Tailgate Awards

Over the course of this fantastic trip, I have encountered two questions from people more often than any others. Early on, it was "Which place are you most excited about?" That's kind of like asking "Which Hawaiian Tropic model would you like to take to dinner?" It was totally unanswerable. I was excited for everything. As the journey progressed that query gradually changed to, "Which place was the best?" This question came from everyone. Fans, athletic staff, journalists, gas station attendants, friends and family all wanted to know.

That's such a difficult question to answer, but I've tried my best - at least from a tailgating perspective. To get the complete answer, I'll tell you to wait an unknown number of months and then "read the book." But for now, check out SI On Campus for a summary of the best tailgating I encountered in this wacky season of ours. Obviously, I couldn't get everywhere. Ole Miss is renowned for its Grove and its coeds. Penn State boasts the largest tailgating environment in the country. West Virginia fans e-mailed me throughout the season, demanding a trip to Morgantown for the big sofa bonfire. These places and many others will have to wait for future seasons. Believe me, I want to hit them all. But with 17 stops under my belt, we're working with a pretty wide swath here.

Dennis Blunden gets an "A" for Eats

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