RVs are as much a part of football as the forward pass. And so is tailgating, with stadiums in Georgia no exception.

The nationwide sports website Bleacher Report actually ranks colleges for their tailgating appeal, and it rates the University of Georgia as the No. 6 football tailgate experience nationally. USA Today ranks the University of Florida-University of Georgia tailgate in particular as the fourth best. It’s nicknamed “The World’s Largest Cocktail Party.”

But don’t just drive to any football stadium assuming that RVs will be welcome, that RV space is unlimited, or that you’ll be able to tailgate outside your RV. You might get tackled for a loss.

It’s best to go online or call and check out several things before you go:

• Are RVs allowed?
• Are advance reservations available?
• What is the RV parking rate? (It can top $100 — with no hookups.)
• Is overnight RV parking permitted, both before and after the game?
• Is RV tailgating permitted?

Here are some RV tailgating facts for major Georgia football sites:

University of Georgia, Athens

UGA sells RV parking permits in advance for parking near Sanford Stadium. The cost is $125 per game. RV permits for half the games were sold out in August. Trailers are permitted. Tailgating is allowed after 7 a.m. on game day.  Grilling with gas is permitted only if gas is in disposable containers of 17 ounces or less. No deep frying. Tables, grills, chairs and awnings may not extend into adjacent parking spaces and may not block traffic lanes.

Georgia Tech, Atlanta

RVs with a permit can enter RV parking areas for Bobby Dodd Field at 5 p.m. Friday before a Saturday game. They can stay until noon on Sunday. Here’s the catch: Permits are sold for an entire season only and already are sold out for this year. You can get on a waiting list by calling 888-849-4849. Georgia Tech offers online help to RV owners in finding nearby privately owned lots that will accommodate them.

Atlanta Falcons, Georgia Dome

RV parking permits in the Yellow Lot are $80 per game on a first-come first-served basis. There are no advance reservations to park RVs for the Falcons’ NFL games. The Yellow Lot is closer to the stadium than the Marshaling Yard, also $80. The lots open five hours before kickoff. Tailgating is permitted, but deep frying is not. Tailgate parties must wrap up within two hours of the last down. Tents up to 8x10 feet are permitted. Traffic lanes must remain open to a 14-foot width. Trailers are not permitted.

While colleges usually limit actual stadium permits for RVs, you can go online to find nearby parking lots that accept RVs for games. It’s not unusual for some privately owned lots near any major college to accept RVs and/or trailers. Some even reserve a certain number of spaces for home-team fans and a certain number for away-team fans who are visiting.

There are also RV parks and resorts near many football sites that rent camping spaces on game weekends. It’s not uncommon to see tailgating activities at these locations. An advantage of renting these spaces is that hookups are available, while they typically not at colleges. Sometimes shuttles to the stadium are available.

There don’t appear to be any regulations against trash talking, but a warning if you like to brag and your team ends up losing: You may be eating crow at your post-game tailgate.