Here at Stadium Journey we strive to give you the most up-to-date and comprehensive looks at sporting facilities around the world, including not only the big name venues, but some that may be a bit off the beaten path. College football is one of the most popular sports out there, generating incredible amounts of devotion and attention from coast to coast.

While the Football Bowl Subdivision gets the lion’s share of attention, there are many great venues outside the FBS. The Football Championship Subdivision, formerly known as Division 1-AA, features 125 teams that compete annually for a single championship. Some of the country’s oldest and most unique stadiums are included in this group.

Stadium Journey has visited and reviewed 122 of the 125 schools that compete in FCS. Only North Alabama, Prairie View and South Dakota State have eluded our crew of dedicated sports travelers. Our apologies to fans of the Lions, Panthers and Jackrabbits. We’ll be visiting you as soon as possible.

We have ranked all the schools in FCS according to our exclusive FANFARE score, which takes into account all the factors that encompass the game day atmosphere: food, atmosphere, neighborhood, fan support, accessibility, value and more. When two or more schools were tied, we used input from our readers to break the tie (listed in parentheses). If you are not happy with where your favorite team ended up in the rankings, feel free to participate by creating a ranking of your own. It’s easy to do on all of our pages.

Presented below are the stadiums that ranked atop our list of FCS stadiums. We don’t expect everyone to agree with our rankings, in fact, we encourage lively discussion and debate on our social media pages. That’s part of the fun of lists like these.

So, without further ado, we present our 2019 list of the best FCS stadiums:

The crown jewel of the campus may just be E. Claiborne Robins Stadium – the FCS football stadium isn’t large by most standards, seating just over eight thousand fans, but it is absolutely gorgeous. A high-quality running track crafted in a mix of blue and red (the Spiders colors) surrounds the newly installed turf football field, and on each side of the field rests a set of brick-ensconced bleachers. -Aaron Terry

When one thinks of Montana one might think of wide open spaces. But Washington-Grizzly Stadium is wedged into the University of Montana campus at the junction of Mount Sentinel and the Clark Fork River with very little room to spare. The density of the stadium and campus generates an energy that transmits to the tailgate parties happening on almost every spare patch of grass creating a festive environment on game day in Missoula. – Jason Karp

Attending games at Gayle and Tom Benson Stadium is something unlike anything else in the area. Combining many of the “bells and whistles” of big-time college football with the passion, pageantry, and fervor that has become legendary in high school football in Texas, Cardinals games are truly unique. – Eric Moreno

Some FCS stadiums are better than others, and this is certainly one of them – even if you are not in the local area this is one college football venue that is worth a look, even if you have to make a bit of a drive to get here. The city of Charleston itself is also a great tourist destination, especially in the fall when it is not quite so hot, so make a weekend of it and come on down to Johnson Hagood Stadium. -Aaron Terry

Undoubtedly, the most fun tradition at Bridgeforth Stadium/Zane Showker Field is when fans toss paper streamers around, launching the rolls high in the air with the crepe paper trailing behind. Fans bring in paper streamers in the team’s colors (purple, yellow, and white), and all game long you can see them flying through the air, before quickly being cleaned up by stadium staff as soon as they hit the ground. -Aaron Terry

The name “Phoenix” comes from the 1923 fire that destroyed much of campus – the trustees wanted to make the school “rise from the ashes” like a phoenix. The following year the school became Elon University. There is the close proximity of the action, there’s the fun of weighing in on the battle for BBQ Supremacy, there’s getting a scoop of Smitty’s Ice Cream, and finally there’s listening to the sounds of The Fire of the Carolinas while watching the passionate fans decked out in Maroon and Gold cheer on their Phoenix. -Will Halpern

Campbell football is still a relatively new college football program, but Barker-Lane boasts an atmosphere that many long-time programs would dream of. Even though the stadium is relatively small, the fans show up and the stadium has many modern amenities. – Joseph Oakes

The Mercer Bears have done a wonderful job in building their football program from scratch in just a short period of time. It is the only private school in Georgia with a Division I football program. Five Star Stadium provides a great experience with its great sight lines, berm seating and a very energized fan base from throughout Central Georgia. – Lloyd Brown

