Before we get too far into these rankings, there is no system or statistics behind why I rank some stadiums higher than others. I am using my own arbitrary way of ranking each stadium. When looking at this, I used a few factors while also looking at when the stadium is full capacity and at their best. We are talking prime time match up with a top 10 team. There is a good chance that College Gameday was there and the fans have been tailgating all day long. With that being said, let’s jump right in!
10- Virginia Tech: The best entrance in college football might be in Blacksburg Virginia. The Virginia Tech Hokies have an iconic entrance coming out to “Enter Sandman” by Metallica. If you have never seen their entrance, I linked it here. When the Hokies bring a big time opponent into town at night, that stadium is rocking. Lane Stadium only holds 65,000 people, but it is an intimidating environment. The last few years have been lackluster because of their recent performances. We can only hope Lane Stadium can come back to one of the scariest atmospheres in college football.
9- Michigan: Holding over 115,000 fans, there is a reason Michigan Stadium is known at The Big House. Michigan is not known for having one of the loudest stadiums in the country. The size of the stadium speaks for itself though. When you have over 100,000 people screaming and cheering along with a storied program like Michigan, you can make intense atmospheres. Michigan has won almost 75% of their games at home all-time. While Michigan may not be the most intimidating team in the country, traveling to the Big House is still a scary thought to teams.
8- Wisconsin: One of the best traditions in college football is Wisconsin’s Jump Around. After the completion of the third quarter, Wisconsin plays “Jump Around” by House of Pain. When games are close, Wisconsin is able to get their fans even more excited for the fourth quarter. Holding over 80,000 people, Camp Randall is not an easy place to win. Since 2004, Wisconsin is 98-14 at home for a win percentage over 87%. Basically, teams rarely go into Camp Randall and win.
7- Oregon: Back in 2007, Autzen Stadium registered 127.2 decibels. For comparison, Arrowhead registered 142.2 for the loudest stadium ever. Autzen Stadium is the smallest on this last with only 54,000 fans in the stands. Legendary reporters Keith Jackson Lee Corso both called it the loudest stadium they have ever been to. Oregon also has a tradition of playing “Shout” by The Isley Brothers after the third quarter. While being a smaller stadium, Autzen Stadium is still as intimidating as they come.
6- Texas A&M: Kyle Field is home of the 12th man. Holding over 102,000 fans, Texas A&M’s home is one of the largest in the country. The Aggies are known for doing yells and cheers during the game to help create an intense atmosphere. While the Aggies have struggled at home against ranked opponents since joining the SEC, Kyle Field remains one of the hardest stadiums to play at in the SEC. A trip to College Station is circled on most team’s calendars as one of their tougher games.
5- Florida: Known as the Swamp, Florida has a great home field advantage. The stadium was built on a shallow sinkhole so the field is below the ground level. By doing this, the noise actually stays in better causing the stadium to be louder. The Swamp has been measured at over 115 decibels to make it one of the loudest stadiums in the country. From 1979 to 2011, Florida sold out every home game.
4- Ohio State: Known as The Horseshoe, Ohio Stadium has one of the most iconic looks in all of sports. Ohio State has not lost a home game since 2017 when they played Oklahoma. Since 2010, they only have five losses at home. They boast one of the best win percentages at home since the year 2000. Holding over 102,000 people in the stands, Ohio Stadium is one of the loudest stadiums in the country. Former Iowa Coach, Chuck Long, actually suggested team be penalized for having crowds that are too loud after a game at Ohio State.
3- Clemson: Memorial Stadium was given the nickname “Death Valley” for a good reason. Clemson is 319-101-6 at Memorial Stadium all-time. The Tigers have an iconic entrance where they run down the hill on the east side of the stadium. The players also touch Howard’s rock prior to each game. With all of these traditions, they team helps give the fans extra juice prior to the game. For college football fans, a game at Clemson should be on the bucket list.
2- LSU: When Bear Bryant calls your stadium the worst play to play, you make sure you are listening. LSU’s Tiger Stadium is also referred to as Death Valley. Numerous players and coaches have referred to it as the best atmosphere in the country. A night game at LSU is one of the most feared games on a team’s schedule. With the capacity being over 102,000 spectators, LSU fans are as passionate as they come. Tailgating is a lifestyle in Baton Rouge to help prepare them for the game.
1- Penn State: This should not come as a surprise to anyone. The most iconic atmosphere in all of college football is the White Out at Penn State. Joe Paterno started the famous white out in 2004 when Purdue came to town. The tradition took off after upsetting Ohio State in 2005 and has been a year tradition ever since. The stadium is a sea of white shirts with 106,000 people on their feet and jumping the entire game. In 2019, it was so loud at the beginning of the game where Michigan had to take a timeout prior to their first snap. For college football fans, it is worth making the trip to State College for this game.
