The bean bag game, also known as throwing bags, can be seen at almost any NIU football game.

While vacationing in Minnesota last summer with his family, junior finance major Matt Magee threw bags with an 8-year-old kid.

“My friends and I wanted something to do, so we decided to make the game,” Magee said.

During tailgating and pre-football game festivities, the boxes can be seen lined up in almost every row of cars and grills.

The game consists of two wooden boxes, eight bean bags and two teams of two players, Magee said. Each of the two boxes has a hole in the top, and there are four bean bags of each color.

A sheet of plywood is used to make each box, measuring 12-and-a-half inches in the back, 5-and-a-half inches in front and the base is about 38 inches.

To begin playing, the boxes are placed 33 feet apart and teammates have to be opposite of each other.

Scoring the game is the next step.

“Each team alternates throws,” junior economics major John Low said. “You get one point if you get a bean bag on top and three points if you get it in the hole. If the opposing team scores the same as you, then the points cancel each other out. You play until 21 points. There are not really any penalties.”

Magee and Low started throwing bags this semester.

“We used to play seven times a week for the first couple weeks of school,” Magee said. “Now we play about three times a week since it’s getting colder.”

In the winter, the game will have to be moved to a new location. Low said a friend’s garage will suffice until the weather warms.

Meanwhile, those who play keep trying to perfect their technique.

“The toss is all in the shoulder,” junior marketing major Dave Trupiano said.