This is a huge reason why I so dislike 11 AM starts. If you come from out of town, you pretty much have to stay overnight, but it has to be out of town like Tuscola. No property in C-U proper offers any less than a two night stay. And it's true, beer drinking is out and the cuisine is limited. Almost not worth lighting the charcoal on the grill. You have to be packed up on the parking lot and start the trek to the stadium shortly after 10 AM. Back in my day, all games were at 1:00, and we liked it.
You're correct, you have to stay overnight. My crew and I stayed Friday and Saturday. Out to the lot at 7 am for set up (some of the crew arrived later, around 9 am), Bloody Marys/screwdrivers, etc., light breakfast food like donuts, pastries, breakfast sandwiches. There were times we made breakfast on teh grill. Beer drinking starts at 9:30 or 10 am. Of the crew that went to the game, we'd bring a 32 ounce cup of beer to the stadium for the walk over. Those who did not go to the game were charged with the responsibility of firing up the grill. Grill master left at half time (most of us did as well) then lunch around 1 pm or so. Cornhole tourney, bocce ball, tunes (we'd listen to the game on the radio until it was over), continued beer drinking until around 6 pm. Disassemble the tailgate, head back to hotel room, shower, then head out for more beer drinking. Because the crew was made up of folks from all over the country, we could only schedule one game per season. If I were to go to every game, I'd forego the tailgating, hit a bar before the game for food and beer then drive back after the game.
We used to be able to get one night stays at the Ramada Inn out by Rt 74 but could have been folks coming in Saturday looking to crash for the night, not coming in Friday and looking to leave Saturday. I honestly don't recall; it's been awhile since we did that since I moved from Illinois in 2013.
I don't disagree with 1 pm starts being better, especially if you want to travel day of game, but me and my crew always had a great time staying the weekend and we did not mind 11 am starts.