Sunday, July 31, 2011

We're Playing There?? Hardest Places to Play in College Football

As we are approach the upcoming College Football season I take a look at the Top 10 places that opposing players don't want to enter on a Saturday afternoon.

10. Camp Randall Stadium, Wisconsin Badgers: Camp Randall may not be the best football stadium in Wisconsin but it still ranks as one of the best in the College Football world. On staurday afternoons and nights the 80,000+ Sconnie's get rocking. There may not be a crazier moment in College Football then when "Jump Around" gets playing at the end of the third quarter.

Oregon Fans at Autzen Stadium
9. Lane Stadium, Virginia Tech Hokies: The Hokie faithful in Blacksburg, Virginia get real rowdy come Saturday afternoons in the fall. It also doesn't hurt that you have a team that has double digit wins every season since 2003. It seats only 66,000 but its still easily one of the loudest stadiums in College Football.

8. Neyland Stadium, Tennessee Volunteers: The 105,000 fans in attendance at Neyland make it one of the best venues in sports on a Saturday afternoon. The Volunteers have struggled lately but its still a place where teams prefer not to play on Saturdays.

7. Sanford Stadium, Georgia Bulldogs: You don't want to play "between the hedges" on a Saturday afternoon because not only do you have to face the consistently dominant Bulldogs but you also have to face the more than 90,000 crazy Georgia fans. Example: Georgia Fan

 6. Ohio Stadium "The Horseshoe", Ohio St. Buckeyes: The Horseshoe may lose some noise heading into this year after all the off season problems in Columbus but its still hard to top the O-H-I-O before the game. The Horseshoe on a Saturday afternoon is a place you must visit if your a College Football fan.

Whiteout on a Saturday night at Beaver Stadium
5. Autzen Stadium, Oregon Ducks: Autzen is the smallest stadium on the list, holding just about 55,000 a game, but it gets crazy loud in Eugene. You walk into the stadium and your ears start tingling. The stands are so close to the field and it was created so that it would keep the sound inside the stadium. On a wet and rainy day with the crowd screaming it'd be hard to find a more difficult place to play.

4. Memorial Stadium, Oklahoma Sooners: "Boomer Sooner" is continually said loud and clear throughout the stadium and just makes the place go crazy and the intimating structure in the middle of no where doesn't hurt either. 85,000 Sooners will be cheering for the preseason #1 overall team in 2011.

3. Beaver Stadium, Penn St Nittany Lions: A whiteout on a Saturday night at Penn State is arguable the most intimidating thing in College Sports. You have 110,000 crazy Penn St fans packing into Beaver Stadium and it just feels like the stadium is going to fall apart. Imagine what the players feel like when the ground starts trembling as you enter from the tunnel.

2. Tiger Stadium "Death Valley", LSU Tigers: I dont know anyone who wants to go down to Baton Rogue on a Saturday afternoon and play the LSU Tigers in "Death Valley". The Tigers always have some of the best fans in College Football and when you pack 92,000 of them into a stadium it can get very intimidating.
"Death Valley" on a Saturday night

1. Ben Hill Griffin Stadium "The Swap", Florida Gators: "The Swamp" has been one of the most feared venues in sports over the last few decades. No one likes to see the Florida Gators on their schedule, especially if you have to play them in the swamp. The passionate Florida fans have given the Gators the second best home winning percentage since 1990 and that looks to continue under Will Muschamp.

Honorable Mention

Michigan Stadium" The Big House", Michigan Wolverines

Bryant-Denny Stadium, Alabama Crimson Tide

Memorial Stadium, Nebraska Cornhuskers

Kyle Field "12th Man Stadium", Texas A&M Aggies

Notre Dame Stadium, Notre Dame Fighting Irish



9 comments:

  1. Death Valley and the Swamp are interchangeable

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  2. I think a stadium that can hold 113,000 fans "The Big House" should be on the list instead of Lane. Solid list otherwise

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  3. Michigan isn't on the list because it is usually one of the quietest gatherings of 113,000 ever seen.

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  4. I'm a big time Michigan fan and totally understand why Michigan Stadium isn't on the list. There are a few that come to mind that didn't make the list. Kennick in Iowa City is LOUD. The fans sit right on top of you. Also, U-Dub has a loud stadium. I think Autzen Stadium should be #1. Just crazy loud there. Great list.

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  5. I've been to a white out night game at Beaver Stadium vs Ohio St and it is one of the craziest things ever. It deserves to be in the top three for sure and maybe even #1.

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  6. bronco stadium - boise state?

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  7. boise state isnt loud...they just cheat with the colors...thats why mountian west ban them for using those colors in conference play @ home lets see how it effect them....

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  8. Despite it's size and capacity, Michigan Stadium should not even be on the honorable mention list. It has a very impressive capacity and is very nice aesthetically but it just simply is not very loud. It's definitely behind (in no order) Wisconsin, OSU, Iowa, Nebraska, Penn State, and Michigan State in the Big Ten alone.

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  9. Theres no way that "The Swamp" is louder than Beaver Stadium or Death Valley. I have been to all three. I have to say LSU was a little crazier than Penn State, but thats' when they hosted Alabama, and Ive only been to PSU games when they played cupcake teams.

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