During the Houston Cougars’ first road game of the football season in September, UH Dining Services kept the game day spirit alive on campus with its Coog Tailgate event at Cougar Woods Dining Commons.
Like any traditional tailgate, Cougar Woods was filled with great food, school pride, and Cougar spirit. While the main competition took place miles away, students gathered on campus to celebrate and enjoy the excitement of game day together.
“The idea of Coog Tailgate was to bring Cougar spirit right here to Cougar Woods,” said Jessica Ellefson, marketing manager for UH Dining. “We know our Coogs are on the road this week, so we wanted to create a celebration that brings energy, school spirit, and excitement for a great game.”
The event extended football festivities beyond the stadium while promoting game attendance, highlighting concessions available at TDECU Stadium, and distributing UH-themed giveaways.
Upon entering Cougar Woods, students were greeted with a variety of interactive activities, including a poster display asking, “Who are you taking to the UH game?” Other attractions included a football-themed craft station, complimentary stadium-style popcorn buckets and cups, information about game tickets from a UH Athletics representative, and a menu inspired by classic tailgate favorites.
Freshman business majors Akshath Appikonda and Abraham Samuel agreed that Coog Tailgate helped fill the gap left by an away game and praised the day’s menu offerings.
“I really enjoyed it. The food was different, and my favorite thing I ate was the ribs,” said Samuel.
The menu featured nachos, popcorn, hot dogs, barbecue ribs, chicken wings, and a variety of vegetarian options.
For Ra’Quell Bowen, a junior media production major, and Natalia Hernandez, a freshman political science major, the wide range of menu options was one of the event’s highlights.
“Indoor events can be kind of difficult, but this was still super fun,” said Hernandez. “I really liked the vegan chicken and all of the tofu dishes.”
Bowen, who is also vegetarian, enjoyed the pasta selections and free merchandise. For David Yong, a junior public health major, the food and atmosphere made the event especially memorable.
“They had great food, a great environment, music playing, and gave out free stuff,” said Yong. “It makes me want to come out to more of these events.”
As football season continues, UH Dining will keep serving up game day favorites and Cougar spirit through its concessions at TDECU Stadium. Students can view the University of Houston football schedule and continue supporting the Cougars throughout the season.