Updated from October 22, 2021, for the 2026 – 2027 season
Make the right calls and find the best parking spots in college football this season
TV has gone high definition, but one truth still stands: Seeing is one thing; beholding is another. College football in America is an experience far beyond instant replay, and RV tailgating immerses us in the culture of the sport where we can hear the roar of the crowd, see oceans of people in opposing colors, and taste the best food every fanbase has to offer.
Make no mistake, tailgating is the perfect RV sport. No matter which banner you display in whatever conference your team calls home, your RV is the perfect vehicle to travel into the sacred grounds of college football’s richest cultures.
This short guide will help you do just that for the rest of the regular season. We’ll break down the game plan, then tour across the country to find some of the most roadworthy destinations on the fall schedule.
Get the Scouting Report
Take your tailgate one game at a time, like a real Nick Saban acolyte. Every game, every stadium, and every university parking situation is just a bit different. (Sometimes wildly so.) So, you’re gonna need to spend some time in the film room. (Or, you know, maybe Google some stuff.) Doing your research will keep you from getting surprised when you show up, which could put you in poor field position.
A prime RV spot has space to set up and spread out while keeping you near enough to the stadium to enjoy the crowd noise.
Prepping your cooking playbook can be another fun wrinkle in your game plan. Sure, you can always just stick with tried-and-true regulars like burgers, chicken, hot dogs, and chili. That’s Woody Hayes’s three-yards-and-cloud-of-dust approach. Simple and effective. But, hey, you may just have more fun cooking up a local dish, like smoking a turkey leg among the Hokies in Blacksburg. And because you have a kitchen, you have options.
Enjoy the Home Field Advantage
Tailgating in your road abode means you’re basically playing at home. Before, during, and after the game, your fellow fans and attendees are going to be searching for a place in the shade where they can eat, drink, sit, and watch TV. But not you. You’re as safe as Pete Carroll in the Coliseum (which should keep your win average around 93%).
With your RV on-site at the game, you get all the game-day atmosphere. But you can still watch the game in HD just steps away from your kitchen or under the shade of your awning.
Portable satellite antennas like the King DISH Tailgater Pro (for DISH subscribers) or Winegard Carryout G3 (for DISH or DIRECTV) bring live TV right to your campsite. If you stream your games instead, a Starlink Mini (for Starlink plans) can keep you connected when the stadium crowd overwhelms cell service.
With so much to offer, expect to make some friends. Speaking of which…
Show Good Sportsmanship
Hospitality and tailgating go hand-in-hand. Whether that’s ribbing a rival over cornhole or sharing a cold one with your friend of five minutes, embrace the spirit of game day. The more inviting you are, the more fun you will have. True, it may cost you a few lagers from your Oktoberfest stash, but that stat won’t change the score.
Let’s Hit the Road
OLE MISS @ TEXAS (Oct. 24)
Austin tailgates are a barbecue clinic, so bring your appetite for brisket. It’s also one of the SEC’s best offensive showcases of the fall.
INDIANA @ MICHIGAN (Oct. 24)
The defending national champs visit the Big House. This might be Michigan’s best shot at a statement win in Kyle Whittingham’s first season, and 100,000-plus fans will be loud about it.
GEORGIA vs. FLORIDA (Oct. 31)
The Cocktail Party is on the road this year. Jacksonville’s stadium is under renovation, so the game moves to Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta for the first time ever. RV City regulars should scout new parking early. Costumes are optional, but it is Halloween.
OHIO STATE @ USC (Oct. 31)
Remember that Pete Carroll Coliseum stat? The Trojans have made the Coliseum tough to visit again. Now they host the Buckeyes as Big Ten opponents in a matchup that used to be saved for the Rose Bowl.
OREGON @ OHIO STATE (Nov. 7)
This one could be a preview of the Big Ten title game. Ducks fans get their first taste of a November Saturday in Columbus—good thing you have room for your extra layers.
ALABAMA @ LSU (Nov. 7)
Lane Kiffin, Alabama’s former offensive coordinator, now leads LSU against Kalen DeBoer’s Tide. Saturday night in Death Valley is still the loudest tailgate in America.
MIAMI @ NOTRE DAME (Nov. 7)
Last year, this matchup decided which team got the final playoff spot. The Irish haven’t forgotten, so expect South Bend to be rocking.
GEORGIA @ OLE MISS (Nov. 7)
It’s a rematch of last season’s playoff upset, and the setting is the Grove, the gold standard of Southern tailgating. Pull out your Sunday best (sundresses and bow ties are the dress code).
BYU @ UTAH (Nov. 7)
Salt Lake City—with two schools about 50 miles apart, split loyalties in close families isn’t all that unusual. BYU has won three straight, and Utah gets its first crack at ending the streak under new coach Morgan Scalley. Mountain-time November means cold, so turn up the heater for this “Holy War.”
TEXAS @ LSU (Nov. 14)
Two trips to Baton Rouge in one month? We won’t argue. Swap the burgers for jambalaya and boudin and tailgate like a local.
MICHIGAN @ OREGON (Nov. 14)
Autzen Stadium is one of the loudest venues in the sport, and Eugene in mid-November is a test of your rain gear. Your awning will earn its keep at this one.
USC @ INDIANA (Nov. 14)
The defending champs host a Trojans team still looking for a Big Ten road win. Bloomington’s tailgate scene has grown right along with the program. Book early, though. Hoosier football is suddenly a hot ticket.
TEXAS @ TEXAS A&M (Nov. 27)
The rivalry is back—on Black Friday, no less. Pack up the Thanksgiving leftovers and head to Kyle Field, and join the more than 100,000 fans. After all, the winner could punch a playoff ticket.
MICHIGAN @ OHIO STATE (Nov. 28)
They call it “The Game.” We call it “A good test for your all-weather camper.” Ohio State finally ended its four-game losing streak in the series last year. Now Michigan, in Kyle Whittingham’s first season, looks for payback in Columbus. Head coaches come and go, but the rivalry is timeless.
AUBURN @ ALABAMA (Nov. 28)
The Iron Bowl returns to Bryant-Denny Stadium. Alabama has won six straight, and Auburn hasn’t won in Tuscaloosa since 2010. Roll Tide or War Eagle, just don’t wear the wrong colors to the wrong campsite.
Before the Kickoff
Always confirm where you’ll park before you head to the game. Even if you’ve rolled into the same lot every fall for a decade, things change—stadiums renovate, lots get repurposed, and rules get rewritten. And that perfect spot in the shade (or out of the wind) you consider yours may be off-limits or sold out this season. Check the school’s game-day parking (online or by phone) to save yourself a frantic pregame scramble.
