Before their season was sidetracked by Notre Dame, Michigan State fans managed to get in some quality tailgating. We at Drunken Tailgate always want to encourage girls to shotgun beers and play cornhole.

Last week we posted a video that portrayed USC tailgating like a montage from The Hills. This week brings us a look at LSU tailgating by the Baton Rouge Tourism Board. And much like a day tailgating in Baton Rouge it has that weird psychedelic voodoo vibe to it. Like a LSD scene in a movie. I have no idea what the coordinated rowing dance is for but it’s a perfect match for the soundtrack music by the Brass-a-holics.

VandyBubble is getting all nostalgic and asking about the disappearance of some aspects of Commodore livin:

Whatever happened to dressing up and taking dates to tailgates?

This is an age-old Southern tradition that has apparently gone to shit at Vanderbilt. Some bubbleheads might remember the pressure leading up to their first tailgate to have some fresh frat gear and a smokeshow arm ornament to flaunt around in the Nashville sun. Now, guys are out smashing beers on their skulls and tailgating at the asscrack of dawn in basketball jerseys, while girls dawdle around in their suites till 3pm with heavily photographed, but lightly alcoholic Andre pregames. We’re not saying that it’s wrong, but what happened to tradition?

(pic via)

Everyday Should Be Saturday and @celebrityhottub bring you some helpful safety guidelines for SEC conference play. My favorites:

“Fans are reminded that referring to any alcohol illicitly smuggled into the stadium as “Top-Relf Liquor” will NOT prevent your ejection by security.”

“The Vol Navy is a valued part of Tennessee tradition, but please stop telling Holly Rowe you’re promoting her to Rear Admiral.”

“Fans, please do not give any money to Matt Jones. He is not just using it to “get his mind right and turn things around.”"

This month’s copy of Tailgater Magazine includes a ranking of the top 20 tailgating schools. You can read the full article here with snippets about each school. People love to complain about the top tailgating lists,and I certainly have my issues with this one. But to me, you can only rank what you’ve experienced. Which means only a handful of people in the nation can really create a definitely list. In my opinion there are three aspects that should be ranked. Size, Uniqueness, and the actual Game. Any campus that isn’t jam packed with tailgaters gets pushed down. You need a unique food, tradition, or setting. And finally, the game needs to mean something. The stadium, the competition, everything must be an event. So many years from now when I’ve crossed off 20-30 campuses, I’ll present my thorough list. Until now, settle for Tailgater Magazine’s:

20 UCLA
19 Georgia
18 Penn State
17 Colorado
16 Michigan
15 Oklahoma
14 Arkansas
13 Texas
12 Wisconsin
11 Alabama
10 Oregon
09 Auburn
08 Notre Dame
07 LSU
06 Tennessee
05 Ohio State
04 Washington
03 Clemson
02 Florida
01 Ole Miss

To the professional beer drinker, there is no denying that draft beer is superior tasting to it’s bottled or canned alternative. The only downside is typically access or rather the convenience of obtaining draft beer. While I highly recommend getting a keg for your tailgate, it’s not always practical. Be it the size of your crowd or legal/campus restrictions. Luckily, the rise of the craft beer movement in the US has also brought about the growler renaissance. A growler is typically a half gallon (64 oz) glass container that allows you to get draft beer to go. The immediate benefit is obviously the ability to drink sweet wonderful nectar of the gods draft beer while not being reliant upon a bar/keg. If you’re looking for another justification, the reusable glass bottles are environmentally friendly.

Once filling up your growler, it should stay fresh if unopened for easily a week. Once opening, I suggest keeping that baby cold and finishing it within about 48 hours to maintain good carbonation. Filling up your growler on a Friday and drinking it on Saturday before kickoff is not a shabby way to pregame. If you don’t want to throw it in your cooler you could also pick up an Insulated Beer Growler Bag. Below I’ve included some places around the South where you can pick up a growler before the game. If you have a favorite local fill up station please let us know in the comments.

