Tailgating Big XII Style

…UT’s campus is a city campus, somewhat similar to UNL, but the tailgating in Austin is much better than what I’ve seen in Lincoln. It tends to be split into the various parking areas, but it’s a fun atmosphere.

College Station has a great tailgating atmosphere. The fans are very friendly and will likely invite visitors over for a beer or some food and game discussion. Been there for two games and was very impressed.

Boulder
It’s definitely the most scenic – and for the obvious reasons, but that might be about the only redeming quality about tailgating in Boulder. Tailgating consists of on-campus parking lots and a few random parking lots around campus and the stadium. I found these lots to be a little secluded from the other areas which makes the overall tailgating experience diminish a little because it’s with a smaller crowd. We found a smaller lot with a decent size K-State crowd which made it enjoyable to the fact that we were big in numbers and less likely to get verbally abused by the CU students. And while not all CU fans are as bad as they get credit for, you will most definitely get at least one off-color remark heading to and from the stadium – that I can assure you.

College Statiion
Gotta agree with TB above with most of his statements, except for the one with being impressed. While A&M fans can be considered the most cordial in the conference – I find it just a little creepy. It’s a little too nice for my taste. I get the same feeling when you’re walking around in any store, just browsing and minding your own business, and then you get constantly get downright harassed by Tommy the employee of the month about whether or not he can help you find something.
Now I know a lot of people will disagree with me on that, but that’s just how I feel. And don’t get me wrong, I’d still prefer an A&M crowd than a CU crowd…

Also, I have to admit that tailgating with a bunch of good friends and a cooler full of beer in the fall is about as good as it gets – regardless of how your team is performing. So now that we all have less than one week to go, and all I have to say is – Cheers.

Most of the places I’ve been to have been listed above but I’ll just throw these out there:

Iowa St. – Gotta agree with Mike on Jack Trice being a lot like Arrowhead in that the tailgating scene is vast and really the only decent quality about the place. Went in ‘02 when they fielded a decent team and beat Nebraska which made the scene much more ’festive’ then usual.

Missouri – Went to Columbia in ‘01 and really didn’t tailgate that much (wasn’t of age) but basically they have the parking garages available close to the stadium and that was all I noticed outside of a few lots nearby. Decent town though and the stadium was nice (and swathed with Husker red!).

Kansas St./Kansas – Never been to an actual game at either of the stadiums but been to the campuses and got to again agree with Mike that Kansas does have a pretty nice setting but I’d hate to get around that place come winter due to ice + hills = no fun. Also, if your going to be in Manhattan, KS and tickets are expensive (which they will be for Husker games) a good idea would be to just head over to Aggieville and catch the game at one of their many great establishments.

Baylor – Other than the fact that the game was held in Waco, TX this was actually a decent trip and tailgating experience. LIke Mike said it had expansive space for tailgating and if your worried your going to be the only Nebraskan there you’ll be pleasantly surprised that there will probably be more Husker fans in attendance than the home team (thanks North Texas Nebraskans!).

Colorado – I’d agree with mystmann995 in that Boulder is a spectacular place to catch a football game (especially if you have tickets on the side facing the mountains). Also agree on the fact that you will take verbal abuse although it wasn’t as bad as I would have expected (maybe because we went in ’07 and both teams basically sucked). However, the problem that year the game started at 11am CT (10am MT!) which left little time to actually tailgate outside of breakfast at the hotel and drinks from our cooler in the hotel room (taking the cheap route!…plus it was like 19 degrees outside!) The hotel did provide some beer gardens in their courtyard which was probably the better bet for Husker fans traveling into the belly of the beast (safety in numbers!).

This year we are heading back to Boulder (already got tickets!). The game is at 12pm MT(?) so we might have the ability to tailgate this year but because of the early start time last time we may need some ideas as to where to go and what to do so that we don’t end up depantsed and tied to a tree on Pearl St. due to some liquored up Buff fans. Any ideas from a previous trip fellow Husker comrades? Going this year too and want to meet up? Reply below!

to get to the Virginia Tech game this year but that plan has fallen through.

I will be down for the Florida Atlantic game, however, and hope to finally get my kids to a home game.

I’ve been to just about every game at Ames for the last 20 years….. never been bothered much by Iowa State fans, and have always had a fair amount of fun there.

Need to start getting to some more Big 12 sites, though. That’s in the plan the next few years.