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Tailgate parties are a fall ritual as football season arrives, and Mike Golic of ESPN and BBQ pitmaster John Lilly talked with KRTV's Tyler Mickelson on Thursday morning to offer some tips on tailgate mastery.

Among the tips they shared:

- Feeding a crowd doesn’t have to cost a fortune. There are many flavorful, inexpensive cuts of meat to choose from that are ideal for serving to a large group.

· Plan ahead and marinate meat before guests arrive, and feel free to marinate longer for more flavor. Two to four hours works well to increase saturation and intensify taste.

· Even when cooking over a single-zone fire, leave a small space unheated so there is somewhere to move food if you have a flare-up or if something is cooking too fast.

- The "rookie mistake" they see most often is people who turn their food too often on the grill.

Golic also invited fans to participate in the Kingsford College Showdown by predicting the outcomes of select college football games. Points will be awarded for each correct pick - the more picks you make, the greater chance you have at winning. Fans can go to Facebook.com/KingsfordCharcoal to learn more and sign up.

The grand prize includes an outdoor 46-inch high-definition television, a Weber Ranch Kettle Charcoal Grill, one year supply of Kingsford Charcoal and ESPN's GamePlan 2011 season package, making it possible to watch up to 12 college football games per week from outside your local television market.

Additionally, at the conclusion of each week, one Kingsford Charcoal barbecue package will be awarded to the week's five top points' earners.