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OH MY GOD IT’S BACK FOOTBALL IS FINALLY BACK! We made it. Welcome back to another season of Where We Be, What We Be Drinking: your weekly report of what your favorite OTE “writers” will be doing on game day along with a complete list of the toxins they’ll be pumping into their bodies. I’m too excited to stall any longer, so let’s dive right in.
Creighton
Iowa opens with a night game against Miami Hydroxide so I’ll probably spend most of the morning watching soccer and football at Random Row brewing. While I can’t make it all the way to Kinnick Stadium, I’ll be doing my best to start the season off right in Charlottesville. I picked up a couple racks of ribs I’m going to cook with a sriracha-apricot glaze which I think will pair quite well with some Surly Furious and Todd the Axe Man.
MNWildcat
The wife and I are packing our bags and heading out to Palo Alto! I haven’t been to the Left Coast since Northwestern basketball played at Stanford in 2014, and I’m excited to return. Nothing fancy this weekend -- it’ll just be whatever beer we can get for decently cheap-ish, and perhaps a craft beer from the Daly City area on Friday. Riding CalTrain down from SF, tailgating in Lot 8, 9, or 13, and probably smuggling a couple mini-bottles of vodka into the stadium for when Pat Fitzgerald rolls out a “pitch count” or “rotation” at quarterback. God help us, football is here.
Candystripes For Breakfast
Depending on how motivated I am to roll out of bed, I’ll either be having breakfast during the IU-Ball State game, or possibly be helping move my local game store into their new location (probably the former, but who knows). Milk and /or coffee are on the menu early, switching over to water or soda later if I go over to help. Vanilla Coke will definitely be on tap for the late Saturday games, though.
BigRedTwice
I’m going to the game for a spicy 11 am kickoff! I usually steer clear of opening weekend because it’s usually about 1,000 degrees and I’m a wuss, but it looks to be pretty pleasant weather-wise--we’ll see what the Huskers have in store. I’ll be drinking water from the drinking fountains, because I’m a thrifty Midwesterner.
Addendum: the weather no longer looks pleasant. Hopefully there’s no repeat of last year’s opening debacle. But at least it isn’t going to be 100 degrees.
Jesse Collins
Time to do this thing! While I will not be back in the Good Life much this season, I do intend to pretend really hard. I’ll be down in Austin, TX, melting because it’s stupid hot right now, and probably having friends over to enjoy tasty things I can make in a smoker. 11 AM game? No problem. Just means that breakfast tacos may be on the menu.
WhiteSpeedReceiver
I will be going to historic TCF Bank Stadium for the opener Thursday night! I’ll consume a couple Naturdays and a couple Grain Belts and that’ll probably be about it, and thankfully it’ll be at the East River Flats due to the Minneapolis Parks Board changing their mind. After that I have no idea what I’m going to do this weekend for the rest of the games, but I’d love to get to one more game somehow.
Boilerman
Purdue opens on the road on a Friday night (because who the hell knows why someone in the scheduling department didn’t learn anything from the Cincy debacle). I’ll be at home, sippin’ on some bourbon, and trying not to wake the kids.
LincolnParkWildcat
I’ll be at home in Chicago drinking a few Daisy Cutters from Half Acre brewery.
Beezer
Wisconsin plays on the road Friday night as well. I’ll be sitting somewhere watching every minute of the game being stressed out and drinking Ruby Redbird. Summer is almost over (lol no it isn’t, this is the d-g South), and I gotta finish my summer beers. Saturday I will hopefully be in Boone, North Carolina watching everyone’s favorite non-B1G team, Appalachian State, in the home opener against ETSU or some such school. It won’t be a good game, but App should destroy, and I’ll be drinking something Fall-related, probably with pumpkin.
Andrew K
Reposing in my own house for the first time here in metro Detroit, equipped with Short’s Local’s Light as my hopeful option and Sailor Jerry standing by in the freezer in the event MSU’s offense continues to be what its been for 4 years running now. Happy football eve, everyone.
Aaron Yorke
Wedding season never ends. I’ll be driving out to Long Island for a wedding on Saturday, but we only have the rehearsal dinner that night, so I should be able to watch a decent amount of football. Maybe? At least the actual wedding is on Sunday. I’m thinking red wine right now, but that is subject to change depending on what’s on tap.
DJ
Birthday weekend for the kiddo so I’ll be watching the MD game with him then going out to eat later with the in laws. I’ll drink a lot of bourbon in anticipation.
Thumpasaurus
I’ll be near Andrew’s house....at my house. Drinkin on a bunch of leftover LaBatt’s from my wedding that my parents didn’t want, as well as the remainder of my homebrewed belgian golden strong ale. No weddings until the bye week in November!
Dead Read
I will be in beautiful downtown Lincoln, soaking up the atmosphere as the football world moves ever closer to the Big Redaissance. Early game, so it will be a lot of coffee. I am so glad football is back.
Stewmonkey
I’ll be at beautiful, legendary, HISTORIC, Kinnick Stadium. It’s a 6:30 kickoff which means I’ll have the smoker. Ribs, maybe wings, maybe pork belly, and possibly other yummy things. I’ll likely be downing some Founders Breakfast Stout, some Toppling Goliath Pompeii, and likely some Naturdays.
BrianB2 (The Maryland Brian)
I will be working at the brewery during the majority of the Maryland game. This wouldn’t be so bad except they don’t get BTN.
MC ClapYoHandz
Where will I be? At work or on my way home, because starting a game at 6pm on a Friday is flat out Not My America. Whoever is responsible for this probably also invented stuff like vaping and pixelating fun things. Assuming I’ll get to imbibe, I’ll likely reach for local favorites from Dovetail’s Rauchbier or Begyle’s Flannel Pajamas.
Zuzu
Since Rutgers plays on a Friday I will be at USC scrambling to get work done, and to be honest due to anxiety will likely only check the game score at the end (I hate you right now, Rutgers Football). I tend to drink water throughout the day, but lemme tell you if Rutgers performs poorly vs. UMass I'll be drinking something a helluva lot stronger than water in the evening.
Ray
On beautiful Long Beach Island soaking up sun and Jersey Girl Citra IPA. Will be at the famed Hudson House in Beach Haven and possibly Buckalews on our tour of legendary Jersey beach bars.
That’s it for us, but how are the rest of you celebrating the return of the greatest part of the year? Let us know in the comments!