I thought I would do a down and dirty but after looking at the list and thinking about it, this is going to be a little longer than I initially planned. Let me first start by explaining a little about how I picked my favorite college football trips. I tried to focus on the totality of the trip, the overall trip, including the quality of the tailgating, the quality of the game, any other activities we did during the trip. Some trips came close but were excluded because of one negative feature (think of the coldest rain ever at the Cal-Stanford game in 2016). I also considered several “one-bite” moments in the trips that stood out for me. These were moments that were THE best moments in any trip (but the whole of the trip didn’t measure up). I think of tailgating in the Grove or hearing the Notre Dame team sing the Alma Mater to the students after beating Michigan in the nail-biter in 2002 or seeing the oranges thrown on the field at the Rose Bowl.
My runner up.
The LSU-Florida trip in 2007. The airboat tour of the Bayou. It was such an outside-the-box thing to do on a football trip (and gave rise to a Stinkhouse album cover). I loved everything about air boating around the bayou. I loved the moss in the trees and the gators who swam right up the boat. Of course, the nights on Bourbon Street speak for themselves. The atmosphere for the game was electric. This was first time LSU was playing at home with a number 1 ranking since the 1950’s, and it was a night game at that. The number 8, and always hated, Florida Gators led by Tim Tebow were the opponent. It was estimated there over 70,000 people around the Tiger Stadium without tickets that just wanted to be there for this game. Going into the 4th quarter, the Gators led by 10 points. With a little over a minute to play Jacob Hester dived into the end zone for the game winning score, causing the already crazed Tiger fans to go delirious (“Geaux Tigahz”). Waiting until 1:00 a.m. to be able to get out of the parking lot. Being afraid to go to the ditch to take a pee because of the critter sounds coming from the swamp. Only the Saints tickets (sorry) and your bum wheel keep this one out of the top three.
In third place:
“C’mon, you prideless f****ers!” Those were the words that could have ended my life. Yes, I am talking about the 2006 Ohio State-Michigan game at the Shoe. As we sat in the Varsity Club after consuming copious amounts of alcohol the night before the game, I start the O-H . . . I-O cheer, to crickets. After yelling that out, the waitress running to our table to make sure we did the cheer again and didn’t get killed. Then about an hour later the pep band coming in and playing fight songs. This trip was all about game day for me, though. A great, albeit in a parking lot, tailgate setup with Barn wearing the old Brownies shirt and becoming an instant favorite of everyone around us. The best gin-tonics Jim ever made. Most importantly the game — this was the first time in the history of that series that both teams were undefeated going into the last game of the season, with Ohio State ranked number 1 and Michigan ranked number 2. To add to it, Bo Schembechler died the night before the game (making it quite ironic that the “Dead Schembechlers” were a parody group that played at the pep rally). Ohio State, led by Heisman Trophy winner Troy Smith defeated Michigan 42-39 in what has come to be known as “the Game of the Century.” I will never forget after the game when the fans stormed the field, they dug up and look home small pieces of the turf. It was a spendy ticket; but it was better than the guy on the plane home next to me that had flown in from California without a ticket and couldn’t afford the $5,000 the scalpers were asking He still said it was the greatest moment of his life just being in Columbus for the game. It was better for us. We were in the stadium and saw the game. That’s one for the ages.
In second place:
You don’t always have to have great teams to make a great game. This was proved in 2017, when a bunch of older, wiser guys went to a game in West Point, New York. The game, itself, meant little outside the participants. The 5-2 Army Black Knights were playing the 3-4 Temple Owls. It really was a classic matchup of very athletically talented but undisciplined kids largely from Philly against a team of iron-jawed, smaller knots of muscle that played with the discipline and will that always make me proud to be a citizen of this great country. In our only overtime game, Army out-willed Temple to a 31-28 thriller, by passing the ball! While a great game, this trip had everything around it. The best weather of any trip (hey, who wouldn’t like to stay just a few miles off the Hudson when the prime fall colors are out on the Appalachian Trail). In my mind that home tucked back in the woods was the best place we ever stayed. We toured the Franklin Delano Roosevelt home and presidential library and West Point, itself (and the military museum) – both of which were as cool to me as any single non-football event on any of the other trips To see the full-dress cadet review on the Plain before the game, was something that elevated the trip beyond words. I think it is a tradition that exceeds the long grey line we saw at the Army-Navy game in Philly in 2008. For the point in our lives (mid 50’s) that trip was perfect.
The number one trip:
It was a younger, crazier time in 2005, however, when we learned what “Roll Tide” and “War, Damn, Eagle” were all about. That trip was the right trip at the right time. We were in our 40’s and full of piss and vinegar, and it showed. The trip was just a blast (and due to the nature of some of our activities, I will not relate them here, but you know what I mean!). The game was great fun, with the number 11 Auburn Tigers beating the number 3 Alabama Crimson Tide 28-18. Game day was awesome. A good tailgating spot, with a good set up. The great tickets due to Bob’s old NCAA buddy who was legal counsel for Auburn. Watching the war eagle circling the stadium before the game and landing at the 50 yard line. Spazz leading the band. Seeing the endless miles of RV’s. What really elevates this trip for me, however, is the freedom I felt (this is the origin of the zone of constipation, after all). Golfing on the Robert Trent Jones trail was memorable (what I remember of it!) Steaks at the supper club, drinking the juice off the plate, watching Bob hurdle the picket fence, measuring the redness of Wigger as he struggled with those who wanted to crash the War Eagle Supper Club (“Yeah, Supper Club”) at 1:00 a.m. Seeing the trees at Toomer’s Corner. Shots of Jim Beam to start me off. The KKK Inn. Enough said! All images that will live my mind forever. Even the things that should weigh against this trip now seem perfectly in tune – like being offered crack cocaine when Barn and I went to get some supplies at the convenience store next to our hotel. It was a great group of guys. It was a great trip. It was a great game. It was great non-game activities. As Stacey likes to say (although he missed that trip), I have never felt closer to a bunch of guys in my life.
Well, there you have it. I am sorry about the typos and wish I dared to say more about the number one trip (but discretion is the better part of valor). As I look back there were a lot trips that could have made the list. If I had to make out this list next week, it would probably be different. They were all great in their own way. What makes these trips so special (especially the first and second place) is that they just fit so well into where I was at in my life and what I wanted out the trip.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL 