Before I recap this past awesome weekend, I must do a shameless plug for the Tailgate Connect Podcast that was started back in August. Here are the links to Spotify and Apple. Our Celeb host Luke Lorick drops an episode each week.
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-tailgate-connect-podcast/id1831200374
We found ourselves back in the Mid-Atlantic region of the country for a wedding and to visit family and friends. Oh, and it just so happened that there was a tailgate at Hampden-Sydney College and a game at Liberty University on Saturday. So naturally, we needed to set our priorities straight.
Liberty University, located in Lynchburg, VA, jumped up to Division 1A seven years ago and now plays in Conference USA. They’ve had significant success since the move and are known for a strong game-day atmosphere. The school was founded by Jerry Falwell and is one of the largest religious-based institutions in the country.
But before heading over to Liberty, we tailgated at Division III powerhouse Hampden-Sydney before their matchup with Shenandoah. HSC is located near Farmville, VA. We were invited to the players’ parents’ tailgate with our friends, the Kernans of Frostburg fame. We met some great families, chowed on vittles, and enjoyed a breakfast beverage. Mrs. Tailgate and I had last been at Hampden-Sydney eleven years ago to see their son Joey play in his senior send-off game.
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| The awesome crew at the Hampden Sydney College Tailgate |
Halfway between Hampden-Sydney and Lynchburg sits the historic town of Appomattox, where the War Between the States (nothing civil about war)—or as my Major Huddleston from Tennessee called it, “The War of Northern Aggression”—ended with Robert E. Lee surrendering to Ulysses S. Grant. Of course, being the Clark Griswold I am, we stopped and spent 20 minutes touring the national park. Then onward to the mecca of Lynchburg, VA, to watch the “Battle of the Blue Ridge” between the Liberty Flames and the Dukes of James Madison.
Liberty is a Christian school with a ton of money, beautiful facilities, and new structures rising all over campus. It is a “dry” campus with no alcohol sales in the stadium. That being said, everyone has their vices—and at Williams Stadium, they’re sweet ones. I have never seen more sugar-focused vendors in one place: cookies, bundt cakes, sno-cones, açaí bowls, ice cream, chocolates—you name it. They’re high on religion and on sugar!
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| The happy tailgate couple at Falwell U. Amazing setting. |
Prior to the game, there was an emotional tribute to Charlie Kirk, who was callously assassinated just ten days prior. The stadium stood in unison and applauded. It was a touching and memorable moment for the Liberty faithful.
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| Tribute to CK, proof we tailgated at both spots, the scenic backdrop behind Williams stadium. |
In the first half, each team started off trading field goals and then touchdowns. Although JMU was favored by 8.5 points, Liberty showed up to play, and the teams went into the locker room knotted at 10 a side.
We were treated to an amazing halftime performance by the Liberty marching band performing songs from Top Gun. Liberty opened the second half with another field goal to take a three-point lead. That would be the last lead they would see, as JMU reeled off three touchdowns while suffocating the Flames on defense. Final score: JMU 31, Liberty 13.
Around the Country
The aforementioned Hampden-Sydney Tigers stung the Shenandoah Hornets with a lopsided 42–7 win.
Texas Tech went “full Red raider” and dropped the Utes in Salt Lake City 34–10. Our Tailgate Connect host in Utah, The Pig Bus, was even featured on the Fox Big Noon Saturday show.
Oklahoma welcomed back their former QB1Jackson Arnold to Norman by sacking him ten times, as Auburn fell to the Sooners in a tight battle, 24–17.
What in tarnation is going on in Clemson? They lost to another team clad in orange this weekend—a game they should have won. Syracuse beat the Fighting Dabos 34–17 in Death Valley, SC. Klubnik is no longer a Heisman candidate. The Tigers have no shot at the playoffs and now Dabo is on the hot seat. Well, there is that speculation but he will not be fired.
Iowa came from behind to beat a much-improved Rutgers Scarlet Knights squad on Friday night, 38–28. Thats right, Iowa scored more points in one game then they do in most seasons! The game was much closer than the final score.
Staying in the Big Ten, Indiana is back, absolutely destroying #9 Illinois 63–10. Yes, yes, yes—just Google it. Cignetti wins.
Bieber Award - I know it’s unprecedented for a high school kid to win a Bieber Award, but when you weigh 400 pounds and do something so stupid that Jackass wouldn’t even film it, you get noticed. Many of you have seen the video of the heinous act in Michigan during a JV game. A player from the opposing team was lying on the ground, clearly out of the play and yards behind the action. This giant Baby Huey of a specimen thought it would be a good idea to do a WWE-style top-rope drop onto this kid, who was a third his size. Not only did he score a direct hit, but he broke the poor kid’s spine in three places. I don’t yet know the outlook for the injured player but will pray for his recovery. We also don’t know if Baluga will be charged with assault, but if he is and goes to juvie, he can show off his shiny Bieber hardware to his fellow blockmates! (Name withheld due to the age of the perp)
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| The assualt. |
Ginger Award - Oh, what the heck. In a week of lesser accomplishments, I’m giving this week’s honors to none other than yours truly and Mrs. Tailgate. I’ve tailgated twice in a day before, but I also attended both games when I did that. This past Saturday was a first: tailgating at one school, then driving to another for a game. And yes, we did have a beverage upon arrival at Liberty to make it officially a “double-gate day.” Additionally, we fit in some Griswolding with our stop at Appomattox between the two schools. Unless you can top that this week with a more “badass’ story, I’m taking the hardware to my trophy shelf!
Next Up - A weekend off after four straight weeks and seven games already. We’ll be on the Redneck Riviera, beaching and bar-hopping on Saturday, then watching the big games at night back at the Billet on the Bayou. Oh okay, who am I kidding. I will try to slip away to watch the local South Walton high school game on Friday night!
Happy Tailgating!
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