Part Four: Recipes for Game Day (The food's almost as important as the game. Almost.)

Buffalo Wings

Ingredients:

• 1 package of frozen chicken "wingettes" or "drumettes"
• 1 bottle of buffalo wing sauce (I like Ken's Steakhouse's buffalo wing sauce & marinade)
• 4 tbsps of barbecue sauce
• A spicy seasoning blend (I like McCormick Grill Mates Spicy Montreal Steak blend (it's delicious on chicken, too!) and McCormick's Grill Mates Mesquite Seasoning)
  

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Divide the chicken pieces into 4 medium-sized ziploc bags. Drop about 1/4 of the bottle of buffalo wing sauce and 1 tbsp of barbecue sauce in each bag. Close bags tightly, then shake each vigorously to coat chicken pieces. Place bags in refrigerator for about 5 minutes while you line a shallow baking pan with aluminum foil and coat with cooking spray. Line the chicken pieces in a single layer in the pan. Season with spicy seasoning blend before placing in oven. Cook for 45 minutes, turning the chicken over after 20 minutes and again when 5 minutes of cooking time remain. Serve with blue cheese dressing!

Guacamole (I find that people have strong reactions to avocado. I happen to love it. And it's really good for you.)

I found this great recipe at allrecipes.com:

Ingredients:

• 3 avocados - peeled, pitted, and mashed
• 1 lime, juiced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup diced onion
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 roma (plum) tomatoes, diced
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 pinch ground cayenne pepper (optional)

In a medium bowl, mash together the avocados, lime juice, and salt. Mix in onion, cilantro, tomatoes, and garlic. Stir in cayenne pepper. Refrigerate 1 hour for best flavor, or serve immediately. (Don't forget the tortilla chips!)

The Game Day Cocktail: Frizzante Mojito

This recipe comes courtesy of the Martha Stewart Show and Allen Katz, Sirius Satellite Radio host (click here for more details on this and the other cocktails that Martha & Co. recommend for game day). I'm partial to mojitos...follow this recipe for a great one:

Ingredients:

• 6 fresh mint leaves
• 3/4 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1 ounce Simple Syrup
• 1 1/2 ounces rum, preferably Cruzan
• 2 dashes Angostura bitters
• 2 ounces Champagne or Prosecco, chilled

In a pint or mixing glass, muddle together mint, lime juice, and simple syrup to release mint oils. Add rum and bitters; shake over ice. Strain into a cocktail glass or coupe; top with Champagne.

Part Three: What to Wear (Fashionable fans must dress the part!)

You've familiarized yourself with the basics of college football and you know what teams to watch for this season. Now it's time to look the part. Luckily, long gone are the days when athletic gear and team merchandise were synonymous with shapeless sweatshirts and plastic beer mugs. Take a look at these great finds for fashionable fans (left to right, from top left) :

(1) A perfect Florida Gators hoodie. Perfect because the slim cut and lightweight material make it figure-flattering (read: not bulky!), while the fleece lining makes it warm and cozy. Plus, it's affordable at $39.95. (2) I love the washed and worn look of this Michigan baseball cap. Perfect for catching a game in person on a Saturday afternoon. (3) This USC tee speaks for itself. (4) Don't underestimate these earrings! In a near-perfect collision of sports and fashion, these are NCAA logo Oregon Ducks earrings. (5) Fashion-forward Longhorns fans, rejoice! The script on this Texas tee adds just the right amount of flare. (6) Who says you have to drink beer at your game day party? LSU fans can sip wine in style with these stemless glasses.

Part Two: The Teams to Watch in 2008

AP Top 25 Teams (as of August 24, 2008)

The Top 10:

1. Georgia
2. Ohio State
3. USC
4. Oklahoma
5. Florida (Go Gators! Yes, I'm still a die-hard Florida Gators fan.)
6. Missouri
7. LSU
8. West Virginia
9. Clemson
10. Auburn

The Rest of the Top 25:
11. Texas
12. Texas Tech
13. Wisconsin
14. Kansas
15. Arizona State
16. Brigham Young
17. Virginia Tech
18. Tennessee
19. South Florida
20. Illinois
21. Oregon
22. Penn State
23. Wake Forest
24. Alabama
25. Pittsburgh

In short, these are the 25 teams that the AP expects to have the best seasons in 2008. This year marks the first that the Georgia Bulldogs occupy the top spot in the preseason polls. Preseason rankings are based on several factors, including how well the team performed last season and how many players from last season are returning, the number of new recruits a team has acquired and the prospects of those recruits, and the strength of the coaching staff. In other words, the rankings are completely subjective. The rankings will change every week throughout the college football season, as teams win or lose games. Keeping up with the movement in the rankings from week to week (and disagreeing with the rankings when the experts get them wrong) is part of what makes the college football season so fun. ESPN's college football home page will help you keep up with the action from now until the championship game.