In Utah, college football season signals tailgating time.

We're not talking about jerks who follow your bumper too closely on the way into the parking lot. We're talking about those fans who come to the game several hours early to feast.

Theoretically, they use the tailgate of their vehicles for preparing or serving the food. But more often it also involves tables, grills — even motor homes or trailers. The chow can range from chips and salsa to a full-blown buffet.

Look around the campuses of local universities before a football game and you'll find the parking lots and lawns dotted with awnings, chairs, fans dressed in school colors and the aromas of chili, brats and burgers wafting through the air.

While people have been bringing picnics to sporting events for a long time, the September 1954 issue of Sunset magazine is credited with one of the first uses of the term "tailgate."

Called "The Tailgate Is the Picnic Table," the article described how to lay out a picnic on the back of a station wagon, which were the SUVs of the 1950s.

It's come a long way since then.

"Tailgating is the picnic of the 21st century," said Debbie Moose, author of "Fan Fare," (Harvard Common Press, $14.95). "People used to pack up a picnic and go out into the country to enjoy it. Nowadays, it's about having fun hanging out in the parking lot, even if you're not that much into sports."

That's what a lot of U. fans were doing a few hours before the season-opening game with University of Nevada, Las Vegas on Sept. 6.

Tailgating is a great way to avoid the last-minute traffic heading to the game, said Tim Orton, who was firing up a grill with wife Linda and daughter Emily. "You get here ahead of time, and it gets you into the game mode. Emily and I like to throw the football around. Then you can relax afterward and wait until all the traffic clears before you take off."

Emily said her favorite tailgate food is her dad's wings with his special sauce. "It can really clear your nostrils when you're cooking," added her dad.

Ed Cable's group comes to the U.'s designated tailgating lot the night before, with motorhomes and trailers. "We're tailgating all night long and the day of the game, and all the groups commingle so it's like one giant family," he said.

The group showed its teams colors with red-bread sandwiches. "We had Albertsons bake it for us," Cable said. "But it's just an egg wash that is dyed red and put on the bread before it's baked."

Another group was grilling carne asada. Roger Lorenze had marinated the meat beforehand, and others at the party brought go-withs, such as chips, salsa and guacamole.

"There's a core of about 10 of us who just rotate assignments," said Jim Lyman, a U. alumnus. "One will bring the drinks, another most of the food, another snacks, and so on. We usually come up with some kind of main dish and everyone brings things to go with it."