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College football season is in full swing which means we officially have an excuse to trade our Saturdays spent studying at the library for gameday outfits, rooting on our home team, and most importantly, tailgates.
College tailgates are an entirely different world than your average family-friendly football tailgate. The premise of getting hyped up to root for your favorite athletes is the same, but that’s about it in terms of similarities.
While a typical tailgate may have some finger food, casual mingling, and jerseys galore, a college tailgate is characterized by red solo cups, themed crop tops, and greek buttons identifying which sorority each girl is in.
Like any other tailgate, backyard games are an essential icebreaker at college parties to keep people entertained before the main event starts. However, there’s a very specific set of games that are socially acceptable to play at a college tailgate. While ring toss may be the most popular backyard game in America according to a new study by Empire Today, it’s not necessarily the go-to in a university setting.
An obvious safe bet that’s a staple of nearly any tailgate you attend, especially if it’s in a fraternity house, is beer pong. It’s a game that universally everyone at the party knows the rules to and can hop in and out as they please. Plus, it’s set up with supplies that are probably already at the party.
For those that want to change things up a bit (eventually, beer pong is bound to get old), there’s plenty of other options to add to any college tailgate. Flip cup, or Flippy Cup, according to JustBeer, is another classic that’s built off the same idea of red solo cups and a table. This option can involve many more people at the same time, so it’s a great way to get more people involved in the action.
Cornhole is another go-to, though it requires a little more planning than simply pulling together some supplies that are already in the kitchen. It’s a simple game for even the drunkest of fans can comprehend. The only rule with cornhole at a college tailgate is, if it’s not painted to match your college colors, you’re not doing it right.
No matter what your favorite tailgate game is, it must be accompanied by an ice-cold red solo cup full of whatever was poured in the party juice that day. It’s not the best drink you’ve ever tasted, but it’s a rite of passage for every college student to drink cheap alcohol on game days.
