top 25 the tailgater By carla jean whitley, loyd mcintosh, seth hagan & kelly rogers flynt Behold our much anticipated, often debated, sometimes maddening, yet never boring best colleges for tailgating in 2017 Break out the smoker, check the oil on the RV and dust off the big foam finger. It’s that time of year again: the Top 25 College Tailgates. As has become the custom here at Tailgater Magazine, our crack group of college football fans masquerading as magazine writers locked themselves in a windowless, smoke-filled room for days on end, dabbing sweat from their brows and pounding the table with clenched fists until, at last, our list was complete. While the process may have resulted in an altercation or two, it was all worth it to bring you this annual list of the best college tailgates throughout the fruited plain. The 2017 version of the Top 25 will likely stir up some spirited discussions. Oh, sure, several of the big dogs remain at or near the top of the list, but a few schools either breached the list for the first time or returned after a short absence. We hope you enjoy this year’s installment, and if your favorite team or alma mater didn’t make the cut, well... better luck next year. Enjoy! tailgatermonthly.com | Tailgater 15