The ultimate guide to this season's most important games—featuring the wildest parties, the comeliest coeds, and killer off-campus offerings. Don't forget your helmet!
Penn State at Wisconsin—October 11- Herbstreit’s hunch: “This is a huge game for both teams, so look for big, big hits.”
Party: Tailgating encompasses the holy trinity of dairy state debauchery—beer, brats, and fried cheese—so start off Saturday right by washing down brew No. 1 with a brat-and-egg sandwich (and a side of fried cheddar!) at State Street Brats. Then follow the boozy masses to Regent Street which is dense with beer tents, bars, and about 10,000 well-lubed Badger fans.
Fifth quarter: The nearby Devil’s Lake State Park has some of the most breathtaking
scenery and toughest rock climbing bluffs in the Midwest.
Florida State at Miami—October 4- Herbstreit’s hunch: “As rivals go, this is one of the biggest, and this year both teams will desperately need this game.”
Party: With the closing of the Orange Bowl, the Hurricanes are now playing in spit-shined Dolphins Stadium. That means NFL-style tailgating with fetching female fans even more scantily-clad than usual. Sweet!
Fifth quarter: Soak up South Beach’s sizzling nightlife scene. For celeb-spotting and scoping out local lovelies, dive into Plunge, the poolside lounge at the Gansevoort Hotel, says Ocean Drive magazine lifestyle editor Suzy Buckley: “It’s Miami’s best-kept secret.”
Ohio State at USC—September 13- Herbstreit’s hunch: “This is one of the marquee matchups and may decide who goes to the national championship game.”
Party: Two things you need to know to fit in at a raucous USC tailgate party: When the band plays “Tusk,” yell “UCLA Sucks!”; and if you’re blessed enough to experience the USC Song Girls up close (the hottest cheerleaders in college ball), know you’ll never feel the same way about turtlenecks again.
Fifth quarter: Ride Cali’s wildest waves at Topanga Beach. Pat Murphy, owner of Learn to Surf L.A., says the September swells there make it one of the juiciest surf spots on the mainland.
ASU at Arizona—December 6- Herbstreit’s hunch: “There’s a lot at stake in this last game of the season, and people don’t realize how strong the hatred is in this rivalry.”
Party: Start early at U of A swillery O’Malley’s on Fourth, then jump on the trolleys that whisk you to the tailgates. And skip the nacho lines during timeouts—that’s when Wilbur the mascot hoses down the student sections, transforming the stands into the world’s largest wet T-shirt contest.
Fifth quarter: Bring your clubs for the golf orgy that is Tucson National, which offers two, yes, two of the best courses in the Southwest. It’s tee time, baby!
Georgia at LSU—October 25- Herbstreit’s hunch: “Georgia is the most physically talented team in the country, but it’ll take a lot to win at LSU.”
Party: Tiger Stadium holds 92,000 and at least another 60,000 show up without tickets, so during the pregame, every sliver of open space near the stadium is transformed into a tent-covered bacchanal.
Fifth quarter: Get your grub on, Cajun style. Cynthia V. Campbell, food critic at The Advocate in Baton Rouge, says you must eat at Jubans, for the greatest gumbo ever; Lloyd’s, for the perfect oyster po’boy; and Harrington’s Cafe for amazing crawfish pie and fried okra.