The secret is out, we all love college football . Our allegiance to our teams, the pageantry that comes with every Saturday, the lifelong relationships you’ve made at games and tailgates and the list can go on forever. But one very literal large part of the experience is the stadium. The cathedrals of the sport are a staple of college football and there is a reason that ESPN’s College Gameday jumps through hoops and miles of red tape to have the stadium of the campus they are attending each Saturday in the background of their broadcast. Over the next few weeks, the Southern Football Report will be counting down the top 15 stadiums in college football. Here are a few that just missed the cut:
The Rose Bowl Stadium
Built – 1921
Capacity – 92,542
Record Crowd – 106,869 (1973)
It’s hard to imagine of the most iconic stadiums in college football history to not make the cut but it’s home team UCLA hasn’t really been setting the world on fire lately. I’ll give the Rose Bowl credit on one thing though: when you turn on your television and a game is being played in it, the game feels bigger. But when the game is that big, it still isn’t an on-campus stadium with all the bells and whistles that come with it so unfortunately, the Rose Bowl didn’t make the cut. But trust me, it was the last one to not make it.
Camp Randall Stadium
Built – 1917
Capacity – 80,321
Record Crowd – 83,184 (2005)
In one of the best college towns in the country sits one of the true meccas of college football in Camp Randall Stadium. Known for it’s quirky, fun and sometimes downright crazy student section, Camp Randall is a wild place to see a college football game. When the third quarter ends the stadium blares the 90’s cult hit ‘Jump Around’ and the stadium goes absolutely nuts and I’m sure the visiting team begins to wonder if these people are that fired up or are just that crazy. The fact that Camp Randall didn’t make out Top 15 should tell you that we aren’t playing around with this list.
Husky Stadium
Built – 1920
Capacity – 70,083
Record Crowd – 70,138 (2013)
Regularly voted one of the most scenic football venues in the country, Husky Stadium is home of the Washington Huskies and has always been one of the loudest venues in the sport. When the Huskies are rolling and the visiting team is on offense, you’d be lucky to even hear yourself think in this stadium. Husky Stadium is also one of the few college football stadiums in the country that is accessible by boat and it isn’t uncommon for there to be more than 200 sea vessels in Union Bay on the day of a game. That sounds like a great way to spend a college game day.
McLane Stadium
Built – 2013
Capacity – 45,140
Record Crowd – 45,140 (2014)
Brand spanking new McLane Stadium is the new home of the Baylor Bears and so far they’ve opened it with success after claiming a share of the Big XII Championship in 2014. McLane Stadium, which replaced the old Floyd Casey Stadium in Waco, is nestled nicely on the Brazos River & is also accessible by boat which makes for a great game day experience. Obviously, this stadium is brand new and amazing but there was no way I could put this marvel of modern engineering & technology ahead of some of the oldest and most prestigious stadiums in the country.
Scott Stadium
Built – 1930
Capacity – 61,500
Record Crowd – 64,947 (2008)
Even though technically Charlottesville, Virginia,  isn’t what we consider ‘The South’, you sure feel like you’re in the South when you walk into Scott Stadium. I don’t know if it is the white columns in the North endzone or the grassy hill just below the columns but asthetically, Scott Stadium stands with the best of them. It never hurts when there is a mountain range in sight and good luck finding some that are more beautiful than the Blue Ridge Mountains which provide a perfect backdrop for one of the most beautiful stadiums in college football.
Stay logged on to Sowegalive.com for the Southern Football Report Stadium Countdown, beginning with stadium number 15 on Monday!
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