Southern Fried Football: Game Of The Century & Bayou Bengals

Happy Tailgate Thursday y'all! I can't believe we've reached week 10 of the college football season already. This year is flying by! Now that we're into November there are only a handful of games left until the SEC Championship game, with the biggest match-ups still to come. The race in the SEC East is South Carolina's to lose and the SEC West will essentially be decided this Saturday at the latest Game Of The Century. Sure, there are lots of great games this weekend, but none with more build-up, hype & consequences than Bama - LSU. If you're not in the SEC, you're not the lead story especially this week. And there's always a little added spice when it comes to LSU facing off against their old Coach (Saban) who spurned them for the NFL and then Bama a few years back. Evidently the folks down in the Bayou are still a little bitter...

Needless to say, we're pretty psyched to be heading to Tuscaloosa for this game tomorrow. U of Alabama is expecting close to 400+K fans on campus for the game, 100+K inside Bryant-Denny Stadium, and ESPN's College Gameday is broadcasting live from The Quad. <Our oldest nephew is determined to get on camera!> And LSU fans always travel big, but they're sure to flood Tuscaloosa in droves. In short, it's going to be crazy packed and the marquee game of the season. Roll Tide Roll! But even though we'll be cheering for the Crimson Tide, today's SEC Gameday Guide is all about the Tigers from Louisiana State University! And to get things started here's a taste of what we'll be serving up at our cajun family tailgate:

Cajun Lowcountry Boil

Mini Muffulettas

Sweet & Sour Meatballs

Layered Cornbread Salad

Cheesy Hot Bean Dip

Hot Olive Bites

Louisiana Sin Dip

Bacon Wrapped Pineapple Bites

S'mores Chex Mix

Deep Dish Milky Way Cookies

Devil's Food Berry Trifle

Orange Gin Fizz & Voodoo Jello Shots

Even in the sea of crimson on Saturday, we're sure to see lots and lots of gold & purple. The SEC is known for teams in red or orange, but LSU adds a touch of regal with their color choice. And I gotta hand it to those Louisiana girls - rocking that palette is not easy. But somehow those Bengal Belles from the Deep South pull it off with sass. I'm hoping this Gameday outfit meets their approval. At the very least, surely they'll love those badass purple suede wedges with the gold chain detail, right? Seriously, those are hawt.

As much as I love spending Gamedays on The Quad at Alabama, there is most definitely something unique & exciting about Gamedays in Baton Rouge on the campus of LSU. They're famously known for their elaborate tailgates, pre-game parties, and the notoriously intense decibel level inside Tiger Stadium. Teams very rarely leave Death Valley with a win, especially in night games. LSU fans live up to their reputation in providing the most intimidating game atmosphere in all of college football. Don't get me wrong, the fans extend exceptional Southern hospitality before & after the game, but they bring some fierce noise for the gridiron. It's widely known that Ole Miss' Grove is the gold standard of college football tailgating, but LSU is a very close second. Here are just a few things not to miss at LSU on Gamedays:

"Hot boudin and cold couscous, come on Tigers and poosh poosh poosh!"

1. Things to do & see: Baton Rouge, Louisiana is a vacation destination in and of itself, but if you're just in town for the game at least check out the Riverboat Casinos, tour the antebellum Old State Capitol, USS Kidd Warship, the famous River Road Plantation Homes, and even a walk around LSU's gorgeous campus.The Union Art Gallery & Greek Theatre are must-see places on campus for sure.

2. Places to eat: I could write a whole post about the restaurants to sample around LSU's campus. As you can imagine, seafood is the top billing. The most popular spots (for good reason) are Mike Anderson's Seafood, Juban's (my fave), Drusilla's Seafood, Louie's Cafe, Boutin's, George's Restaurant, TJ Ribs, and Walk-On's.


3. Gameday Traditions:
  a) LSU's mascot is a tiger, but they take it more seriously than other schools like Auburn or Clemson. They have a live Bengal Tiger in a habitat on campus named Mike. Visitors can actually get to see him up close before the game. It's pretty incredible!
  b) Fans also don't want to miss LSU's Marching Band as they head down Victory Hill into the stadium before kickoff. The Band, cheerleaders, golden girls, & colorguard really put on a show as they march down the hill into Death Valley. They're nationally recognized & decorated with awards for a reason!
  c) Tailgating is an art form at LSU. Visiting fans must walk around before the game to check out the food & parties! LSU is the only SEC school that encourages 24/7 tailgating with such abandon. And you'll never see spits, grills, smokers, and cajun boils anywhere else like at LSU. Just check out the photo spread from Taylor Takes A Taste's last visit to the Bayou for a Gameday.


Besides the Bama / LSU game, there are still some awesome match-ups around the SEC on Saturday. I'm taking: Arkansas (please Hogs beat the gamecocks!), Ole Miss, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi State, & Tennessee as victors. And as if it were ever in question, I'm hedging my bets with Saban over the Bayou Bengals. As always, whoever you're pulling for I hope your team wins, just not against mine.

Go Dawgs & Roll Tide!