BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — Family and friends gathered at Bakersfield College on Saturday for the homecoming game, where several longtime fans have been tailgating for nearly 20 years.
Shawn Underwood played football at Bakersfield College and has great memories from his time there.
"You know, when I came up here, we met I met my best friends up here," Underwood said. "Where would you rather be than here at the home of the Renegades and enjoying the barbecuing, the atmosphere, and then get to catch a great football game."
Now it's his turn to cheer on his son.
"My son is playing now. And so that's what we're doing up here. We're up here supporting BC," Underwood said.
Underwood says he'll continue the tailgating tradition for as long as he can.
"Over the last 20 years, this is what we do on Saturday. We come up, we barbecue, we watch the Renegades play, and get together with friends," Underwood said. "We'll be here probably for the next 20 years."
This year, Memorial Stadium at Bakersfield College is celebrating a huge milestone — it's the stadium's 70th anniversary.
"So the stadium was built in the '50s, so technically, this was the first structure of the Panorama campus, and so we built around the stadium, and back in the day, 20,000 fans were in the seats right. And so we're trying to bring that energy back into the stadium," said Ayanna Tweedy, Interim Athletics Director.
Steve Smoot says that out of so many memories, there's one in particular that always stands out.
"Built that barbecue pit in 1988, and that was a great year because it was a national championship. They won up here, and Carl was a coach, but Stan Green was a quarterback, beat Fullerton, they were a 12 and 0. It was a beautiful game, and so that's my pit from 1988," Smoot said.
Many say they can't wait to celebrate the 75th anniversary of Memorial Stadium.
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