Southern style football

At the University of Wisconsin we wear jeans, t-shirts, ball caps and face paint to football games. At the University of Mississippi they wear khakis, button-down shirts and dresses. No face paint. 

On Saturday, a few friends and I drove down to Oxford, MS to experience the ultimate Southern football experience: tailgating at the Grove followed by cheering on the Rebels of Ole Miss as they took on the Georgia Bulldogs. It was definitely a different experience. Being a Wisconsin native, I thought I knew everything there was to know about tailgating. Hell, I thought we practically invented it here. I was wrong. In the Grove, a grassy area near the football stadium, thousands of people set up tents and elaborate tailgate parties. Some of the tents I snuck a peak at even had floral arrangements as centerpieces, silver serving platters, champagne flutes for a morning mimosa and chandeliers hanging from the bars. In one shocking word: fancy. I don't think I would have appreciated the experience quite as much as an undergrad as I do now though; it felt grown-up. 

The game was also a ton of fun. I learned a new cheer that I fell in love with completely and also a few others that Mississippians sing with a little more class {and less cursing} than us Wisconsinites. It was an incredibly fun {and different} experience. 

Hotty Toddy, Gosh almighty
Who the hell are we?
Flim Flam, Bim Bam
Ole Miss, By Damn!