Ducks Digest

Best Big Ten Pregame Experiences: Where Do The Oregon Ducks Rank?

A list was compiled ranking which of the Big Ten programs puts on the best college football Saturday in the parking lot outside their stadium and around their campus.
Arden Cravalho|
Denyse Renner, center, takes shots with other Oregon fans as they tailgate before the annual rivalry game on Friday, Nov. 24, 2023 at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Ore.
Denyse Renner, center, takes shots with other Oregon fans as they tailgate before the annual rivalry game on Friday, Nov. 24, 2023 at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Ore. | Abigail Dollins/Statesman Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK

In this story:

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No one does pregame entertainment better than the Big Ten does. It's intertwined with the culture of the conference each and every college football Saturday.

Bookies.com put together a list of the top Big Ten pregame destinations. Four major factors came into consideration when determining the order: location, tailgating, family sentiment and entertainment around the stadium such as bars and restaurants.

Steve Patterson, of McMinnville, cooks up Philly cheesesteaks at his quackulance tailgate
Steve Patterson, of McMinnville, cooks up Philly cheesesteaks at his quackulance tailgate before the Oregon Ducks take on the Oregon State Beavers at Autzen Stadium Friday, Nov. 24, 2023. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK

Oregon was ranked the seventh-best among all the Big Ten programs. That seems a bit low. The most you could score in each of the categories was 18 and then it was all added up to determine the order. The Ducks scored 14 points for location, 11 points for tailgating, 15 for family sentiment, and 5 for entertainment. The total point score was 45.

"The run is centered around tailgating at the big lot next to Autzen Stadium. The atmosphere can get electric, yet the pleasing family atmosphere sticks, which is why the Ducks rank Top 5 in the Big Ten in both instances in their first year in the conference. There isn’t as much from an entertainment standpoint, and the stadium isn’t on campus proper. But fans certainly find ways to have fun regardless."
Bookie.com on Oregon

This was the complete order of the Big Ten pregame experience rankings: No. 1 Wisconsin, No. 2 Ohio State, No. 3 Iowa, No. 4 Penn State, No. 5 Washington, No. 6 Nebraska, No. 7 Oregon, No. 8 Minnesota, No. 9 Michigan, No. 10 Michigan State, No. 11 Indiana, No. 12 Northwestern, No. 13 Illinois, No. 14 USC, No. 15 Purdue, No. 16 UCLA, No. 17 Maryland and No. 18 Rutgers.

In the 2023 version of this list from Bookies.com, Oregon was ranked second in the Pac-12 behind Washington.

Published
Arden Cravalho
ARDEN CRAVALHO

Arden Cravalho is a reporter for Oregon Ducks on SI. He has been writing extensively about college athletics beginning in 2018, specifically as the lead writer and editor for SB Nation's 'The Slipper Still Fits.' Arden is a graduate of Gonzaga University and brings a deep understanding of college sports to his writing. Residing in San Francisco, California, Arden is also a part of the California Golden Bears' athletic department as a Ticket Sales and Service Account Executive. His overall experience and dedication to college athletics are evident in his insightfulness and analysis throughout all of his work.

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