With the Iowa Hawkeye football season nearing its final stretch, football fans are approaching their last few opportunities to tailgate for the year. From early morning parking lot setups to post-game feasts under a sea of Hawkeye flags, the tailgating ritual is an event within itself — a full-day celebration of food, games, and community.
Grilling
Sorry vegetarians! First up on this list is the foundation of any tailgate worth being at: burgers, hot dogs, brats, ribs, and chicken wings sizzling away as their smoky aroma fills the air. We all owe our beloved grillmasters a big thank you, shout-out to my dad, because without them, tailgating truly would not hit the same.
Talk about watching an entire group’s spark come back, the atmosphere of a place hastily switches up when someone gets handed a cheeseburger fresh off the grill or a perfectly charred hot dog drizzled in ketchup. Comfort, camaraderie, and community are all rolled into one delectable, mouthwatering bite.
Beer pong
This is a college classic and a good way to get the energy of any tailgate going for those of legal drinking age, of course. I’m confident all responsible 20-and-under Hawkeye fans can attest to Sprite pong being an equally competitive hit. Pong is equal parts competition and comedy with wild throws, lucky bounces, and the ecstatic victory high fives when someone sinks a game-winning shot.
Beer pong, for those who don’t know, is a drinking game where teams take turns tossing a ping-pong ball across a table into the opposing team’s cups, which are filled with beer. When a ball is sunk, the opposing team must drink the beer in that cup and remove it. The first team to eliminate all of the opponent’s cups wins the game.
Yard games
When everyone’s got food in their stomachs and the playlist is rolling, it seems to be a perfect time for some friendly competition. From cornhole to spikeball, there are plenty of ways to assert your athletic dominance, or at least have fun trying.
Even if they can’t throw a bag for the life of them, it’s extraordinarily rare to find someone having a miserable time while playing cornhole. And when was the last time you saw someone moping in between sets of spikeball? Exactly.
Cute outfits and Instagram photo shoots
A big shout-out to all my baddies who love to put on a cute black and gold outfit; you are never overlooked in my eyes. Commonly found at every tailgate, pulling up with a fire fit is an important tradition. Gameday fashion is more than just looking cute, however, it’s part of what keeps Hawkeye pride alive and the Instagram feeds thriving.Our photogenic Hawkeye crowd, dedicated to dressing up and feeding their followers via gameday photo dumps, does more to keep morale high than people give them credit for. To those who put effort into their look every Saturday, please keep doing so. I’d be lost without the outfit inspiration.
Post-game ravenous feast
Coinciding with grilling and perhaps one of the most important traditions of all is the post-game feast. Win or lose, standing and cheering for four quarters of Hawkeye football works up quite a ravenous appetite. To keep it frank, I’m ready to demolish two ketchup-drenched hot dogs after halftime.
It also provides an opportunity for a good full-circle moment; a day that started with food, friends, and football can end the same way — maybe a little sunburnt, maybe with aching feet, but full on vibes and a lot of delicious food.