Published Friday, August 16, 2013 at 3:48 pm

Aug. 16, 2013. Appalachian State University has ben named one of the top 15 universities in the south for college-football tailgating by Southern Living Magazine, the popular publication announced on Friday.

Appalachian State is one of only two schools from a non-“Power 5” conference to earn the recognition and the only institution from the state of North Carolina among the 15 honorees. The 14 other schools on the list include Alabama, Clemson, Florida State, Georgia, LSU, Ole Miss, Marshall, Oklahoma State, Tennessee, Texas, Texas A&M, Vanderbilt, Virginia Tech and West Virginia. All 15 institutions are featured in the September issue of Southern Living which hits newsstands on Friday, Aug. 23.

Southern Living chose the 15 universities based on the following criteria: most spirited, traditionalists (schools renowned for gameday rituals), powerhouses (Southern schools with a history of winning on and off the field) and style-setters.

The 15 schools are now finalists for the title of “The South’s Best Tailgate.” Fans can vote for Appalachian State at southernliving.com/tailgate or via smartphone with the Digimarc Discover app. A link to vote for Appalachian State can also be found at appstatesports.com/promos. Fans that vote will be entered for a chance to win $2,500.