Outside The Lines College Game Day Awards

This week's Southern Fried column is dedicated to one of my favorite passions in life - college football. When I first started hosting a radio show on WFNZ back in 1997, I came up with an idea that I knew would be a guaranteed success. I thought it would be a stroke of genius to create a college football tailgate tour and travel throughout the Southeast to the best college football games each weekend.

All I needed was a free RV, free food and free tickets. In a few short months after starting at WFNZ, I found the perfect sponsors for my dream concept. Plus, I allowed listeners of the show to come on board if they could supply me and our staff with tickets to the game. All I needed was a catchy name or phrase to jump-start my college football tour. After a night of jotting notes for a radio show after a dinner of fried chicken, it struck me - the "Southern Fried Football Tour".

It was the perfect name. I liked it so much, that I immediately called a trademark attorney and started the process to "own the name and the marks" to Southern Fried Football. Since the 1998 college football season, I have traveled over 18,000 miles and attended more than 45 college football games on our infamous Tour. The Southern Fried Football Tour has been written about in numerous national publications and has been mentioned on ESPN, CBS and other various sporting radio and television networks.

Last season, I formed Southern Fried Football Inc., and even created a Web site - www.southernfriedfootball.com - to document the travels, the teams, the co-eds, Southern Fried merchandise, sponsors and anything else you need to know about college football in the South. The Web site has received over 3 million hits this college football season.

The entire experience has been greater than anything that I could imagine. Plus, my wife has been overly kind with her lenience and patience towards my passion in life. For my 40th birthday last weekend, she gave me a roundtrip ticket to Baton Rouge so I could go back to my old stomping grounds at LSU, and catch a night game at Tiger Stadium. Now, that's love!

So with that said, I am going to give you some insight into the wonderful experiences that await you at a college football game in the South. Hopefully, this list will help you in attending future college football games. Here are Packman's Southern Fried Football Awards:

Best Tailgate Party: LSU in Baton Rouge. There is no better spot to enjoy the sights, smells and sounds of college football than checking out the Bayou Bengals on a Saturday night in Tiger Stadium. It is worth the trip just to partake in the homemade jambalaya and other Cajun cuisines and brews. Honorable mention: University of Tennessee in Knoxville. The Tennessee River and the Vol Navy sets it apart from all the others.

Best Looking Co-eds: University of Georgia in Athens. No college football game road trip is complete without a little eye candy while you get ready for the big game. The University of Georgia has the most incredible collection of beautiful women in the South. Go check out a game at Georgia - even if you don't have a ticket. Honorable mention: Ole Miss in Oxford. It is the Old South in every shape, way and form. The Grove is unique.

Best Pre-game Tradition: Howard's Rock in Death Valley at Clemson University. When the Tigers rub Howard's Rock at the top of the hill, and enter the stadium to the sound of the cannon, the band and 80,000 fans, a chill runs up every spine in the stadium. It can't be duplicated. Honorable mention: Williams-Brice Stadium at the University of South Carolina. The theme of 2001 blaring over the loud speakers will get anybody jacked up to play.

Best Marching Band: The Million Dollar Band at the University of Alabama. This is a tough category, because you can make a case for a half dozen bands; but the brass and "Hey Alabama" song are tough to beat. The Million Dollar Band never disappoints at home or on the road. Honorable mention: Too many to name.

Worst Parking for a game: University of Tennessee. Where do you put 110,000 fans? Knoxville is a nightmare for parking, unless you travel via boat. Honorable mention: University of Georgia. The good news is that there are tons of co-eds that will walk by while you try to find a spot (see best coeds above).

Most Underrated Gameday experience: Appalachian State University in Boone. Great atmosphere and terrific people make a trip to Boone a great weekend. Check out a game in mid-October and you can add the North Carolina mountains and leaves changing to the mix. Honorable mention: Carter-Finley at N.C State University. Easy parking, upgraded stadium, and a Top 10 football team; it's hard to beat the momentum sparked by Chuck Amato and the Wolfpack faithful. State fans know how to tailgate, too.

Best Bar on Gameday: The ESSO Club in Clemson. Before, during or even after the game, you can't beat the drink specials, the entertainment and good times at the ESSO Club. The converted gas station is a Southern institution. Honorable mention: The Purple Porpoise across from the "Swamp" at Florida. A wild scene and easy walking distance to and from the stadium.

Best stadium: Tiger Stadium at LSU; Great architecture that incorporates the old and the new. The 92,000 fans sauced for a night game are as entertaining as the game itself. Night games are much more enjoyable than day games.

The list can go on and on, so do yourself a favor and check out a college football game. If you want more information, log onto www.southernfriedfootball.com, or better yet, come on board the Southern Fried Football Tour.