20 of the best schools for tailgating this college football season

Tailgating is an honored American tradition that brings together friends, families, and the community to support their favorite sports teams. Tracing back to 1861, Manassas, Virginia, is claimed to be the birthplace of this spunky tradition, where a Sunday summer day brought the residents of Virginia together to witness the Civil War's historic First Battle of Bull Run, with many spectators suitably equipped with wagons of food and beverages to watch Confederate and Union soldiers duke it out. Eight years later, America would seeits first official football match between Princeton and Rutgers, and since then, raucous gatherings and crowds have become the preferred style to cheer on the team of your choice!

It wouldn’t be fall without the thrill of college football. Prepare your RV, gather your pregame crew, and bring plenty of snacks to cheer on the nation’s best athletes and teams! In no particular order, here are the most exhilarating schools to tailgate across the country!

1. Penn State: With several tailgating lots to choose from, the gameday atmosphere is unrivaled at this competitive university, with Beaver Stadium known for being an intimidating field for its rivals to conquer! No matter the outcome, the iconic Penn State fandom, its student body, and many customs and festivities put it up for running as the colonial East’s premier football school!
2. Cal: Football at UC Berkeley turns this college town of intellect into a sports mecca. Keep the festivities going before, during, and after the game by grabbing your friends and heading to Charter Hill for an unmatched view of the game and the chance to be the first to hear the California Victory Canyon ring!
3. LSU: America's favorite sport paired with the delicious Cajun cuisines of the south, freshly served with several doses of southern hospitality and pride, make tailgates at LSU something to experience at least once, where you'll find a different party in every parked RV!
4. Ohio State: Ohio State’s large student body makes it one of the country’s most exciting, with several traditions and events leading up to their most watched games. Weekends here become busy for students, alums, and families of the community, where celebrations on the streets and around campus can begin as early as Thursday at this party school!
5. Michigan: You can’t go wrong with a tailgate anywhere near the University of Michigan’s campus, as Ann Arbor's population doubles during game weekends! Fans from all over the country join this highly ranked sports school to share in the suspense of victories, transforming the stadium, known as “The Big House," into the country's largest college football stadium!
6. Oregon: The University of Oregon is notable for having one of the loudest stadiums in the country thanks to its many loyal fans, and the energy seen and heard around Eugene creates one of the most intriguing seasons in the Pacific Northwest. Before heading to the legendary Autzen Stadium, stop by Oregon's many tailgates for food, family, and fun!
7. Texas A&M: It's difficult to say which school in Texas has the best tailgating because the entire state prides itself on having the biggest and best crowds in the U.S., but Texas A&M may be the loudest with its Midnight Yell tradition, the 12th man, and several tailgating locations that cover Aggie Park in deep maroon.
8. Notre Dame: There's something magical about gamedays at the University of Notre Dame, whether it's the school's unique spiritual heritage enhanced by the university's stunningly sculpted campus, or the vibrant and omnipresent crowds that linger during the fall season, making tailgates here a force to be reckoned with for its visiting rivals.
9. Ole Miss: The Grove, a 10-acre grassy area on the University of Mississippi campus, becomes the city's busiest site as football fans opt fortents overvehiclesto celebrate the team's anticipated triumphs. These Friday night tailgates are among the most enticing in the country, with high spirits and good 'ole-fashioned Mississippi mayhem, from the boisterousstudent body to nostalgic alumni!
10. Washington: Washington's rain does not deter University of Washington fans from overflowing stadiums, and pregame tailgating is no exception. Tailgating in Washington is taken to the next level with "sailgating"--where devoted students and alumni moor their boats directly atop the waters of Lake Washington, which is conveniently positioned right next to the stadium!
11. USC: Another large California school, the colleges of Los Angeles are quite competitive, making the tailgates extra wild and extra fun. At USC, expect Greek-styled aesthetics, celebrity appearances, and a very talented marching band that spreads joy across this staple West Coast campus.
12. Nevada-Reno: As Nevada’s flagship university and school one-of-two with a football team, college town Reno comes alive during every UNR home game with tailgates surrounding Mackay Stadium, where the team rises the ranks with the help of a spirited student body.
13. Harvard: Harvard tailgates go extra hard with this Ivy League school expected to maintain its status as the best of the best. Exceptional academic standards aside, tailgates and campus festivities during football season are a much-needed distraction for students, with some extra bouts of laughter added with its pranking traditions against other Ivies in the area.
14. Auburn: Auburn autumns are reminiscent of a classic, feel-good American film, with the Alabama school glistening with orange leaves and blue skylines that match the team’s uniforms during the highly anticipated football season. Spirits arise during the annual Tiger Walk weekend, where the team marches from Donahue Drive to Jordan-Hare Stadium amidst thousands of fans cheering for the next win.
15. Memphis: With the large presence of tents, RVs, and barbecues belonging to the school's biggest supporters and spenders, the grassy area known as "Tiger Lane," which runs up to Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium, always passes the vibe check. Join in on a few lawn games or mingle with other football fans; there is never a dull moment at a University of Memphis tailgate.
16. West Virginia: Tailgates here start at 7 a.m., so by afternoon, WVU crowds are rowdy and ready for game day shenanigans. This school does a fantastic job of bringing together local supporters and students to make the celebrations even bigger and better.
17. Georgia: Southern hospitality is put on full display at the tailgates of the University of Georgia, where food, stories, laughter, and embraces are shared amongst the students, alumni, and fans of this Athens powerhouse. On-campus tailgates, followed by downtown afters, mean there is no sleeping during a home game weekend.
18. Arizona State: Every day is a party at Arizona State, and football season might have the most of them all. With a large student population in one of the country’s most prevalent college cities, the school offers several free and exclusive tailgate options for setting up a fun base with friends and family.
19. Nebraska: Being the only professional football team in the state, the University of Nebraska becomes the main character of the fall season, inviting fans from all over the state to Lincoln, where every point scored against regional rivals sends the entire town into a frenzy.
20. Boise State: A regional leader representing the vast fields and mountains of Idaho, Boise State knows a good tailgate at its dedicated Ford Tailgate Zone before Albertson’s Stadium floods with blissful blues and eager chants that can intimidate the country's toughest teams.

Now the only thing left to do is book your tickets and hit the road for the next gameday. Get ready to have the best tailgate party ever!