Welcome to Wild and Wonderful Tailgating

Nothing beats the end-of-summer blues like the anticipation of college football. And with college football comes the wild and wonderful tailgating season.

College football and tailgating go together like beer and chicken wings, and no one does it better than the loyal and spirited Mountaineer fans. That’s why I’m happy to introduce this blog dedicated to WVU and Mountaineer Nation, where tailgating is truly an art form.  The energy and excitement in and outside the stadium gives us a certain advantage during home games – although sadly, not always enough.

My dear friend, Laurie Schueler, encouraged me to start this blog as a way to share my passion for all things tailgating and WVU.  She knows what fanatics my husband, Dave, and I are for the Mountaineer tailgating lifestyle. She’s witnessed firsthand how we bleed gold and blue.

Watching our beloved Mountaineers trounce the Georgia State Panthers with the Schuelers

My love of WVU tailgating started during my college days in the late 1980s to early 90s. Back then, students tailgated in a grassy area close to the stadium called the Pit. With kegs of Natty Boh and crowds of cavorting students, I’m convinced that this is where our #1 Party School designation was earned. In fact, since the Pit was covered in asphalt and turned into an alcohol-free zone, the university has slipped to the #4 spot.

After college, I had to give up my regular fall ritual. I didn’t tailgate again until about 10 years later when a group of my college friends and I met in Morgantown for an informal reunion. This lit the tailgating bug in all of us, so we decided to make it an annual affair.

In 2007, my stepson started his freshman year at WVU, and that’s when Dave and I became season ticket holders. For every home game weekend since then, we’ve made the trek from Stow, Ohio, to Morgantown, WV – which is just under 3 hours each way. We also pick one away game a year to meet up with our friends. And if we’re lucky enough to get into a good bowl game, we go there too.

Here I am at the 2012 Orange Bowl, when WVU crushed Clemson, 70-33

Over time, we’ve become tailgating pros – expanding our food options and tailgating gear. So while the team is practicing drills for their first big game against the Roll Tide, we’ve been brushing up our tailgating playbook a bit. In fact, we’re going to try out some new recipes this weekend.

Now, there is something you should know about me. As much as I fancy watching my beloved Mountaineers play, sometimes my love of a good tailgate overshadows my interest in the game. You just can’t beat the food, drink, fun and camaraderie that make up Mountaineer Nation tailgating. It’s as beloved an American pastime as camping and bonfires.

So through this blog, we’ll share photos, videos and stories from our own tailgate, and welcome you to share yours – either in the comments or via an email to wvutailgating@gmail.com.

The PRT connects the WVU campuses and downtown.

Our goal is to entertain and inspire. We also hope to give our opposing fans a glimpse into what it’s like to tailgate in Morgantown. There are no strangers when it comes to WVU tailgating. Sure, we might rib you with our trash talk, but it’s all in good fun. We respect every fan who travels for their team.

And, if you’re looking for a place to tailgate, join us in the Gold Lot in front of Lincoln Hall. We’ll be under the PRT. No matter what time the game starts, Dave sets up our tailgate by 6:30 a.m.

Let’s goooo Mountaineers!