College football day trips to take this fall
The crowd cheers during a Rutgers football game at SHI Stadium in New Jersey. Credit: Ed Mulholland/Getty Images
Playing college football is often a way into the National Football League and students and alumni are the beneficiaries of this career path.
People sitting in the stands at Syracuse University, University of Georgia and Oklahoma State got to see players like Jim Brown, Herschel Walker and Barry Sanders, respectively — Sports Illustrated’s top three college football players of all time — command the collegiate gridirons.
Today, nearly every college football game is televised or streamed.. A single regular season game may garner more than 12 million views. But there’s nothing like bundling up, tailgating and viewing the game in person as it unfurls live.
After all, seeing a college football game is significantly cheaper than hitting an NFL game. College football tickets can be as low as $10, as opposed to NFL tickets that can run into the hundreds of dollars.
Take a ride to these three East Coast schools before the end of November.
Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey
SHI Stadium, 1 Scarlet Knight Way Shi, Piscataway
Driving distance from LI: 2 hours
Remaining home games:
- Nov. 14 vs. Nebraska
- Nov. 28 vs. Michigan State
Rutgers fans are seen in the stands against Ohio during an NCAA football game. Credit: AP/Gregory Payan/AP
Rutgers was the first college to host an intercollegiate football game in America on Nov. 6, 1869. The team’s current stadium, SHI Stadium in Piscataway, was expanded in 2009. Today, it’s nearly as large as an NFL stadium, with more than 52,450 seats. For comparison, Highmark Stadium in Buffalo, New York, seats about 60,000 for a Bills game, while Soldier Field, the home of the Chicago Bears, seats roughly 62,500. It’s considerably closer, though — a quick two-hour drive from Melville — which means you can see a game during a day trip. Keep in mind only approved bags make it in and the venue itself is cashless.
Once you buy your tickets, ($57 and $45, respectively) give yourself plenty of time to get there before the game. Parking at Jersey Mike’s Arena ($32) is a shuttle bus ride away from the stadium. There’s always a pregame festival at the Rutgers Boardwalk. The boardwalk opens four hours before kickoff and, once inside, you’ll find food trucks, live entertainment, petting zoos, rides and mini golf. Every game is themed, and that theme carries over to the pregame festivities. Look for parades and pep rallies where the marching band and cheerleaders get the crowd hyped up, too.Don't miss the Scarlet Knight arrive on horseback after riding across the Rutgers’ campus.
The Rutgers Scarlet Knight mascot on game day at SHI Stadium. Credit: Rutgers Athletics
“From the pregame tailgates and fun activities on The Rutgers Boardwalk to the action on the field, there’s something for everyone to enjoy. It’s a fun, affordable and family-friendly experience,” Hasim Phillips, Rutgers Athletics’ chief communications officer said.
Inside, grab some grub before you head to your seats. The stadium has the typical football eats such as hot dogs and burgers, but there’s also upscale and world options. Choose from more than two dozen options including tacos, a grab-and-go market with gluten-free options and cheese steaks. This year the school added mixed drinks including margaritas, rum punch and Moscow mules to its menus in addition to spiked ades and other beverages.
THINGS TO DO NEARBY
Depending on game time, stroll Rutgers Gardens. Admission is free and it’s open until 5 p.m. If it’s raining, the Zimmerli Art Museum is a free, indoor option right on College Avenue. It’s also open until 5 p.m.
There’s more to do than just eating, drinking and watching football. The Stress Factory Comedy Club has two notable comics coming in the nights of the remaining games, Jeff Arcuri and Big Jay Oakerson, respectively. Shows are at 7 and 9:30 p.m. and guests must be 16 or over (90 Church St., 732-545-4242, newbrunswick.stressfactory.com). Another comedy offering, "Vicki Lawrence & Mama: A Two Woman Show," is playing at the George Street Playhouse on Nov. 13 at 7:30 p.m. and Nov. 14 at 2 p.m. (11 Livingston Ave., 732-246-7717, georgestreetplayhouse.org).
Marist University in upstate New York
Tenney Stadium, 3399 North Rd., Poughkeepsie
Driving distance from LI: 2½ hours
Remaining home games:
- Nov. 7: Noon vs. Morehead State
- Nov. 14: Noon vs. Butler
College football games at universities like Marist offer budget-friendly alternatives to expensive NFL tickets. Credit: Kris Lowe/Getty
Marist University is a Division 1 school and tickets start at $15 for a football game. The private university was recently named one of the most beautiful campuses in the U.S. by The Princeton Review and its 5,000-seat stadium reflects this honor. Students visit Tenney Stadium at Leonidoff Field to watch the Red Foxes play and take in the natural views.
Fans cheer on the Red Foxes at Tenney Stadium at Marist University. Credit: Carlo de Jesus/Marist University
The school may be small, but its spirit is big and for good reason. The team’s coach, Mike Willis, former assistant head coach and offensive coordinator at Princeton, has the team sitting at the top of the Pioneer Football League conference thanks to quarterback Sonny Mannino and wide receiver Zach Garmont.
