The Ultimate College Football Road Trip

I wrote this for Hooters magazine, but since everyone I know loves college football, I thought I'd throw this up here on the ole blog. Enjoy!

For those of us who live for college football, thank goodness kickoff is just around the corner. From Labor Day until New Years, college football junkies get their fix every weekend and several days during the week. College football has slowly seeped into nearly every day of the week that ends in “-ay” and the college pigskin sprawl now stretches from coast to coast.
But with college football being more popular than ever and with more games on more days, how will you know what game to watch each week? Where should you navigate the fully-loaded RV to each week, because road trips aren’t just for college students anymore?! Ice down the coolers, and let’s talk some football!
Week one starts off with a bang. You could head to the Georgia Dome to catch Clemson and Alabama and visit STATS Bar & Grill near the Dome for a pregame drink, but instead travel to St. Louis and grab tickets to the Missouri/Illinois game at the Edward Jones Dome. The Tigers will come into the season likely ranked in the top 10 and will face preseason top 25 the Fighting Illini. Illinois QB Juice Williams will be throwing to Arrelious Benn, but he doesn’t have a workhorse running back in Rashard Mendenhall to split the offensive burden. Juice will have to run it more against a tough Mizzou defense, and Chase Daniel will look to begin his Heisman campaign with a win. If you do catch this game, head to Ozzie’s afterwards for some St. Louis-style ribs. ESPN’s Cold Pizza recently named Ozzie’s, named for the former Cardinal shortstop, one of the top three sports bars in the country.
For the second week of the season you can head down to the Swamp to see a great Florida rivalry renewed. The Miami Hurricanes visit Gainesville to face reigning Heisman winner Tim Tebow and the Florida Gators. Ben Hill Griffin Stadium aka The Swamp is an attraction in itself and be sure to check out the new Tim Tebow plaque on the Ring of Fame. The noise during the fourth quarter of a close game, especially in a rivalry like this one, is deafening, so you may want to bring ear plugs. Plus, why would you want to miss out on seeing Tim Tebow? He is the only man alive to have ever counted to infinity…twice.
In what could be the biggest game of the regular season, Ohio State travels to Los Angeles on September 13 to face the men of Troy, aka USC. Many pundits are saying that the winner of this game has the inside track to a spot in the BCS Championship game. The two head coaches, Jim Tressel and Pete Carroll, may be the two best in the college game, and both teams might have a QB controversy in the works when this game rolls around. The song girls certainly make this game worth taking in by themselves!
On September 20, Tempe, Arizona, will be the place to be as Preseason No.1 Georgia will be heading west of the Mississippi River for a regular season game for the first time in seemingly forever. Former NFL head coach Dennis Erickson runs the Sun Devil program and the man certainly brings credibility to the program with a title from his Miami days. Mark Richt and his Dawgs will be a strong test for Rod Tidwell’s alma mater, but fans traveling to see the game will want to visit Monkey Pants Bar & Grill on South Mill Street.
The last week of September offers fans one of the best match-ups the Big Ten will offer all season. Wisconsin will travel to Michigan’s Big House and those cheering for the Maize and Blue will want to sing Hail to the Victors until they are hoarse. Meanwhile Badger fans might want to arrive on Thursday to check out the live music at the Irish pub Conner O’Neil’s. The food is traditional Irish cuisine and the strong whiskey drinks will leave fans in a tizzy come game time.
The following week fans will want to follow the Badgers back to Madison, Wisconsin, a place ESPN’s Scott Van Pelt once called, “the best college town in the country.” Ohio State will likely enter the game undefeated in Big Ten play and this battle could determine who takes the conference title. State Street Brats on State Street is the place to grab a pregame bratwurst. Also make sure to hit up a Copp’s Grocery store for some marshmallows to throw at the start of the fourth quarter.