Kennesaw State University was the first institution in the Metro Atlanta area to experiment with building a stadium complex in the suburbs. It has been a huge success, and its concept was studied closely by the Atlanta Braves as they designed their own SunTrust Park / The Battery Complex just a few miles south of Kennesaw State University. Nobody is saying “whoo” anymore!! – Lloyd Brown

A trip to Chattanooga and Finley Stadium at Davenport Field is well worth the journey on a Saturday afternoon in the fall. It provides you with an up and coming football program playing in one of the nicest stadiums at the FCS level of competition. You should extend your trip to enjoy the many attractions, restaurants and experiences Chattanooga has to offer. – Lloyd Brown

Columbia football’s home field is special. Nestled on the northern tip of Manhattan in a hilly, residential neighborhood, it boasts a wonderful view of the Hudson River and a backdrop of fall foliage from nearby Inwood Hill Park. – Jon Hart

In the wake of a devastating tornado in the spring of 2018 that destroyed much of the JSU campus, Gamecocks football has brought a sense of normalcy back to the area and a needed distraction from the lengthy restoration efforts now underway on the campus and in the surrounding areas. Perhaps there was a reason why Snow-Burgess Stadium suffered little or no damage from the storm. – Lloyd Brown

Bobcat Stadium on the campus of Montana State University in Bozeman, Montana is located in one of the more picturesque settings in all of college football. Seats from high up yield views of mountain ranges in all directions. It can get cold, windy, and snowy anytime of the year, but often it can be downright nice, sunny, and never any humidity. – Jason Karp

One of the best-kept secrets in college football is the success the NDSU Bison have had at the FCS level. The Fargodome allows you to enjoy the top-ranked play of the Bison, without having to deal with the brutal late fall and early winter weather experienced in the Northern Plains. While in town, check out the lively art scene offered by citizens of Fargo. – Lloyd Brown

Delaware Stadium opened in 1952 and currently holds 22,000. That is in stark contrast to the 9,000 it had during its 1952 opening season. The stadium is part of the David M. Nelson Athletic Complex, which includes the Bob Carpenter Center, Bob Hannah Stadium, Fred P. Rullo Stadium, the Fred Rust Ice Arena and the Delaware Field House. The stadium’s field is known as Tubby Raymond Field. -Richard Smith

Furman is one of the oldest and most prestigious universities in the South. The beautiful campus, the tailgating tradition and a winning football program weave together to bring you back to a bygone era of Southern football. -Lloyd Brown

North Carolina Central University was founded a decade after the turn of the twentieth century. Twelve years later, in 1922, the Eagles launched their football program. For five years the team was an independent, before joining the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association for the next 42 years. The team then moved to the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference for seven years before rejoining the CIAA from 1979 through 2006. -Will Halpern

There is one overwhelming aspect to the stadium that can never be improved on; its setting. Located at the base of the Wasatch Mountains to the East and the Great Salt Lake on its western flank, it is Mother Nature at her finest surrounding the field. Make sure you take a camera for the sunsets, as Weber State often schedules 6 pm kickoffs. You will not be disappointed. – Lloyd Brown

The “dome” of the UNI-Dome is turning 40, but has undergone some metamorphosis over the years. It was once air filled until it collapsed due to a 1994 snowstorm. It was replaced with a more permanent metal roof that has had to undergo small renovations, also due to inclement weather and high winds. – Chuck Utech

You may never have considered Boiling Springs, NC as a football destination, playing in the shadow of the NFL team nearby. However, if you make the trek you are in for a pleasant surprise, with some great football on the gridiron, and a modern facility from which to take it all in. – Aaron Terry

McNeese does a great job of memorializing past gridiron greats and championships. The concourse under both the east and west side are filled with pictures of former great Cowboy players. On the Doland Field House, you’ll notice a listing of McNeese’s many conference championships. – Paul Donaldson

The East Tennessee State Buccaneers first fielded a football team in 1920, but disbanded the program in 2003 due to financial issues. After a 12-year hiatus, however, the school began playing football again in 2015, playing its first two seasons at Kermit Tipton Stadium (a nearby high school facility) while ETSU’s new stadium was being built. – Aaron Terry

While the South Dakota Coyotes may never be thought of as a hotbed for college football, especially given that they are FCS, a visit to the Dakota Dome in Vermillion, South Dakota is a great way to see college football. You can take in some great scenery, while also enjoying a game in comfort and style without having to brave the elements – that alone makes this a stadium worth journeying to. – Aaron Terry

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