I had scored lower-level, 40 yard-line seats which put us in the middle of the University of Tennessee scholarship donors section; the other black-clad South Carolina fans were clear on the other side of the stadium, which despite the 33-degree weather and pouring rain, was packed with 105,000  fans.

At the moment, the most miserable people in the stadium, other than the cheerleaders, were the Gamecock fans, because in the second quarter UT held a 28-3 lead with no sign that the drubbing was going to let up. Sam and I in our black rain slickers looked like a small fly on a giant pumpkin as we sat in a sea of orange-clad UT fans. Around us everyone was consoling us, telling us that “Bless your hearts for being USC fans.” Sam and I were discussing when we should leave and walk back to the hotel. UT scored again, making it 35-3 and we decided we would leave at halftime to go watch the Georgia-Florida game on TV.

As we were talking, I felt a tap on my shoulder and turned around to the four 60ish women who had been sitting behind us. They all had tall, frosted, beehive hairdos under their orange parkas and we had enjoyed talking with them the whole game. The lady who was talking to me was Betty Jean, a friendly gregarious Southern lady way past a certain age (I think she was at least 70).

All of a sudden Betty Jean asked me, “Would you boys like a Jell-O shot?” Sam and I were a little dumbfounded, not sure we understood her correctly. She asked again, and then pulled a giant purse/handbag out from under her raincoat. In the bag was a small tray of little red and orange Jell-O shots. Betty Jean said, “You poor boys look like you could use some Jell-O shots. We have vodka, rum and bourbon. Help yourself.”

Sam and I, being the well-trained Southern frat boys we were, had each smuggled a flask of Jim Beam under our rain slickers and had finished both, and in fact had finished both in the first quarter. Thanks the weather and the poor play of the Cocks, we were starting to lose our buzz, so the prospect of Jell-O shots was quite exciting. Turns out Betty Jean and the other golden girls behind us weren’t kidding about the vodka, rum and bourbon, as they had bottles of each in addition to the Jell-O shots.

All of a sudden, the sleet, freezing rain, and embarrassing, lopsided loss (when Carolina fans talk about their memories it usually is an embarrassing loss that we remember first) didn’t seem so bad and we ended up staying until the third quarter (I think at that point the score was like 48-3) having a good old time with Betty Jean and her “Golden Volunteer Posse” as she put it. To date, this is still my favorite college football memory and what I remember most about going to a game in Knoxville.

I love college football and thanks to Outsports.com I realize there are many other gay men and women who love college football as much as I do. In the fall of 2003 I wrote a series of columns about my experiences at various college football locations, what was unique about going to a Georgia Tech game in Atlanta or growing up a Gamecock fan in South Carolina, or going to a game in Evanston, Ill., to see Northwestern play. I wrote about what made each location I visited (Coral Gables, Atlanta, Columbia, S.C., Evanston and Los Angeles) unique and special. Two years later I still get e-mails from Outsports readers about these columns. I’m going to do it again this fall, but with a twist.

This year I’m letting you the Outsports readers and football fans know where I’m heading to in advance. We want to organize Outsports Tailgate parties at the college football games I’m able to attend and I want to get a taste of the local gay scene as well. I’ve picked places that I’ve always wanted to go for a football game, like Boulder, Gainesville, and Austin. I want you to help me learn what is unique about your school’s or Alma Mata’s college football scene and I will write about my experiences for Outsports. So far I have five confirmed games I will be attending.

Sept. 10: Colorado vs. New Mexico State in Boulder, Colo.
Sept. 17: Florida vs. Tennessee in Gainesville, Fla.
Oct. 15: Texas vs. Colorado in Austin, Texas.
Nov. 5: Washington vs. Oregon State in Seattle.
Nov. 12: Southern California at Cal

If you’re an Outsports reader in these cities or you’re planning to attend any of these games, let me know and we’ll plan an Outsports Tailgate party at the game.

There may be and probably will be others. I have season tickets to Hurricane’s home games here in Miami and would love to set up a tailgater at one of the home games. I’m sure I’ll be heading up to Columbia, S.C., to catch a game in the new Steve Spurrier era at Carolina and I’ve heard great things about college football Saturdays at the Wolfs gay sports bar in Atlanta. I’ll keep you updated with my columns and on the Outsports Discussion Board.

GO COCKS!!

Todd Heustess is a writer based in Miami.

Sept. 4, 2005