The SEC is well known as a tradition-rich conference with a great history of winning and tremendous fan support. We are now on the verge of a 16-team league and each school brings unique pageantry and fan support to the conference and the stadiums are a major part of that.
The conference is certainly home to some of the more majestic stadiums in all of college football. Having visited all 14 stadiums during the fall of 2018 while producing upcoming SEC football documentary Saturday SuprEmacy, it seemed only natural to rank these venues top to bottom. As it happens, I’ve also had the fortune of visiting both Texas and Oklahoma when Missouri was a part of the Big 12 so let’s see where everyone stacks up.
1. Tiger Stadium (LSU). Former LSU player and famed writer John Ed Bradley once said that “Tiger Stadium is haunted and all the ghosts favor the home team.” That famous quote sums up LSU’s hallowed football grounds perfectly. Affectionately known to college football fans as “Death Valley,” LSU’s Tiger Stadium is a loud, raucous and generally unpleasant place to be if you are an opposing team (especially at night).
2. Kyle Field (Texas A&M). Boasting some of the best pre-game and game day experiences in America (as well as a recent $450 million dollar renovation) Kyle Field is nothing short of college football heaven and the die-hard fan base will always welcome you to Aggieland with open arms. The 102,000 seat palace now has all the bells and whistles to go along with the proud history and tradition.
3. Darrel K. Royal- Texas Memorial Stadium (Texas). For those wondering how Texas will stack up in the SEC, be assured that Darrel K. Royal Texas Memorial Stadium is an absolute gem located in the heart of culturally-diverse Austin. The recent south endzone expansion makes this stadium a formidable foe against even the likes of Kyle Field.
4. Sanford Stadium (Georgia) 92,000 fans pack into Sanford Stadium for each home game in Athens. Georgia is a tradition-rich program and its’ beautiful football stadium is the centerpiece of one of the most gorgeous college campus in the country. Sanford is a natural divide between north and south campus and steady renovations over the years have helped make it one of the very best stadiums in the conference. There is nothing quite like being between the hedges on a perfect Autumn afternoon in Athens.
5. Ben Hill Griffin Stadium (Florida). There is no better stadium nickname in America than “The Swamp.” And, as the old saying goes: Only Gators get out alive. 87,000 fans routinely make sure that saying holds true on hot Saturdays each fall. The Gators have won over 300 games inside “The Swamp” and boast one of the nation’s best winning percentages since 1990. For Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, it’s all about character and atmosphere and a sun-drenched Saturday in Gainesville will be an unforgettable experience.
6. Bryant-Denny Stadium (Alabama). With some of the best fan support in all of college football, Bryant-Denny is a true shrine to the game. The stadium now seats over 100,000 which helped make it even more formidable than it already was. The Alabama Crimson Tide are synonymous with college football, and the stadium that houses them is one of the big reasons why.
7. Neyland Stadium (Tennessee). Have you ever witnessed over 100,000 people all in the same place wearing bright orange? If doing that happens to be a dream of yours, then Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, TN is the place for you! One of the best stadium atmospheres in all of college football, Neyland should be on any football fans’ bucket list although it’s becoming exceedingly rare that over 90,000 make their way through the turnstiles on Saturdays in the Fall.
8. Jordan-Hare Stadium (Auburn). When the eagle flies on beautiful Saturday afternoons at Jordan-Hare, there is no doubt you are witnessing one of the most heart-wrenching traditions in sports. Over 87,000 rabid fans help make their stadium one of the most formidable venues in the SEC and memorable plays seem to be a staple. A stadium like this would be right at the top of any other conference.
9. Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium (Oklahoma). The second biggest football stadium in the Big 12 currently ranks 9th in the SEC although renovations and expansions will eventually see the capacity raised back to 83,000. This is not a particularly eye-pleasing venue, but $400 million in renovations should help with aesthetics.
