You’ve been thinking about it for weeks. It always takes forever this time of the year, and the anticipation is killing you. Of course, you’ve been drooling thinking about what we are eating at tailgate this year, much less that football season is right around the corner. In 2018, we’ll be trying something out at tailgate for the first time. Hopefully by the time the season comes to a close, we’ll have a seventh home game in early December. 

Southern Miss – September 15^th – Baby Back Ribs

Is there any better way to kick off the new season? You’ve had them before and they are always top notch. Never over-sauced, with the just the right amount smoke make ribs the ultimate sweet treat for the first tailgate of the season.

Gardner-Webb – September 22^nd

Spicy Corn Dogs

This seems like a very simple, unlikely option but this should be something that #teamcorndog can celebrate. Traditional deep fried dogs on a stick with a batter that will make you run to the cooler for another cold beverage.

South Alabama – September 29^th – Homecoming

You all know the deal. Turkeys will be plentiful, brined and prepared three separate ways. The schedule threw a curveball at us with a rare September Homecoming game, the first of its like since 2006, and only the fourth such game in school history.

Louisiana – October 20^th

The Cajuns will come to Boone for the third time in four seasons and have been gifted with a mid-fall date. The previous games were played after Thanksgiving. Former Furman QB Billy Napier leads the Cajuns and we’ll be serving Josh Jeffries Jambalaya. Make sure you Go For a 2^nd bowl of this Cajun dish!

Georgia State – November 17^th – Black Saturday

The Black Saturday game in the past has signaled the appearance of Championship Chili, but once Georgia State started coming to the mountains, we have opted for chicken and waffles. Add a blueberry topping to poke fun at the Panthers who have difficulty scoring touchdowns.

Troy – November 24^th

Appalachian’s goal every year is to win a conference championship. The Mountaineers have grabbed at least a piece of title the last two years, and hopefully will be playing for a Sun Belt Eastern Division title against Troy. This is where Championship Chili will make its appearance in 2018, unless….

Sun Belt Championship – December 1^st

….We are playing for the Sun Belt title at home against the Western Division winner. We won’t know who that will be until we play some games. It’s possible the Eastern title is decided prior to the Troy game. We can’t have championship chili if we aren’t playing for one. We’ll play it by ear. Hope that we are playing this game in Boone, and hope for smoked pork butts on November 24^th.