Athens, GA: The Beer Growler
Atlanta, GA: Hop City
Birmingham, AL: Highland Package
Columbia, SC: Green’s
Fayetteville, AR: Hog Haus
Gainesville, FL: Tipple’s Brews
Lexington & Louisville, KY: Liquor Barn
Knoxville, TN: Bearden Beer Market
Nashville, TN: Midtown Beer & Cigar Store

Folks in Mississippi appear to be battling Johnny Law but can join the fight. All I could find in Louisiana was the Abita Brew Pub. But based on drinking laws in that state, I’m sure just about anywhere would fill up a growler.

The only time I’ve tailgated at a Southern Cal game, the scene was nothing like this video. But that doesn’t mean it doesn’t currently play out like an extended montage from The Hills. Good camera work and soundtrack. Of note:

- Jean shorts and Ray Bans are just as popular as they were in 1987. But only on girls

- The shot of the post party trash is a nice start, but the Trojans are going to have give it 110% if they want to rival the North Campus tornado damage level disaster that used to go down in Athens

Hawkeye Bean took in the Iowa/Tennessee Tech game this weekend and took some photos of the tailgating scene. As previously discussed, Iowa tailgating usually involves cold weather. So what happens when there is a home game in the early September heat? Apparently dudes wear ridiculous outfits. And also, Hawkeye Bean himself had the following experiences

Showed up to a tailgate without any sort of adult beverage, relying on the kindness of others

Only brought one Hawkeye Koozie,which was later renamed Mrs. Hawkeye Bean’s Koozie.

Failed to follow the wife’s advise to leave the cell phone in the car.

Discovered our rain ponchos were just windbreakers

Discovered our windbreakers don’t break wind in the rain

Discovered Hawkeye Fans do still break wind in the rain

Left a Hawkeye game before the 4th quarter for only the 2nd time ever (shame)

Check out their site for more photos, Iowa tailgating gear, and more.

The opening Thursday of college football season was weird. Devoid of any key matchup and full of schools playing on Thursday so they could be broadcast online at espn360 espn3 WatchESPN.com. Then there was the debacle of Western Kentucky playing a home game against Kentucky in Nashville, TN on a Thursday. But like most opening weekend games, it was an even mix of prime time programs and cupcakes getting their 15 minutes. Here are the photos to prove it.

Arizona State girls resorting to costumes and/or ecstasy to liven up a matchup with UC Davis

Oh you’re not using that ketchup dispenser? I have a semi practical use for it.

There are many a Chippewa fan in Mount Pleasant that dropped the ball and didn’t figure out a way to invite this girl to their tailgate.

Temple and Villanova both apparently play football in addition to basketball. I haven’t bothered to fact check this, but it’s possible they play for something call the Mayor’s Cup or something like that. It’s Always Sunny should start sponsoring this game to coincide with the start of their new seasons. Anyways, props to hardcores who tailgate and presumably watch that display of athleticism.

Murray State made the trip north to play instate rival Louisville. No word yet on whether the Racers will be hosting the Cardinals in a rematch next year in Nashville.

The theory behind Pig of the Month is a solid one.  Ribs can be hard to cook based on gear and time limitations when it comes to tailgating.  So they cook the meat for you, mail it in dry ice packaging, and then all you have to do is reheat it.  Which certainly cuts down on prep time and allows you to cook ribs on even some of the smallest tailgating grills.  Pig of the Month sent me over a rack of baby ribs and I threw them on the grill to try em out.  And I’d say they were pretty good.  Not amazing, but not bad either.  I wouldn’t hesitate to serve them at a tailgate.

Unfortunately, I can’t figure out who this service actually makes sense for.  The main objection is the price.  Though they cover a wide variety of styles, two 2lb racks of Baby Backs are going to cost you $55.  And that doesn’t even include shipping.  At this point why wouldn’t you just grab ribs from the nearest BBQ place?  It’s cheaper and less work.  I just checked the menus for about six different restaurants and not a single one sold a full rack for more than $25 and most were much cheaper.