The long wait is over.

Yes, college football is back, and yes, your team is probably going to win every game and claim every award. You don’t need us to tell you that.

But you might need us for a few new tailgating recipes.

Here in Alabama, we know that great food is the key to every top-notch gameday tailgate. And while there’s nothing wrong with wings, burgers, and hot dogs, you can do better. This is your time. This is the year you take your tailgate to the next level.

But you don’t have to go it alone. We’ve drawn up a playbook of six excellent Alabama Gulf Seafood recipes that will be a huge hit at your next tailgate, watch party, or gathering.

Oysters Rockefeller Can’t go wrong with a Gulf Coast classic.

As you might have noticed, oyster season aligns perfectly with football season. The colder it gets, the more reason you have to haul a cooler full of fresh Gulf oysters with you.

The traditional Oysters Rockefeller recipe will be a real talking point, between oyster lovers and those who’ve never tried this oyster dish—or oysters at all.

Mobile Bay Stew Speaking of cold weather, there’s nothing quite like a hearty stew.

Forget a pot of chili—this right here is a big hit with a crowd. With fresh Gulf fish, crab, oysters, and shrimp, it’s a quadruple threat of flavor. There’s even a few other gems thrown in like Alabama-made Conecuh sausage.

Just make sure you bring enough for everybody. Folks will be coming back for seconds.

Alabama Gulf Shrimp Cakes Crab cakes are great, but this is a new twist.

We don’t want to discourage you from serving Gulf shrimp fried up or grilled or boiled, of course. But if you bring a tray full of these babies to the tailgate with a few dipping sauces, you’ll be the talk of the town.

Just don’t let anyone put it on a bun and eat it like a burger. (Actually, that could work…)

Cha Cha’s Crab Dip Every good tailgate is gonna have an assortment of dips.

But chances are, it’ll be the same old boring buffalo chicken and French onion and queso. Surprise your team with a bit of fresh Alabama crabmeat in this delectable dip and they’ll have to rethink their entire strategy.

Best of all, it only takes seven ingredients, so you don’t have to be a culinary savant for this one.

Herbed Gulf Oyster Stuffing Thanksgiving weekend is one of the biggest of the season—especially around here—and that calls for a new recipe.

This recipe for oyster stuffing will make you think you’re in grandmother’s kitchen (if your grandmother is like ours and served fresh Gulf oysters on special occasions, that is). And it’ll be the perfect side dish for just about any sort of spread.

Make sure you’re using local oysters, now! We think both the Tide and the Tigers would want it that way.

Gumbo Pizza One of our most popular recipes is perfect for any gameday environment.

And really, is there a better atmosphere than a football party for combining your favorite foods? Delicious gumbo, toasty pizza, fresh Alabama Gulf shrimp. Everyone wins!

And why not bake two of them, right? Your oven has two racks for a reason, you know.

Still looking for more recipes? We’ve got 140 more where these came from.

Happy football season, Alabama!