How to score a touchdown at your next football tailgate party

Sure as death and taxes, when October rolls around, football season is in full swing, with fans uniting Saturdays on campuses and Sundays at NFL stadiums nationwide.

But the action doesn’t just start kickoff. No, it begins much, much earlier, with friends gathering in the parking lot. That’s right, we’re talking tailgating.

And to help your next tailgate party be the best yet, we’ve round up some great gadgets, games, gourmet food and more. Score!

Don’t fumble the food

Naturally, good food is priority No. 1 before you head to the stadium, and the Gameday Grilling Combo from Omaha Steaks is sure to please a hungry crowd. The package, on sale now for $59.99, includes eight each of the following: 4-oz. gourmet bratwurst, 4-oz. Omaha Steak burgers, 3-oz. Italian sausages, 3-oz. Polish sausages and 3-oz. gourmet jumbo franks.

To grill that amazing grub, consider the Picnic Time Football portable charcoal grill from Target. The football-shaped grill is $99.95.

And, to really make your mark at the grill, grab a hot dog brander from Amazon for around $20. They’ve got NFL and college teams available, plus branders that would work for burgers and steaks. This fun tailgate addition leaves no doubt as to whom you’re rooting for.

Hut, hut, beer!

Next up, let’s tackle beer. Want to impress your fellow fans? Invest in this Danby ½ keg beer dispenser from Home Depot. It’s $499, but a tailgate isn’t really a tailgate without beer, is it?

Now, how do you hold that beer and that burger while moving amongst the crowd? With The Go Plate. It’s a simple idea really: a plate to hold your food, with a hole in the middle for your drink. It works with bottles and cans, Solo cups and most wine glasses. Grab a set of 10 at Amazon.com for about $20.

Side dish huddle

A cool way to display smaller side dishes is with an NFL snack helmet, also on Amazon. For around $55, the full-size replica helmet doubles as a snack tray with a large bowl in the top and a two-compartment dish in the face mask. Perfect for chips, salsa and guacamole.

Speaking of snacks, Harry & David offers a variety of mixed nuts packaged in a reusable mini metal keg. The $24.95 mix includes peanuts, cashews and a sweet and savory pecan praline mix.

Entertainment for the win

Tailgating isn’t just about the food though, it’s about the atmosphere you create. Grab a set of two wireless indoor/outdoor water-resistant speakers from the Sharper Image from $89.99 to take your event to the next level. They have a 33-foot range and operate up to three hours on a full charge. You can pair them with your bluetooth-enabled device (think cellphone, iPad, laptop, etc.) to play music or the radio pre-game.

And for around the same price, grab the Wild Sports corn hole toss game at Lowes for a fun way to pass the time.

Finally, it is starting to get colder as the season goes on, so for an extra layer of warmth, pick up a woven tapestry throw from Target featuring your favorite NFL team. Prices range from $18.69 to $39.99. The 60-by-48-inch blankets are machine washable and made in the USA. Go team!