10. Kroger Field (Kentucky) A stadium that would have ranked quite a bit further down the list prior to 2015, but a $110 million dollar renovation that included a new press box, loge box seats, club seats, recruiting room, suites, concourses, bathrooms, lights, and exterior facade definitely has done wonders for the program. Mark Stoops seems to have really established some momentum on the field to go along with his shiny new digs and crowd have been very strong for the past few seasons.
11. Williams Brice Stadium (South Carolina). Also the home of the fictional Eastern State Wolves from the movie “The Program,” Williams-Brice Stadium has long been a tremendous college football stadium even when the Gamecocks played in the ACC. As South Carolina continues to churn out winning seasons, Williams-Brice continues to display an outstanding game day atmosphere. The setting is not perfection (lying inside the South Carolina state fairgrounds) but what it lacks in outside visuals it makes up for with an undying fan base and ultra-loud in-game experience.
12. Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium (Arkansas). Massive 2001 and 2017 renovations helped make Razorback one of the more underrated venues in college sports. The stadium currently seats 76,000 although recent on-field struggles have hampered attendance. Arkansas has a rabid fan base and have shown that with minimal success, they will file into Razorback Stadium with gusto.
13. Faurot Field (Missouri). Mizzou has done a decent job at trying to keep up in the college football arms race as renovations have been ongoing since 2012 (with the latest being an entire south endzone re-do). The stadium has seen its share of big-time environments during the Gary Pinkel era and Mizzou is hoping to see more of that under Eli Drinkwitz.
14. Vaught-Hemingway Stadium (Ole Miss). The Grove outside Vaught-Hemmingway is one of the best game day party zones in college football, and as assistant AD Michael Thompson once put it put it “our stadium is perfect for us.” Vaught-Hemmingway is enjoyable if not somewhat mediocre, but your experience overall will be a great one. And if you are a fan of an opposing team, there is a good chance you will also walk away from Oxford with a victory.
15. Davis Wade Stadium (Miss. State). The north end zone has recently been sealed off, taking capacity to over 61,000. These renovations have helped the perception of Davis Wade Stadium exponentially. Obviously, a trip to Starkville on a college football Saturday will put you within the clutches of thousands of cowbells, which will reverberate in your ears for weeks to come afterwards.
16. Vanderbilt Stadium (Vanderbilt). Most Vanderbilt grads are likely too busy running the country or working on groundbreaking court cases to worry about attending a game in this small venue which seats less than 40,000. The stadium façade is definitely the least impressive in the conference and opposing fan bases continuously make Vanderbilt Stadium their own home field. The upside, however, is that beautiful campus and the Nashville nightlife which surround the area.
Like most incompetent bloggers and media wacks you can’t spell or obviously didn’t do any research…it’s “Davis Wade” not “David Wade”…moron…you must work for that incompetent Izzy Gould @al.com.
Its Donald W. Reynolds…..
Quite a few known
“Mississippi State has become the loudest stadium in America. They get those cowbells ringing about three hours before kickoff out in the parking lots. You go through a game there, you come out of there and you can’t hear for about a day and a half. It is unbelievable.”
– Pat Forde, Yahoo Sports on Dan Patrick Show (8.22.17)
“Alabama at Mississippi State last year was the loudest stadium I’ve ever been in.”
– Greg McElroy, ESPN (summer 201
“As road environments go, Mississippi State gets really loud – lot of CLANGA going on. The CLANGA in real life is a lot different than the CLANGA off the speaker.”
– Andy Staples, Sports Illustrated (9.14.17)
“The facilities just get better and better every time I come.”
-Todd Blackledge, ESPN (9.16.17)
“When there is a big game at Davis Wade, I’d put that atmosphere up against anything in college football. You gotta see it to believe it.”
