For many University alumni, students and fans, there is no better place to be than sitting “between the hedges” on Saturdays during the fall.

Like other large football fan bases, people attending University football games consider the event a day-long – and sometimes weekend-long – ordeal. Though everyone has different opinions about what the ideal football gameday experience entails, planning ahead and learning more about activities helps keep all 92,746 attendees happy and engaged.

The first obstacle in the gameday experience is finding transportation and parking. Students living off campus, as well as traveling alumni and fans, should plan to arrive early on game days to avoid traffic.

Reserving a place to park or knowing of an affordable lot close to campus or downtown will save money in the long-run, especially if you plan to attend multiple home games. Students and fans living off campus in the Athens area have the option of taking Athens Transit buses to get to campus.

Another integral part of football in Athens is tailgating. Fans can set up to tailgate as early as 7 a.m. on game days and must follow general guidelines provided at the University’s gamedaygameplan.com Web site.

There is also an alcohol-free “family friendly” area on North Campus for students, fans and families interested in enjoying their day without drinking. No matter the tailgating location, arriving early to get a spot will pay off.

If fans decide to explore downtown and campus throughout the day instead of tailgating, there are many places to eat and relax. On campus, the Georgia Center for Continuing Education offers breakfast, lunch and a variety of drinks before and after the game. Oglethorpe House and the Village Summit dining halls, cafes in the Tate Student Center and snack shops in buildings throughout campus also provide affordable food and places to sit.

The Tate Student Center theater shows other college football games being aired on game days. The center also shows the University’s football game for fans without tickets to the game.

About two hours before kickoff, fans can check out the “Dawg Walk” – a pep rally where the football players and the Redcoat band enter Sanford Stadium.

Upon entering Sanford Stadium, students and fans should be familiar with entering procedures. With the new student ticketing system, tickets are loaded on the most recent version of students’ UGA student IDs.

Without an active ID, a student cannot enter the game. Students will be required to use gates 1, 3 and 4A to enter the stadium. As with tailgating, all student sections will operate on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Once inside the stadium, be sure to stay hydrated by purchasing a drink or finding a water fountain. Above all, have fun cheering on the team with more than 90,000 of your closest friends.