By Andrew Reed

Throughout the season, SIOC will travel to different schools and grade the tailgate scene in 10 categories. This week's stop: Nebraska

Setting

Nebraska fans get their gamefaces on prior to last Saturday's game against USC. Photo by Andrew Reed

More Tailgate Report Cards Notre Dame Clemson LSU Georgia Tech Nebraska Wisconsin Washington Red River Shootout Purdue Bridgewater Rutgers Harvard Ohio State Tennessee Michigan USC Auburn

The Husker faithful give it their all with tailgates crammed into every available area. But those areas leave a lot to be desired. There are few locations on campus, and alcohol is prohibited at those spots. Most setups are relegated to lots at the other end of a long pedestrian bridge or underneath the highway overpass, which is basically one step away from grilling underground. Grade: C-

Knowledge of Fans

Nebraska fans take pride in being considered the "best fans in college football." The legend says that distinction was bestowed on them years ago by Florida State coach Bobby Bowden. First and foremost, this means respecting the opponent and its fans. Nebraska has a ton of history and all the fans were eager to discuss their mid-90s heyday. Aside from a few fans' confusion regarding the BCS (and who can blame them for that), they knew all about other teams around the country.
Grade: A

Cheers and songs

In a chant that became more and more frequent as the day wore on, one person would shout "Go Big Reeeeed" with a very similar cadence to "Hey You Guuuuys" from the Electric Company. Everyone within earshot would respond with a taut shout of "Go Big Red!" Also, I heard a lot of Journey. Whether that's a good thing is in the ear of the beholder.
Grade: B+

Eye Candy

Some of Nebraska's finest co-eds. Photo by Andrew Reed

While it's unlikely that many of the girls in Lincoln were actual farmers' daughters, most of them could have passed for them. The cold, cloudy weather meant that even if they wanted to wear skimpy outfits, they would have needed overcoats. So red jerseys and jackets would have to do. Cute girls were everywhere, and you can't really hold the weather against them.
Grade: B

Eats

In the heart of the heartland, you will not be surprised to hear that the menu specialized in corn-fed beef. That was the most red meat I've had in a long time. Brisket, barbecued beef, and sirloin sandwiches all made their way down my gullet. Brats were a popular item as well, though far too many were slathered in ketchup. Some variety would have been welcome, but all that meat was top-notch.
Grade: B-

Drinks

Because you can't drink alcohol on campus, all the tailgates in those lots had to be sneaky about what was in their plastic cups. Walking around with a can of beer was grounds for trouble. Bloody Mary's were a requirement up until about 11:00 a.m., when cheap beer took over.
Grade: C+

Superfans

Despite a shortage of bodypaint in Lincoln, these Cornhuskers fans were able to adequately prepare themselves for gameday. Photo by Andrew Reed

One student told me that it was difficult to find bodypaint in stores around Lincoln, but I wonder if they were just sold out by the time he got there. Dyed dudes were spotted early and often. There were countless crazy outfits as well, including a guy in camouflage pants and corn strapped to him like grenades.
Grade A

Yard Games

Washers and Ladder Golf made some appearances, but the most popular game in town was catch. That's right, throwing the football. Early in the day, kids ran post patterns and darted across parking lots for deep strikes. Even once the lots filled up with cars, people tossed the pigskin back and forth. With the exception of one young women who'd had a couple too many lemonades, passes were controlled, keeping damage to cars and passersby at a minimum.
Grade: A-

Best Tailgate

Unique setups were found all over the place, but there was one trailer that surpassed them all. The outside featured four TVs, big speakers, an ice-maker, and a full bar with a tap. All this is crowned by a rooftop deck that contained a fridge on an elevator that could be sent up, fully stocked as well as another beer tap. If all that weren't enough, they have a toilet inside the trailer. Considering the immense lines for the porta-johns, the toilet would have been enough on its own.
Grade: A

X-factor

Because student seating is general admission, some students camped out as early as Thursday night to ensure their preferred seats in the stadium. There were huge lines even four hours before kickoff. While that doesn't really qualify as tailgating, it does show the student body's devotion to the team. Or at least its devotion to getting a good seat.
Grade: B-

USC fans showed up at many tailgates and were treated very well. All weekend, they wandered around Lincoln with the look of tourists wanting to check everything out. One Husker told me he saw them buying plastic corn hats. When they cruised the tailgates, they were invited in and offered meat and beer. Tailgate lots were far flung, and getting from one section to another was often a pain. One entrance had four security guards staking it out and making sure no one without a pass entered. This didn't merely apply to cars. People on foot had to walk around a big building and go in the other side where there was no security. That made little sense. The excitement and anxiety for the night game pervaded each and every tailgate. Too bad for the Nebraska fans that USC manhandled them, but at least they had a fun day leading up to it.

To read more of Andrew Reed's tailgate reports, check out his Road Games blog.