-John Hayes, Producer of The Paul Finebaum Show, (9.19.17)
“The atmosphere inside Davis Wade Stadium is unlike anything I’ve ever seen. It’s the best gameday experience and atmosphere I’ve seen in more than 10 years of attending and covering SEC football. Yes, the cowbells exist and they are quite, quite loud. But it’s so much more than that. More than anything, the experience is modern. So many SEC schools are stuck in the past, unwilling to change the old guard, relying on the outdated marching band to belt the same tired fight songs and between-downs music. Any music they do pump in is normally out of touch or not what players and fans are currently listening to. Two ginormous high-definition video boards were airing the Georgia-Auburn game prior to kickoff, drawing you into the stadium early when you might otherwise stay outside. During the game, the boards transformed into the best television sets one could want, airing replays, music videos and hype trailers. The crowd remained engaged from an hour before the game until Nick Fitzgerald’s Hail Mary sailed out of the end zone. … But what was displayed on Saturday night bested anything you’ll find anywhere else in this conference.”
-Chandler Rome, Anniston Star (11.13.17)
“Furthermore, Scott Field had become a virtual noise factory, louder than ever and that is really loud. You could not hear the guy next to you even when he was yelling.”
– Rick Cleveland, Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame writer (11.11.17)
“As road environments go, Mississippi State gets really loud – lot of CLANGA going on. The CLANGA in real life is a lot different than the CLANGA off the speaker.”
-Andy Staples, Sports Illustrated (9.14.17)
“I’ve been here many times. They are simply the best and most genuine fans in college football. I have one request, more cowbell!”
– Paul Finebaum, SEC Network (9.10.16)
“Honestly, it’s the trip I look forward to the most … They lay out the red carpet. The people are great. #HailState man.”
– Marcus Spears, SEC Network (9.10.16)
“To all those Bulldog fans shining those cell phone flashlights and signing along to Don’t Stop Believin’, they make Davis Wade Stadium the most fun place to watch a football game in the SEC.”
– Kevin Scarbinsky, AL.com (11.14.15)
“Those polite Mississippians ditch the Southern hospitality in favor of sadism, transforming their stadium into a torture chamber. They ceaselessly pound upon your eardrums. The high-volume video board functions as a waterboard. Then the fans add one more layer of sound by howling hysterically for four hours. On football Saturdays in 2014, with a dream of a team to cheer for, it is an ear-splitting slice of hell for the visiting team. Of all the intimidating venues in America, I cannot imagine a single more oppressive place than previously sleepy Davis Wade Stadium.”
– Pat Forde, Yahoo.com (10.11.14)
“Want to know what a revolution sounds like? Between the third and fourth quarter, Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin'” blares through the stadium speakers. The throng rings cowbells to the beat, creating a deafening roar as they try to hold on to the feeling.”
– Pete Thamel, Sports Illustrated (10.10.14)
“It was the most awe-inspiring effort by an SEC fan base in memory. They didn’t just watch some amazing things happen Saturday in their own Dawg Pound. They helped make them happen. They didn’t just ring responsibly. They celebrated responsibly, too. They didn’t just help make a difference. They helped make a statement. A Mississippi State-ment. The Bulldogs are setting the pace on and off the field these days. Let’s hope that what happened in Stark Vegas doesn’t stay in Stark Vegas. College football would be better for it if other fan bases followed their lead.”
– Kevin Scarbinsky, AL.com (10.14.14)
“The combination of the big-game atmosphere with the clanging of the cowbells created a raucous environment that rivals that of any stadium in any sport.”
– Barrett Sallee, Bleacher Report (10.13.14)
“Mississippi State was truly incredible. If I was to rank the SEC Nation shows and experiences this year, Mississippi State is number one.”
– Joe Tessitore, SEC Network (10.23.14)
“We could spend the rest of our lives trying to top that show.”
– Paul Finebaum, SEC Network, on the Oct. 4 SEC Nation Show in Starkville (10.23.14)
“Las Vegas is great but there isn’t any place like StarkVegas right now. My man Dan has StarkVegas shoes.”
