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Where to Watch: College Football

No matter whose fight song you’re singing, The Washingtonian has you covered with our guide to the best bars, restaurants, and game-day specials

Fall is the air, and that can mean only one thing: College football season is back, and fans and alums from universities far and wide gather to cheer on their teams. Did we miss your school in this list? Let us know in the comments section.

With Monday-night specials of $2 Natty Light cans and weekend deals on wings and steamed shrimp, the Old Dominion Brewhouse is the place to watch Alabama and Florida State games on more than 30 flat-screen TVs.

One of the many Washington locations to watch Virginia Tech football is Champps Americana, where there’s happy hour every day with half-price appetizers from 4 to 7 and 10 to close.

University of California fans can head to Sign of the Whale to cheer on their team with $10 Bud Light pitchers and $3 drafts. For a more family-friendly atomosphere, Cal alums can head to Union Jack’s in the Ballston Mall.

UCLA’s new home, the MadHatter, has $25 beer towers or $20 beer buckets, all with Bud or Bud Light. There’s also $15 brunch for Bruins alums on game days, as well as $2 hot dogs and $3 draft beers.

University of Southern California fans can fight on at BlackFinn Saloon, where game-day specials include $20 Blue Moon towers and $6 Captain Morgan rum punch.

Light Horse Tavern is the hub for fans of the University of Colorado and Penn State. Penn Quarter Sports Tavern also shows Colorado games.

Crystal City Sports Pub has more than 100 TVs and every sports-television package imaginable, so all college teams are welcome. It’s the official alumni headquarters for Arizona, Arizona State, Auburn, Baylor, Fresno State, Georgia, Iowa, Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, Marshall, North Carolina, NC State, South Carolina, USC, Wake Forest, Washington, and Wyoming.

Florida Gators fans can cheer on their team at the Pour House, with $10 Blue Moon and Miller Lite pitchers, $3 Blue Moon and Miller Lite pints, $5 Jack Daniels and Jim Bean drinks, and $5 chicken tenders.

Mackey’s is home to University of Miami Hurricanes fans. There are $15 Miller Lite buckets, $2.50 Miller Lite drafts, and $3.75 Sam Adams drafts on Saturday game days. Mackey’s Arlington location is the official boomer Sooner headquarters, with lots of University of Oklahoma fans gathering on game days.

With two projection screens and more than 50 LCD TVs, Grevey’s shows games from Florida State, South Carolina, University of Kentucky, Virginia Tech, Marshall, and Penn State.

Bailey’s Pub & Grille is an official home for alumni of Virginia Tech, Florida, Louisana State University, James Madison University, Michigan, and Michigan State. They also show games from Maryland and Old Dominion University.

Go Blue at Tommy Joe’s, the official Washington home for University of Michigan football. There are food-and-drink specials, and one lucky group gets $50 off its tab each weekend.

Union Pub is the official home for the Cornhuskers, with University of Nebraska alumni groups taking advantage of $3 Bud Light bottles and drafts, $10 buckets, and $12 pitchers.

Rhino Bar and Pumphouse is the official alumni bar for Penn State on the top floor and Ohio State downstairs. There are $8 Miller Lite and Coors Lite pitchers on Saturdays, 25-cent wings on the weekend, and 10-cent wings on Monday.

Penn Quarter Sports Tavern is college-football central, showing games from Air Force, Arkansas, Army, Ball State, Bowling Green, University Central Florida, Colorado, Florida Atlantic University, Florida International University, Georgia, Kansas State, Miami Ohio, Memphis, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma State, Pitt, Oregon State, San Diego State University, Washington, and Western Michigan. There are 17 TVs, a heated patio, and $12 Miller Lite pitchers.

The Bottom Line shows games from Maryland, Purdue, and th
e University of Kansas. For college and NFL Games, specials include $10 Bud Light pitchers, $3.50 wings, and $3.50 Long Island IPA drafts.

The Exchange is Washington’s home away from home for the Fightin’ Irish of Notre Dame, with food-and-drink specials during game days.

Union Jack’s shows games from North Carolina State and Virginia Tech, with specials including $5 22-ounce Stella Artois.

Let’s go, Mountaineers! McFadden’s is the official spot for University of West Virginia fans. Specials include $3 domestic drafts, $11 Natty Boh buckets, and $5 burgers and wings.

With $3 cans of PBR, Miller Lite, and Leinenkugel, the Hawk ’n’ Dove is a good place to cheer on Maryland, Virginia Tech, Wisconsin, and University of Virgina.

Head over to My Brother’s Place for Texas Longhorn football, $1 Coors Lite cans, and $2 tacos.

For Penn State fans in Virginia, visit CarPool for an official alumni celebration and 25 TVs.

Look for fans in that University of North Carolina baby blue at Ventnor Sports Cafe, Union Jack’s, and Crystal City Sports Pub.

Pro fan? We found the best spots to watch the NFL, too. Check it out here.

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