Wisconsin Football: 5 Things Opposing Fans Must Experience from Badgers' Game Day

The state of Wisconsin is triply blessed. 

The Milwaukee Brewers lay claim to one of the best baseball tailgating atmospheres in the MLB (regardless of their record).

Lambeau Field in Green Bay is seen as the unofficial mecca for NFL die-hards, while Madison, Wisconsin, is revered as one of the best college towns in the country. (It has the awards, accolades, shout-outs and write-ups to prove it.)

Regardless of which team colors a visitor is wearing, "Mad-town" provides college football fans with history, scenery and good old fashioned fun. 

Start on State Street

If Madison had a yellow brick road, it would start at the mouth of State Street. 

With more than 200 storefronts, 60 restaurants and a few bars to boot, the famously pedestrian-friendly avenue always is always busting with the Badger faithful as they begin their pilgrimage to the stadium.

State Street Brats, located near the base of State Street, is a perennial contender for one of the country's best college sports bars and is a popular meeting place for out-of-towners looking to start the day. 

Breakfast and Bloody Marys are on the minds of all as they begin a football Saturday in the Dairyland. 

Stop by the Union Terrace

The Memorial Union Terrace is a popular destination for opposing fans because of the location's unique blend of novelty and beauty. 

Nestled on the shore of Lake Mendota, this Madison favorite has been a favorite meeting place since 1928. It also offers a welcome respite from the frenzy of the rest of the game day activities and allows newcomers to see the city in a new light. 

Porter Butts, according the union website, put it best when he said:

“Where, other than at Wisconsin, may one step from university soil into a canoe, see the crews sweeping by, watch a glowing marine sunset while music plays from nearby student houses or the Union Terrace?”

Begin the Tailgate

Unlike The Grove of Ole Miss or the vast golf course set-ups of its Big Ten brethren, Wisconsin fans have mastered the art of urban tailgating. 

Barbecues, grills, kegs and yard games are set up in every nook and cranny, street and alley surrounding the stadium. Madison is known for its on-field hostility, but most Badgers are more than happy to revel in a crisp fall day with their rivals. 

Revelers can start at the base of Regent Street and wind their way up to the very gates of Camp Randall, taking in the smell of brats and burgers all the way. 

Jump Around

The Wisconsin "Jump Around" is almost as famous as Bucky the Badger himself. 

The normally rowdy student section finds their inner House of Pain between the third and fourth quarter, inspiring one of the iconic scenes of college football.

Even opposing players like to get into the action as more than 14,000 bodies pulsate and shake Camp Randall to its core. Other stadiums may be bigger, and some may be louder, but no one else produces a mini-earthquake each home game. 

End at the Fifth Quarter

Win or lose, rain or shine, the University of Wisconsin Marching Band plays on. 

A long held tradition has turned into a bucket list moment for college football fans as the famed band takes the field after the game has finished in the "Fifth Quarter." 

Forget formations. The unofficial after-party features the marching band members doing what they best: having a lot of fun. Songs like Tequila and the Chicken Dance dominate the play list that demands audience participation. 

The band then files out of the stadium and leads everyone still standing back downtown to continue the night.