– Jim Rome, Jim Rome Show (10.15.14)
“The loudest game I have ever attended – start to finish – even postgame. You haven’t lived until you’ve heard ‘Don’t Stop Believing’ with accompaniment from 50,000 cowbells.”
– Stewart Mandel, Fox Sports (10.11.14) following MSU’s 38-23 home win vs. No. 2 Auburn
“The environment Saturday at Davis Wade Stadium was as electric as any college sporting event you’re ever going to find. It was the loudest stadium I’ve ever been in and it wasn’t just the cowbells. It was an awesome environment all the way around and great people.”
– Chris Low, ESPN.com (10.11.14)
“Poor you. You spent Saturday somewhere other than Mississippi. I’m sorry. You didn’t get goose bumps from a late-morning Starkville din so loud it seemed set to jar loose the Mississippi-Alabama borderline and hurl it nearer Tuscaloosa.”
– Chuck Culpepper, Washington Post (10.5.14)
“I was driving back to Birmingham and my ears were still ringing. What they’ve done enclosing that one end zone and putting all the students there has really created a difficult environment.”
– Tom Luginbill, ESPN (10.6.14)
“The weekend in Starkville was one of the most electric and extraordinary I’ve ever experienced covering the Southeastern Conference. I have never seen anything quite like this in my 35 years of covering college football.”
– Paul Finebaum, SEC Network (10.4.14)
“This is what college football is all about. This is what gets players blood boiling. Imagine how the players will feel walking through the Dawg Walk going into Davis Wade Stadium.”
– Marcus Spears, SEC Network (10.4.14)
“If you think you’re tailgating today, stop it. You cannot find a square inch of open grass (in the Junction). The loudest fans we have heard so far in college football this year. It’s a truly incredible crowd.”
– Joe Tessitore, SEC Network (10.4.14)
“Such great noise in Starkville that it might shake and relocate the Mississippi-Alabama border.”
– Chuck Culpepper, Washington Post (10.4.14)
“I expected nothing less than this scene that we have here (in Starkville). This is easily the best scene that we have had on a Friday. No disrespect to anywhere else we have been, but I think you guys are going to raise the stakes for what it means to bring SEC Nation to a campus on Saturdays.”
– Kaylee Hartung, SEC Network (10.3.14)
We were lucky enough to be at the Miss. State/Auburn game last year and the environment was tremendous and there have been many great strides made with regards to the stadium itself. The fan experience is great and Davis Wade is only ranked so low because of the amount of truly unbelievable stadiums in the SEC.
Wow insecure much??? U wasted a lot of time defending MSU’s game atmosphere which wasn’t even what was being rated! Dang man they were ranking stadiums not atmosphere! Either way the fact u care that much is pathetic!
you are the definition of a small dick prick
Lol what is this? Kentucky, OM and Mizzou anywhere but dead last (along with Vandy) is laughable.
Didn’t know Gators played on Sunday
This makes the upcoming
Season more exciting! I can’t wait to be in Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and the Garth Brooks song is so loud and the tail gating has been happening for 2 days! Nothing like it!! Exactly why it is at the #1 position! Don’t miss visiting our live Tiger Mascot on campus before the game!! It is a “GREAT EXPERIENCE”! See y’all soon!! GEAUX LSU FIGHTING TIGERS 💜💛💜💛. Good Luck to all!!
Putting t.u.’s stadium at #3 shows that you know nothing college football stadiums or the game day experience. This sentence says it all, “…absolute gem located in the heart of culturally-diverse Austin.” t.u. is a cesspool in the middle of one of the most liberal cities in the US. It is literally a cancer in the middle of Texas. t.u. fans are the most obnoxious jackasses in the country and their stadium is an old, worn-out, pitiful excuse for a D1 facility.
BTW, UT is the University of Tennessee…
t.u. is texas university in Austin.
For those of you who thought LSU fans were bad, just wait until you meet these longwhorn asses.