6 Unwritten Tailgate Rules Iowans Expect Everyone to Follow

At a Hawkeye tailgate, the party doesn’t end at the final whistle.

There’s a post-game feast, too.

Iowans who tailgate know how the day runs. Newcomers learn as they go.

Here are the unwritten tailgate rules Iowans expect everyone to follow.

1. Early Setup

A tailgate at Kinnick Stadium starts hours before kickoff, so you’ll want to plan your morning around Iowa’s Nov. 14 home game against Purdue.

Iowa State fans have a home game that day too, when the Cyclones host Cincinnati at Jack Trice Stadium.

Many Iowa lots open for entry at 6 a.m. on game day, so that’s your earliest start.

One first-time Kinnick tailgater wrote in 2016 that her group reached its spot before 8 a.m. for an 11 a.m. game.

She called it wise to set up early, before the ruckus began.

The streets were packed with people throwing footballs and putting up tents, and her group set out a table full of breakfast food.

Many tailgaters expect you to claim your spot early and keep your setup from spilling into the next lot.

Set an alarm.

2. Grill Duty

Tailgating starts at the grill on the Daily Iowan‘s 2025 list of Hawkeye tailgate traditions, which opens with grilling.

Burgers, hot dogs, brats, ribs and chicken wings are what’s sizzling away, and the grill brings people together.

Your grill can burn charcoal or propane, since Iowa’s parking page says both are permitted in lots but not in parking ramps.

If you’re cooking, pack extra.

A lot of tailgaters expect the person at the grill to hand a plate to the lot next door.

3. Beer Pong and Sprite Pong

A tailgate pong table comes next on that list, which calls beer pong a college classic for those of legal drinking age.

It’s equal parts competition and comedy.

Sprite pong is an equally competitive hit among Hawkeye fans who are 20 and under.

So if you bring a table, some tailgaters expect you to pack for both crowds.

Bring extra cups.

4. Keeping the Games Going

Tailgating fills your time before kickoff with yard games, and the list names cornhole and spikeball.

They're a way to compete or at least have fun trying.

The list also says it's rare to find anyone having a miserable time while playing cornhole.

The 2016 first-timer set up a game of baggo while a family playlist ran on repeat.

The best tailgates she passed had music and games going.

If you set one up, many tailgaters expect the game to stay open to whoever walks up.

Bring a set.

5. Wearing Black and Gold

Black and gold has an entry on the Daily Iowan's list of tailgate traditions, which gives a shout-out to fans who put on a Hawkeye outfit.

The outfits and the photos fans post are part of what keeps Hawkeye pride alive.

If you're headed to Kinnick, many Hawkeye fans expect you to dress the part.

Pack the camera too.

6. Eating After the Game

Tailgating gets a second act after the final whistle, and the list includes a post-game feast that may be one of the most important traditions of all.

Win or lose, you'll work up a ravenous appetite standing and cheering through four quarters.

Some tailgaters expect you to pass leftovers around before the group packs up.

Save a plate.

Neighbors and Property Lines

Tailgating near Kinnick Stadium puts you next to residential neighborhoods, and Iowa's athletics director asked fans in a 2009 column to respect the private property there.

He repeated the request in 2015 and asked fans to keep the needs of the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in mind.

The 2009 column thanked fans who used the free garbage bag handed out at lot entrances.

Volunteers woke up early each Sunday to return the stadium area to normal.

The 2016 account also describes tailgates inside vans, in tents, on home patios and on bare pavement.

Many tailgaters expect you to pick up after yourself and keep your party off a neighbor's lawn.

Mind the property lines.

Planning the Drive Home

Tailgating at Kinnick Stadium ends with your drive home, and Iowa's athletics director called a designated driver a great option in 2015.

The university would keep working with area law enforcement on checkpoints for postgame travel.

Game-day citations and arrests had also been falling over recent seasons.

The parking page lists post-game shuttle service for about an hour after the game.

Choose your driver early.

Printed Rules Worth Knowing

Printed tailgate rules at Kinnick start with the parking page, which allows beer and wine in university parking areas on game days only.

State law bars hard liquor consumption or an open liquor bottle in those lots and ramps.

Wood fires, including portable fire pits, aren't permitted either.

Iowa Athletics said in 2016 that responsible postgame tailgating would be allowed at all home games except those that start after 6 p.m.

If your game kicks off in the evening, check the Hawkeye game-day page before you plan on a second round.

Jack Trice Stadium has printed rules too, and Iowa State's parking page says fans can't put equipment out to save stalls before their vehicle arrives.

One parking space per pass is strictly enforced.