants on a college football Saturday.
The tailgates are wonderful on the eyes. Unlike some other tailgates, the decorations across the stadium stand out. Walking around the parking lots is impressive, to say the least. Alabama fans put a lot of time into making their tailgates look great. That doesn’t even mention the frat brothers and sorority sisters dressing up like it’s prom night.
It’s Alabama. The food in the South is always amazing. There’s great BBQ, pimiento cheese on everything, amazing potato salad, and some of the best dessert options anywhere in the college football world. That’s not even mentioning the great Houndstooth bar.
You may have to worry about getting sick of the saying “Roll Tide”. It gets said about 400,000 times on a football weekend. It will go in waves. You’ll hate it, love it, and go through the motions where eventually, it’s impressive how committed the students are to saying it. While Roll Tide gets all the fame, Rammer Jammer is the bread and butter of Alabama football games. It’s basically when the fans chant at the opposing team when they lose, which is basically all the time.
5. Florida Gators
Next, it’s time to go to “The Swamp”. The home of the Florida Gators is one of the most insane college football experiences in the country. Playing the games under the lights is even better (and a little more manageable in the Florida heat). There’s a certain intimidation that comes with a Gators home game. Although opposing fans may be a little scared, it’s still a must-see situation.
While some fanbases are looking to turn game day into a reason to start partying at 10 a.m., UF students are looking to change the outcome of the football game. They want to put fear into the opposing team. It’s actively worked in the past.
The best part about the game day at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium? I Won’t Back Down. The Tom Petty classic hits the loudspeakers before the fourth quarter, and the entire stadium joins in on the chorus. Petty was a Gainesville native, so it only makes sense that his biggest hit becomes a part of every Gators’ home game.
On top of that, Florida has the best arm gesture in sports. The “chomp” is awesome and makes a ton of sense. It’s not offensive but it’s still intimidating. It goes through campus for the entire week, and on game day it’s even better.
4. Michigan Wolverines
Say what you will about Michigan on the field over the last decade, off the field they are a championship-level college experience. Ann Arbor is a college town in the traditional sense. The entire city is built around the Wolverines. Most of the residents work for the university, and Saturdays are all about the Maize and Blue.
There are so many great traditions tied to Michigan football. The marching band’s iconic song “The Victors” might be the most famous fight song in college sports. It’s played a lot on game days. They play pregame, halftime, and even put on a postgame show for the crowd. The band is working overtime for the love of the game.
How’s tailgating on a golf course sound? Michigan’s best tailgating spot for those who haven’t been is the UM golf course or The Ann Arbor Golf & Outing Club, both sit just south of the stadium. It’s a unique experience that is a must for visitors to the campus.
The Big House might be an architectural anomaly. It seats more than 107,000 people, but the views of the field are great in just about every seat. The builders were able to put the stadium together without any pillars, so there are no blocked sightlines. There is plenty of handicapped-accessible seating, and the stands are friendly to just about every possible Michigan fan.
Fans of the Wolverines remain hopeful despite years of devastating losses. Under Jim Harbaugh, Michigan has been a top-10 team multiple times, but they’ve never made it all the way. Despite that, the fans cheer for every score and beguile every miscue like the entire season is on the line. That passion comes through for each and every Ann Arbor game day.
3. Penn State Nittany Lions
It’s Happy Valley. It’s hard to explain just how important game day is to Penn State University, but it’s exhilarating.
It all starts the night before a home game. Student tickets are given out day of, so students are camping outside the stadium on Friday night to have the best chance at tickets the next day. Camping out on an autumn Pennsylvania night actually sounds wonderful. It turns into the pre-tailgate tailgate. The students get creative to pass the time, and the party continues right through kickoff.
Penn State is the only team that predicts the success of the team by the athletic ability of the marching band. Before each game, a drum major is asked to do a flip. If he hits it, the tradition goes that the team will win. The crowd goes wild when the flip is successful.
Penn State walks out arm in arm. Running in lockstep, the team brings a ton of energy right before game time. It sounds dangerous, but that’s part of the fun of it. It’s like football’s version of a trust fall.
If you’re going to one Penn State game, it has to be the White Out. The entire stadium dresses in white, and it’s one of the most visually appealing stadium experiences in college football. Other teams have their own version, but white just really comes off great on the aerial shots, and it seems like the crowd is extra rowdy for the White Out game.
The stadium starts rocking with “We Are” and “Penn State”. It’s one of the most recognizable chants in college football.
2. Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Sometimes, traditions do last. There are statues on most college campuses, but nothing beats Touchdown Jesus and First Down Moses. Notre Dame’s campus is just different. Walking around on a Friday before game day makes every day feel like a perfectly crisp fall. The pep rally starts Friday at six, and the celebration lasts right through kickoff some weekends.
The map of the campus is extremely large, so hitting everything is almost impossible. South Bend might be worth a week off if you’re only going once. The architecture on campus is amazing. Even if you’re not religious, one must marvel at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart. The Grotto is also a must-visit for everyone going to campus, even if it’s just for one day.
The sound of music and the smell of grills burning starts bright and early. The food in and around Notre Dame is surprisingly great. The pizza at Rocco’s will even have New Yorkers agreeing it’s acceptable (which is a lot from New Yorkers and their pizza). Fiddler’s Hearth is an Irish Pub at Notre Dame. Is there anything better? The stout pours here are taught by a family of Celts, so perfect is expected.
The midnight drummer’s circle is an age-old tradition that is a must. It’s going to cause some sleepy eyes for game day, but fans didn’t come here to sleep anyway. The Notre Dame Drumline actually comes out at midnight for the rally before home games in front of the main building on campus.
Game day is extra exciting, with traditions like the leprechaun walking the cheerleaders down to the stadium, doing a jig to “The Rakes of Mallow”, and there are plenty of pushups for each touchdown scored. Win or lose, head back down to Touchdown Jesus for a celebration of the team.
1. LSU Tigers
There is nothing like football in Death Valley. Some of the biggest names in college football make this a must-see every single year. It has everything. Some of the best food you will ever eat. Crawfish, brats, burgers, gumbo, BBQ, shrimp, oysters, and of course the tradition to “cook the enemy” (which means eating the rival mascot). The food at an LSU tailgate might be the best meal of your life. Also, there’s always a pig roast somewhere.
There are tailgates with free top-end booze sponsored by local businesses. They call it a marketing expense. There’s no Keystone Light going around for LSU Tigers fans (unless you’re into that kind of thing).
The game experience is phenomenal. Usually, fans are hitting that sweet spot once the game starts. LSU plays a lot of night games, and the all-day parties beforehand turn into a pretty awesome experience in the stands.
LSU is chaotic, rowdy, and a little on the crazy (okay, a lot), but the experience is untouchable. It will be a day that feels like a whirlwind while it’s happening, but once it’s over fans can’t stop talking about it. You’ll meet people you never thought possible in the middle of a catered tailgate. You’ll share amazing eats with strangers. Everything that’s great about every other tailgate is ten-times better at LSU.
It’s also SEC football. LSU is basically rivals with everyone on its schedule. The Alabama game is the one that takes all the headlines, but matchups with Auburn, Florida, and Texas A&M provide the same level of insanity from its fanbase as other team’s biggest rivals.
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