There are many great stadiums in college football, but here are five that should be on every fan's bucket list.
Frank Howard Field at Memorial Stadium
Campus: Clemson University
Location: Clemson, South Carolina
Capacity: 81,500
Opened: 1942
Clemson's "Death Valley" is no charming venue for opponents. There are few places tougher to play on a Saturday than Frank Howard Field at Memorial Stadium. "I came here knowing it would be loud and that Clemson would hit me hard, but to me, the noise was the biggest factor," Georgia running back Herschel Walker said after Clemson's 13-3 victory in 1981. "I know I didn't concentrate as well because of it." The deafening crowd noise is such that visitors seem to falter to it and Clemson players feed off it. The Tigers lost last season's regular-season finale against rival South Carolina, ending the nation's longest home winning streak at 40 games. Clemson has won 61 of its last 63 home games dating to Nov. 14, 2013.
Dooley Field at Sanford Stadium
Campus: University of Georgia
Location: Athens, Georgia
Capacity: 92,746
Opened: 1929
Perhaps one of the finest stadiums in the south, Dooley Field at Sanford Stadium is located in the heart of campus across from a rowdy student union where, on game days, students can be heard singing the battle cry of Georgia, "How 'Bout Them Dawgs." It is customary for students and alumni in Sanford Stadium to touch the privet hedges that surround Georgia's playing field and brings good luck to the Bulldogs. Opponents "Between the Hedges" rarely avoid the ringing of the chapel bell, a tradition stemming back to the 1890s. Once reserved for freshmen, now students of all classes and even alumni rush to take turns ringing the bell after Georgia victories.
Tiger Stadium
Campus: Louisiana State University
Location: Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Capacity: 102,321
Opened: 1924
Louisiana State fans who pack Tiger Stadium are so loud that they once caused an earthquake. In a 7-6 victory over Auburn in 1988, the crowd reaction registered as a legitimate earthquake on the seismograph at the school's geological survey office. With a seating capacity of 102,321, the other "Death Valley" is the fifth-largest stadium in the country and second-largest in the Southeastern Conference.
Neyland Stadium at Shields-Watkins Field
Campus: University of Tennessee
Location: Knoxville, Tennessee
Capacity: 101,915
Opened: 1921
Neyland Stadium at Shields-Watkins Field is one of the largest stadiums in the country. The completion of the most recent construction project in 2022 reduced seating capacity to 101,915, which is 818 fewer seats than Texas A&M's Kyle Field and 406 fewer seats than LSU's Tiger Stadium, which dropped Neyland Stadium to the third-largest in the SEC. Nestled on the banks of the Tennessee River, the stadium is named after Gen. Robert Neyland, who coached the Volunteers to 109 shutouts in 216 games, including 17 consecutive shutouts during the 1938 and 1939 seasons.
Alaska Airlines Field at Husky Stadium
Campus: University of Washington
Location: Seattle
Capacity: 70,083
Opened: 1920
Alaska Airlines Field at Husky Stadium has been home to the Washington Huskies since the final game of the 1920 season. Because of its location along the banks of Lake Washington, fans often travel to the games by boat with members of the school's crew team offering shuttles to and from the docks. Although the field is exposed to the elements, cantilevered steel roofs help keep fans dry during those regular Seattle rains. Alaska Airlines paid the school $41 million in 2015 for a 10-year deal to name the playing field after the Pacific Northwest-based company.
