Here’s a new one: a college football game will have each team’s offense playing in one direction on the field. Believe it or not, this is not the first time this has occurred in a college football game.
According to an article by Grayson Weir on Outkick.com, the reason for the unique rules in this Saturday’s game featuring the North Alabama Lions hosting the Jacksonville State Gamecocks, is that the game will be played in a baseball stadium. Toyota Field, home of the Rocket City Trash Pandas (great team name), the Los Angeles Angels AA minor league team, has turned their baseball-purposed stadium into a football stadium for this tilt.
Per Weir’s post, the 100-yard gridiron does fit into the 2-year old baseball stadium, but only one of the end zones is regulation size and safe for conducting offensive plays. So, all offensive drives will be played in one direction on the field. Incidentally, they added bleacher seats on the field to accommodate a crowd of about 10,000 spectators for the game. The expected crowd would shatter attendance records at Toyota Field, which is located in Madison, Alabama, just west of Huntsville.
So, all offensive drives for both teams will go towards the end zone in front of the first base dugout. Football fans will certainly wonder: What about interceptions and fumble recoveries? Where do the defensive players run to score a touchdown? According to Weir’s article, “pick-sixes, scoop-and-scores, and kick returns can be scored in the far end zone,” which is much smaller and is located near the left field wall on the baseball diamond.
The last time these rules were in place for a college football game was in 2010 when Northwestern hosted Illinois at Wrigley Field in Chicago. I guess football really wasn’t meant to be played on a baseball field.
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Larry Martino is the long-time Afternoon Drive personality on 96.3 KKLZ. The views and opinions expressed in this blog are those of Larry Martino and not necessarily those of Beasley Media Group, LLC.
13 Tailgating Essentials You Can’t Skip Out On
Pop Up Canopy
You need a pop-up canopy. Trust me, if you’re trying to talk yourself out of it for any reason I highly recommend having one. The pop-up canopy tent will help keep you out of the sun and rain in the event it happens. Sitting in the sun during the tailgate and then again when you’re in the stadium, while you’re drinking, is a bad combo. It tends to result in dehydration and possible medical issues. Keep yourself and your food in the shade.
Inflatable Coolers
I have two options on this list for you for keeping food and drinks cold! The first are these inflatable coolers. They work well for keeping things like pasta salad or other cold food items that you want out when you’re tailgating.
Crock Pot
All hail the Crock Pot! Whether it’s sloppy joes, buffalo chicken dip, or some other warm yummy goodness the crock pot is one of my favorite tailgating essentials. You and I both know you’re going to be eating before the game, so keep your food warm with an easy slow cooker!
Portable Power Station
Anytime I’ve gone tailgating and needed power I have always relied on a portable generator of some kind. This power station is solar–powered and has a pure Sine Wave AC outlet (110V 200W 400W Peak), 2* USB-A ports (5V, 2.4A), and 1* 12V DC carport. So you can make sure your phone and other essentials stay charged without having to turn your car on.
Camping Table with Storage
Not only is this a great tailgating essential, but it can be used anytime you go camping! I love having a camping table like this while I’m tailgating because it gives you a spot for storage for things like plates and plasticware, as well as a spot to lay out all the food!
Bluetooth Speaker
You will want a Bluetooth speaker. You’re going to want to avoid using your car’s sound system for your tailgating playlist because you might end up needing a jump after the game. This JBL speaker is one of my favorites. It’s waterproof and the sound quality/volume level is pretty great! It comes in 12 different color choices too.
A Cooler with Ample Space
Most people tailgate in a group, which means lots of food and drinks. To keep all of that cold, I recommend getting a cooler with a good amount of storage space. This 62–quart cooler from Coleman holds up to 95 cans! It can also double as a seat when you’re not reaching in to grab things.
Clear Crossbody Bag
For all of my friends out there who need a bag, a clear crossbody bag is the way to go. A lot of stadiums have restrictions nowadays that say you need a clear bag. This one has an adjustable strap and will fit your wallet, keys, phone, sanitizer, masks, basically everything you might want to take into the stadium with you.
Condiment Caddy
Hotdogs and hamburgers are the staple food of tailgating. They’re quick, easy, and delicious. But if you’re like me I’m sure you love adding a few condiments to your burgers and dogs. This condiment caddy has five spots for whatever you need chilled and includes tongs and serving spoons. The best part is that the compartment below is designed so you can put it all on ice!
Food Caddies
I tend to avoid paper plates when I’m tailgating and it’s usually because they never hold enough for me. These food caddies are great because there is a compartment for your drink and they’re foldable, so once you’re done using it you can fold it right up.
Portable Grill
You can’t forget the grill. Having a portable grill for your tailgating is huge! This charcoal tabletop grill is easy to use and easy to carry. Plus it will make a great addition to your camping gear.
Storage Drawers
Okay if you’ve never thought about storage drawers for your tailgating essentials I can’t wait to open your mind to it! These are so great for storage. I’m talking about how you can put all of your grill gear, condiments, paperware, speaker, etc. In these convenient drawers. It makes packing so much easier too.
Cornhole
And you can’t forget the cornhole boards! Playing cornhole before the game is a ton of fun and if you’re looking for a way to make sure you kill time before the game, this is the way to go.
Please note that items are in stock and prices are accurate at the time we published this list. Have an idea for a fun theme for a gift idea list you’d like us to create? Drop us a line at shopping@bbgi.com.
