The Top 10 College Football Tailgates of 2010

What's a football game without a good tailgate, right?

The two go hand in hand, but on college campuses around the country, the fans often take it to another level. The union of football and tailgating is a marriage celebrated every Saturday with a "renewal of vows."

Tailgating in Texas, Louisiana, at the Rose Bowl, or in Beaver Stadium, while boating on Lake Michigan, tied on the Tennessee River, or in the legendary Grove is an experience quite unlike anything else.

It's a combination of passionate, lifelong fans, the excitement of young college crowds, and of course, the good ol' pigskin.

So which tailgating experiences will top the charts in 2010? Check out the top 10 tailgating games to look forward to this season. To keep things fair, each venue is limited to one spot on the list.

10. Georgia at Auburn, Nov. 13

The Auburn faithful will literally pack the road miles from Jordan-Hare Stadium on game day. There's stories of crowds showing up on Thursdays and not driving home until Sunday.

That's the type of dedication that can't be left off the list. If Auburn were playing Alabama at home this year, the venue would be higher up the list, but unfortunately that's an away game.

So it's got to be either Georgia or LSU, and considering that the Bulldogs escaped last year with a 31-24 victory, it's safe to say the fans will be pumped up for the rematch.

9. Michigan at Penn State, Oct. 30

What do you get when you pack 100,000 people into Beaver Stadium on Saturdays with another 10 to 15 thousand left in the parking lot?

Well, technically, the third-largest population in the state of Pennsylvania, but what the police saw was a drinking problem.

That caused a law to be enacted that prohibits drinking outside the stadium during games, apparently to settle the unruly crowds that come out to support their team.

If Penn State had Ohio State at home this season or even a classic Syracuse matchup, it would be one of the top two or three tailgating games this season, but unfortunately Michigan is the best available this time around.

8. Alabama at Tennessee, Oct. 23

Boats tie up by the hundreds along the Tennessee River and fans whip out the barbecues and beer. College students and fans pack the parking lots surrounding the stadium and party hard from dawn to dusk.

Tennessee fans can never seem to agree on who their biggest rival is or which game they're looking forward to the most. Some say Florida, while others insist it's Alabama.

Well, considering both are heading to Volunteer country this season and the Crimson Tide head into town after beating Tennessee 12-10 in 2009, that's probably the game that will be the more electric of the two.

7. USC at UCLA, Dec. 4

The Rose Bowl has always been considered one of the best atmospheres to watch a football game, so you can only imagine the type of tailgating the Bruins have built up over the years as they head there each weekend.

It's LA, it's near perfect weather, a great fan base and tradition, and the Rose Bowl right behind you. What more could you ask for?

A matchup with USC to close out the season in to what I hope will amount to more than a big game for USC and a chance to ruin their rival's season for UCLA.

6. Texas Tech at Texas A&M, Oct. 30

The fans at Texas A&M have been compared to a cult. They take their football so seriously that the old saying "Football is a religion in Texas" couldn't possibly ring truer.

Give these people some credit, though. After all, it's a lot easier to root for a powerhouse like UT than to raise an Aggies flag year in and year out.

But the passion and steadiness of the A&M fan base is just as good, if not better than their rivals. It's a a shame their contest with Texas comes on the road this season; it seems all the best rivalries are being played in the wrong tailgating location this year.

Texas Tech-Texas A&M doesn't spark the same interest, but it's still a heated rivalry between two schools who both love themselves a barbecue on Saturdays.

5. UCLA at Washington, Nov. 18

If you're a fan of boating and tailgating, the ultimate combination of the two takes place on Lake Washington every Huskies home game.

Here the fans drop anchor in the mornings and head home well into the night after hours of food, drink and boat-hopping throughout the game.

Many head into the stadium for the real festivities, but thousands more remain on the water, listening to the contest on the radio or swimming to a friendly boat with a TV big enough to share.

The Huskies' two biggest rivalry games, Washington State and Oregon, are on the road this year, but given how heartbreaking the Bruins' 24-23 victory was last season, you can go ahead and mark that game on your schedule now.

4. Mississippi State at Mississippi, Nov. 27

Mississippi is home to the legendary Grove, Ole Miss' tailgating location for generations. Tailgating and football have been one and the same here since the game first took hold over 100 years ago.

Unlike some places where the fans are rowdy and pumped up for what you'd easily mistake for a bar fight, the atmosphere at the Grove is welcoming, family-friendly, and even "sublime."

Now, there's nothing wrong with the opposite side of the tailgating spectrum, but for a change of pace and a tailgating experience quite unlike anything in sports, Ole Miss is the place to go; they'll welcome their in-state rivals for a visit in November.

3. Alabama at LSU, Nov. 6

Louisiana knows how to do one thing better than any state in the country.

Cajun.

The dishes you'll see prepared on a Saturday outside the stadium are truly amazing. Not only do you have some of the nation's best fans, but they bring the absolute best food to the table too.

Duck, gumbo, sausage, craw fish, etouffee, and grilled alligator.

Now if only the Tigers were playing the Auburn Tigers, we'd have a real game on our hands this year; Alabama will have to do.

2. Oklahoma vs. Texas, Oct. 2

The Red River Rivalry is one of the most heated in all of sports. These two teams have been going at it annually since the 19th century and play their yearly contest in Dallas at the Cotton Bowl.

It's about as intense as it gets, with fans from both sides swooping into the area by the thousands to eat, drink, celebrate their team, and taunt their rivals. And for those that need a little something extra, the Texas State Fair is just around the corner.

Last year Oklahoma was without Sam Bradford, which took a bit of the bite out of the contest. But this year's should be yet another classic. Expect the party to start early for all and end very late for one.

1. Georgia vs. Florida, Oct. 30

The Georgia-Florida annual contest at Jacksonville's Alltel Stadium is a staple of the tailgating experience. The event is known simply as the "World's Largest Cocktail Party."

Every year over 100,000 Bulldogs and Gators come to watch the game with the winning side always sticking around for the presentation of the Okefenokee Oar and the losing side resuming their parking lot festivities early.

It's a rivalry that dates back to 1915 and draws one of the largest yearly tailgating crowds in the country. This looks like a year Georgia can make it interesting on the field, and that should make it interesting off it.