The second weekend in October always means The Red River Shootout, even if OU and UT school officials won’t call it that anymore. The Texas state fair is held right outside the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, the site of the game. You can grab a deep-friend snickers or Twinkie before watching one team wrap up the Big 12 South Division title inside. This game will feature two good young QBs in Sam Bradford for the Oklahoma Sooners and Colt McCoy for the Texas Longhorns.
On October 18, the ACC will experience a Big East acid flashback as Virginia Tech will head up I-95 to face Boston College in Chestnut Hill. Last season, BC edged out VaTech in Blacksburg thanks to two late Matt Ryan TDs, but the Hokies got revenge in the ACC championship game. After the game, fans can tour around Boston to see historical sights or head to the Causeway for some general tomfoolery and a chance to scalp tickets to a Sox playoff game.
Notre Dame fans might need to hop on a plane to head out to Seattle for the team’s match-up with the Washington Huskies. This game might be Washington head coach’s Ty Willingham’s last chance to save his job by beating his former team. The controversy over Willingham’s dismissal angered a few, especially after the Irish’s terrible 2007 campaign. Willingham’s shot to remain with his current team will get a boost from his QB Jake Locker aka Tebow-lite. For those looking to party long into the night after the game, visit Earl’s on the Avenue with the stiffest drinks you have ever tasted. There is an unofficial bar rule that limits patrons to only two Long Island Ice Teas per night. After you’ve had your two beverages, stumble down to Pier 70 and visit the Real World House from MTV’s seventh season.
The beginning of November may clear a path for the BCS championship game for the winner of the World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party (outside of Mardi Gras) in Jacksonville, Florida. This contest pits Hooters Magazine’s No.1 Georgia vs. No. 2 Florida. The “neutral site” game has become legendary over the years, and Florida owns the series recently, though UGA owns the overall series lead and won last season. In the days leading up to the big game, don your Halloween costume and head down to the Landing, and while you’re there, be sure and visit the Hooters for a great view…of the water!
Nebraska Cornhusker fans have had November 8 circled on their calendars ever since QB Todd Ressing and the rest of the Kansas Jawhawks laid the wood to the Huskers last season 76-39. This time the game is in Lincoln and the locals should be crazed animals when the game kicks off. If fans visiting Land o’ Corn also want to take in a true animalistic experience, visit the legendary Zoo Bar and take in live music ranging from reggae to blues for a walk on the wild side.
On November 15, you could travel down to the Swamp and watch the Old Ball Coach Steve Spurrier and his South Carolina Gamecocks face his old team Florida, but we recommend attending the border battle between Minnesota and Wisconsin, as the two schools battle for Paul Bunyan’s Axe. Regardless of which team wins this contest, held this season in Madison’s Camp-Randall stadium, the victors will all carry around a huge axe. That’s just great theater.
The week prior to Thanksgiving gives fans the ultimate college football rivalry: Michigan/Ohio State. This season’s game take place in Columbus, Ohio and after you make your way past Kirk Herbstreit’s extended family, watch TBDBITL “Dot the I” in the Script Ohio formation. If you don’t get Goosebumps, I don’t believe you have a soul.
Post turkey-day the state of Alabama will shut down as the entire population will try and cram into Tuscaloosa and watch Auburn and Alabama battle in the Iron Bowl. The Tigers will attempt to make it seven straight over the Crimson Tide, but Nick Saban will likely have something to say about that. The Hooters in Tuscaloosa has a full bar, so grab some wings and a drink before heading to Bryant-Denny stadium for this classic feud.
The battle for LA highlights the final day of the schedule before all of the bowls commence. The USC Trojans will travel up to meet the Bruins of UCLA in Pasadena’s Rose Bowl in a game that could rekindle the rivalry. New UCLA head coach Rick Neuheisel brought in former USC OC Norm Chow to coach the Bruins’ offense. The Rose Bowl is a national historic landmark, so feel the history dripping all around you as you take in this exciting tilt.
So from the opening kick to the final whistle, college football fans will once again display their passion and devotion to their teams in what could be the most explosive season ever. And if you can’t make it out on the Ultimate Football Road Trip, stop by your local Hooters and catch all the action.