The Marist football team celebrates after a win. Credit: Marist University
THINGS TO DO NEARBY
Football games start with tailgating and continue the party inside with beers, wine and food from local breweries and cideries. Once the game is over, continue your day in the Hudson Valley. Tim Murray, Marist University’s director of Athletics, suggests the Walkway Over the Hudson State Historic Park, the longest elevated pedestrian bridge in the world. The nearly 1.3 mile walk brings you from Poughkeepsie to Highland . Other local sightseeing options include the Vanderbilt Mansion and Franklin D. Roosevelt's Home and Presidential Library. Franny Reese State Park is an alternative to the Walkway for those who want a little history with their nature. The wooded paths let you take in carriage-road trails, the ruins of a 19th century estate and an overlook with bridge views. Plan ahead and bring walking shoes since the trail can be muddy after it rains.
Lunch service in The Culinary Institute of America's American Bounty restaurant in Hyde Park, New York. Credit: Phil Mansfield
When you get hungry, try three of the four student-staffed restaurants at the Culinary Institute of America: American Bounty Restaurant, The Bocuse Restaurant or Ristorante Caterina de’ Medici (1946 Campus Dr., Hyde Park, 845 451-1011, americanbountyrestaurant.com). The fourth, Apple Pie Bakery Café, is closed weekends. Other restaurants and bars in the area include The Salt Line at Vassar (165 College Ave., 845- 714-2004, thesaltlineatvassar.com) the farm-to-table Farmers & Chefs (40 Albany St., 845-337-4949, farmersandchefs.com) and the waterfront Shadows on the Hudson, which serves up small plates such as oysters, crab cake sliders, and steak crostini and a view of the Mid-Hudson Bridge (176 Rinaldi Blvd., 845-486-9500, shadowsonthehudson.com). If you’re looking for a more casual option Mill House Brewing Company has beers, wood-fired pizza and house-smoked wings (289 Mill St., 845-485-2739, millhousebrewing.com).
University of Delaware
Delaware Stadium, 625 S. College Ave., Newark
Driving distance from LI: 3½ hours
Remaining home games:
- Nov. 14: 3 p.m. vs. Florida International University
- Nov. 28: 3:30 p.m. vs. Jacksonville State
Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens football team play at Tubby Raymond Field on the campus of the University of Delaware. Credit: Saquan Stimpson/AP
Delaware’s Fightin’ Blue Hens are a Division I team that plays in Conference USA. Its Delaware Stadium (Tubby Raymond Field) holds 18,077. Tickets for games start as low as $11 and at a stadium like Delaware, there’s really no bad seat in the Tub, as students call it.
“Delaware has such a rich football tradition that stems from dozens of professional players, three college football Hall of Fame coaches, and an incredibly passionate fan base and university community,” Ed LeFurge III, the assistant athletic director, communications and creative services said. To that end, you’ll also find tailgating in multiple parking lots, a halftime show, cheerleaders and a dance team, as well as plenty of food and drink options.
Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens football carry the Delaware state flag during a home game. Credit: AP/Saquan Stimpson
THINGS TO DO NEARBY
After the game head over to Main Street, a quintessential college town right in the middle of campus. There you can choose from dozens of bars, coffee shops, restaurants and places to dance and chat. For fast casual food, head to El Diablo Burritos (127 E Main St., 302-367-8682, eldiabloburritos.com). Try the tacos or the rice bowls. For a step up The Greenhouse Gastropub’s Saturday and Sunday brunch menu, served between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m., is popular (102 E Main St., Unit 100, 302-338-0081, thegreenhousede.com), while Klondike Kate’s Restaurant & Saloon provides a place to grab a drink and some food while catching up on more football or listening to a live band or DJ (158 E Main St., 302-737-6100, klondikekates.com).
Head to the University of Delaware to cheer on the Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens. Credit: University of Delaware Athletics
If you want something a little more upscale try Vita Nova Restaurant, a student-operated restaurant on campus. Reservations are a must. Choose from the lunch buffet or go hungry and grab the set menu, five-course dinner option Wednesday through Friday between 5:30 and 6:30 p.m. during fall and spring semesters. Save room for ice cream. UDairy Creamery serves up student-made ice cream in flavors such as 1st State Cobbler (peach ice cream with a blueberry swirl and cinnamon crumble pieces) and Blue Hen Tracks (vanilla ice cream with peanut butter cups, fudge swirl and blue and yellow sprinkles). There are dairy-free options made from pea protein that’s grown on campus.
If it’s raining, stop at the Christiana Mall on your way home (132 Christiana Mall, 302-731-9816, christianamall.com). Delaware is sales tax-free, so it’s worth the time, especially if you have your eye on a big ticket item.
