14. Missouri Tigers

Having just recently joined the SEC in 2012, it's easy to forgive Missouri for bringing up the rear here. Coming over from the Big XII meant that besides having to face Florida and Georgia each year, Tigers fans could no longer enter and exit their stadium at will during games, per SEC policy. Overall, the tailgating is still pretty fun at Faurot Field, if not quite the same during quarters and halftime.

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13. Vanderbilt Commodores

Much like Vandy's football team in most years, the tailgating scene at Vandyville struggles to measure up to those of the SEC's big boys. One can definitely count on finding good food, new friends, cold beer and getting a closeup of the team during the pre-kickoff Commodore Alley march. We're talking about the SEC though, where tailgating standards are sky high.

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12. Arkansas Razorbacks

The Gardens just south of Razorbacks Stadium is the place to be for tailgating at Arkansas. Unfortunately, alcoholic beverages are illegal there, though apparently if you keep it low-key and show respect, law enforcement will turn the other way. Still, who really wants to keep it chill on game day?

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11. Mississippi State Bulldogs

At 5 p.m each day before an Mississippi State home game, Bulldogs fans get the action going with a singing of their fight song "Hail State," and the good times don't stop until the final whistle blows on game day. It all goes down at The Junction, which used to be a central point for trains bringing in students from all across Mississippi (which means they've been partying there for a long time). The climax of the Mississippi State tailgating experience is the Dawg Walk, where the football team is led by the Famous Maroon Band on a march amongst the fans right through the heart of The Junction.

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10. Kentucky Wildcats

Two words that best sum up the tailgating experience at Commonwealth Stadium: burgoo and cornhole. Burgoo's the dish of choice for Wildcats fans; it's a spicy stew that's traditionally made with squirrel or opossum but is now more commonly made with BBQ Pork. And cornhole is .... cornhole.

9. Texas A&M Aggies

Aggies fans, a.k.a. The 12th Man, get it going each midnight before game day with "The Midnight Yell" pep rally at Kyle Field. After a night of singing fight songs and kissing their dates when the lights go down, The 12th Man's officially ready for a full day of BBQ, drinks and Texas A&M football.

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8. Florida Gators

While it doesn't feature a specific tradition that sets it apart from other schools, Florida's reputation as one of the best party schools in the country definitely extends to its tailgating scene. The O-Dome parking lot (where the Gators play basketball) is the primary gathering spot on game day, but tailgaters can be spotted all across the campus. Just look for the orange and blue.

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7. Georgia Bulldogs

For those who enjoy drinking whiskey and barking like a dog, which is most of us, nothing compares to "tailgating between the hedges" in Athens. After a seemingly non-stop party that starts the night before game day, fans gather to watch the Bulldogs enter Sanford Stadium during the "Dawg Walk," which is then followed up with more whiskey and more barking.

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6. South Carolina Gamecocks

With their Cockaboose Railroad, South Carolina's tailgating traditions are about as unique as you'll find anywhere in the country. Just yards away from Williams-Brice Stadium sits 22 Cockabooses, which are train cabooses that have been decked out specifically for tailgating. They each have their own vibe and flair, allowing for hours of rocking Cockaboose-hopping before kickoff.

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5. Alabama Crimson Tide

Much like the football program, the tailgating scene at Alabama is rich in tradition and taken very seriously. The place to be on game day in Tuscaloosa is The Quad (a two square mile piece of land with serious Civil War history) for the "Kickoff on The Quad" tailgate party. Crimson Tide traditions include listening to the Million Dollar Band rock out, Big Al the Elephant leading the team into the stadium and lots and lots of khakis.

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4. Auburn Tigers

While Alabama has owned the on-the-field rivalry with Auburn in recent years, tailgating is a different story. Kindness is king at Jordan-Hare Stadium where the massive gathering of people becomes Alabama's fifth largest city on game day. The party starts the Friday morning before kickoff, and between the amazing food, endless drinks and southern hospitality, it's hard to find a tailgating tradition as fun as Auburn.

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3. Tennessee Volunteers

Tennessee's tailgating traditions include boasting their very own naval fleet, which is why they find themselves so high on this list. The "Vol Navy" is a tailgating party made up of 200 or so boats that gather on the Tennessee River just outside of Neyland Stadium. So while the Vols' dry-land tailgating scene is awesome in and of itself, it's their on-the-water traditions that put them in rarefied air.

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2. LSU Tigers

Tigers fans consider tailgating an art form, so it's really no shocker they're considered to be in the upper echelon of SEC tailgating. Aside from the fact that almost every LSU fan considers tailgating an all-day event, it's their endless amount of unbelievably delicious Cajun food (and their willingness to share it) that sets them apart from the pack. Even rival Gators fans will tell you it's the best grub in the conference, and that's saying something!

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1. Ole Miss Rebels

Forget the SEC, few places in the country are as historically fun to tailgate as the over-100-years-old "Grove" at Ole Miss. The night before every Rebels home game, fans gather on this 10-acre plot of land (no cars allowed) to pitch their tents and gear up for the festivities. On game day, after plenty of eating, drinking and socializing, everyone gathers together before kickoff to welcome the arriving players and coaches in what's known as the "Walk of Champions" (even though Ole Miss hasn't won a national championship since 1960).

So although it's been a struggle for them to become champions on the field, the Rebels faithful take it all the way when it comes to tailgating

(Photo: USATSI)