

Top 10 Toughest Places to Play in College Football The 10 Toughest Places to Play in College Football It seems to be an never-ending debate, one that every college football fan will most certainly have a different answer to. What is the toughest stadium in college football? Of course, it's all based on personal bias depending on where you're from, where your team loyalty lies, or maybe stadiums that you've visited. Some fans base a stadium's toughness on being the loudest, or having the most raucous fans like the Aggies 12th Man or maybe a whiteout at Penn State. Others take a more technical approach, calculating their decision on the way the wind blows through the stadium or maybe even the color of the field, such as the smurf turf at Boise Stadium. Whatever the claims, we have come up with a list that any good college football fan should enjoy, and any diehard college football fan should agree or maybe even disagree about. Is your home field on our list? 10. Sanford Stadium (Georgia) With a capacity of 92,746, Sanford Stadium is probably one of the most beautiful and thrilling stadiums in all of college football. There's nothing like playing "Between the Hedges" on a Saturday afternoon. Where else can fans pat a bronze bulldog statueon the head, before slowly passing memorials for six generations of Georgia's beloved canine mascots? The university's average home attendance consistently ranks in the top five in the country among on-campus stadium venues, and therefore ranks in our top 10. 9. Autzen Stadium (Oregon) Tucked away at the foothills of the Cascade Mountains, Oregon's Autzen Stadium is one of college football's hidden gems. At 59,000 strong, it's not the biggest in terms of real estate, but the for what it lacks in size, fans more than make up for with noise. Plus who can beat a crowd surfing duck? The Ducks faithful has been know n to make even the largest football stadiums sound like nothing more than a moan, makingAutzen the toughest place to play on the West Coast, and number nine on our list. 8. Michigan Stadium—"The Big House" (Michigan)

What's more intimidating to opposing teams than 100,000-plus screaming fans on game day? Michigan Stadium is the largest stadium in the United States with an official capacity of 109,901, but the attendance often exceeds 111,000 when band members, stadium staff, and others are added. On September 10, 2011, a record 114,804 attended a game at Michigan Stadium between Michigan and rival Notre Dame. The fans are about as crazy as they come, but it's sheer size is what brings the "Big House" in at number eight on our list. Sponsored By: Get a Free Pick now by Opting in for late breaking SMS/Text Message Picks 7. Lane Stadium (Virginia Tech) In 2007, ESPN.com deemed Lane Stadium thee 2nd scariest place to play, and in 2005, Rivals.com ranked Virginia Tech as having the largest home-field advantage in the country. Some might say it is the Hokie Spirit, while others would say it is the sea of maroon and orange. Either way, the Hokies not only play on one of the best playing surfaces in the nation, but with the south end zone and west side additions, the fans here are right on top of the action. One VT tradition is the world’s largest game cannon that rocks the stadium after the anthem, and after every score. With a bang, Lane Stadium comes in at #7. 6. Ohio Stadium—"The Horseshoe" (Ohio State) Situated on the banks of the Oletangy River, "The Horseshoe" is the fourth largest stadium in the country and led the nation in attendance 21 times from 1951 to 1973, including the 14 consecutive years from 1958 to 1971. The crowds are well-known for creating a loud and difficult environment for visiting teams that once prompted Iowa coach Hayden Fry to suggest using sound meters be used to gauge the noise level, penalizing home teams if there was too much noise. We had to add it to the list just based on that alone. 5. Kyle Field (Texas A&M) Known as the home of the 12th Man, Kyle Field is the 13th largest stadium in college football, with a capacity of 83,002. While it may not be the biggest, nor the loudest, the 12th Man is always in the stands waiting to be called upon if they are needed. Some even get to try out to earn a spot on the kickoff coverage team. The lucky winner gets to wear No. 12, as a salute to the fans. Because of that, it comes in at number five. 4. Ben Hill Griffin Stadium—"The Swamp" (Florida) Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, or “The Swamp,” is widely recognized as one of, if not the toughest, stadiums in college football for visiting teams to play. First of all, teams have to deal with game day temperatures that can swell well into the 100s with humidity so thick you can cut it with a knife. That combined with an over-exuberant crowd whose rants and chants echo through a bowl shaped stadium, it's no wonder the Gators have the second-best winning percentage at home since 1990. For that it comes in at number four on our list. 3. Beaver Stadium (Penn State) What started out as 30,000 seat complex known as Beaver Field located just a few miles away, today stands as the second largest stadium in the country with seating for 107,000. The third largest venue in the word, Beaver Stadium is known both far and near as being one of the toughest venues for opposing teams in collegiate athletics. Whether it be Joe Paterno, the "We are...Penn State" chant,or a whiteout, there is no doubt that the tradition and passion of Nitanny Lions' football gives it a spot in the top three.

2. Neyland Stadium (Tennessee) Coming in at number two is Neyland Stadium. With an official capacity of 102,037, it is the fourth largest in the nation. Widely recognizable by its orange checkerboard painted end zones, and the singing of "Rocky Top" 75 times an hour, it is one of the loudest college football venues with its two decks of seating around the entire playing field. After 79 years and 16 expansion projects, Neyland Stadium was voted as the Best College Football Stadium in a poll by The Sporting News. That's great, but it makes out list because its flat out intimidating. 1. Tiger Stadium—"Death Valley" (LSU) Most teams just pray for survival as the walk through "Death Valley" under the lights on Saturday night. With a seating capacity of 92,400, it's just the seventh largest on-campus football stadium in the country, but more than compensates for it with some of the craziest and most passionate fans in all of college football. Originally nicknamed "Deaf Valley", but adopted over time due to misunderstanding, LSU fans raised the all time bar for loudness, when in 1988, the crowd's reaction to a game-winning touchdown pass over rival Auburn, registered as a legitimate earthquake in the Louisiana Geological Survey office on campus. That's enough to make #1 on our list of the top 10 toughest places to play in college football.

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