Did you know that the first occurrence of college tailgating dates back to the very first football game ever played between Rutgers and Princeton in 1869 when fans traveled to the game by horse-drawn carriage? The tailgaters grilled sausages at the “tail-end” of the horse, spawning the term “tailgating”.
Since then, the college tailgate has been a beloved tradition, bringing to mind memories of cups, koozies, and cornhole. And with the variety of traditions comes a heated debate about which team, or even which area of the country has the best traditions. Sure, YOUR favorite team tailgates best, but see how other football conferences stack up before the game!
Check out The Top Tailgating Conferences in College Football Traditions infographic created by National Pen to find out who grills the meanest burger, shows the most school spirit, and takes part in the craziest college football tailgating traditions. The graphic is broken up into conference and you’ll notice how different the traditions really are by region!
Whether it’s incorporating regional tailgate food ideas like jambalaya from the SEC, cowboy boots from The Big 12, or custom cups from the ACC, the next game is sure to be a party with these college tailgating tips and ideas.