We’re just weeks away from the opening of the 2023 college football season, which means all the tradition of college football Saturdays is finally back.
Plus, who could forget the stadiums?
In the the global sports landscape, college football is truly unique where entire communities pack stadiums (sometimes exceeding crowds of 100,000) to watch amateur games. Many of college football’s programs boast world-class stadiums that fans from all over the country only dream of visiting.
That brings us to this list where we are re-ranking the preseason USA TODAY Sports AFCA Coaches Poll by stadiums. Unlike our MLB and NFL stadiums rankings — which offered first-hand experience from almost every stadium — there are so many college football venues that we haven’t experienced yet. So, that’s exactly what the judging metric will be based off of here:
The stadiums that we want to go to (or return to) the most.
Here’s how it turned out.
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25. Bill Snyder Family Stadium - Kansas State
I have been to Manhattan many times, and I can’t imagine myself voluntarily going back for any reason. The stadium is fine, and K-State has invested in its facilities over the years. But it’s certainly not nice enough to convince me to take a flight from Phoenix to Kansas City and drive another two hours.
24. Jones AT&T Stadium - Texas Tech
It seems like an average-to-below-average stadium with a decent atmosphere. But Lubbock? I’m sorry, that’s a non-starter.
23. Kenan Memorial Stadium - North Carolina
I’ve heard nothing but great things about UNC’s campus and Chapel Hill as a college town. Mack Brown has the program on the right track. So, why is the stadium so low on the list? UNC has a ways to go before it becomes a college football destination. Basketball is a different story. Sign me up for that.
22. Amon G. Carter Stadium - TCU
It seems like a forgettable stadium for a team that is coming off an embarrassment in the national title game. I wouldn’t mind a trip to TCU and the Dallas-Fort Worth area, but the other 21 stadiums just rank better.
21. Kyle Field - Texas A&M
Kyle Field is a needlessly large stadium for a football program that hasn’t won its conference title since 1998. Watching mediocrity with 102,000 other people sounds exhausting, to be honest.
20. Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum - USC
The L.A. Coliseum is one of the few stadiums on this list that I have actually been to, and it’s not a place that has me rushing to go back — even after the renovations. That being said, games against Michigan or Ohio State should be incredible there. And the new club amenities look phenomenal if you can afford to enjoy them. Los Angeles is one of my favorite cities to visit — just not for college football.
19. Rice-Eccles Stadium - Utah
For a state with draconian laws about alcohol consumption, Utah manages to have one of the more underrated environments in college football. Plus, there’s no denying that the mountain backdrop looks awesome.
18. Reser Stadium - Oregon State
Oregon State just completed a renovation on Reser Stadium, but I can’t imagine the vibes will be great there in its likely final season as a Power 5 team.
17. Doak Campbell Stadium - Florida State
When Florida State is good, I’d imagine that Doak Campbell Stadium is a great place to spend a college football Saturday. Just get me a seat under the awning at the Champions Club because the rest of the stands is basically metal bleachers with no seatbacks. In the Sunshine State? That’s asking for trouble.
16. Yulman Stadium - Tulane
It’s a stadium in New Orleans. All it has to do is exist, and I’ll be there.
15. Camp Randall Stadium - Wisconsin
It seems impossible to have a bad time while surrounded by 80,000-football-obsessed Wisconsinites (Is that what they’re called? I’m going with it.)
14. Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium - Oklahoma
Honestly, the stadium looks incredible, and Norman lives for college football. We’re at the point in the list where the separation between the stadiums is pretty slim. I just don’t want to hear “Boomer Sooner” 200 times in three hours.
13. Neyland Stadium - Tennessee
I’ve enjoyed all my trips to Knoxville, and Neyland Stadium seems like the kind of stadium that will make your jaw drop. Tennessee is even planning major renovations on the stadium for the next few years because of course they are. There’s always room to make a stadium bigger and better in the SEC.
12. Clemson Memorial Stadium - Clemson
Seeing the players enter the field from The Hill is one of the cooler traditions in college football, and it has to be a thrill to see it in person. The stadium itself will likely feel more modern once all the renovation phases are completed.
11. Notre Dame Stadium - Notre Dame
You don’t even have to be a college football fan to know that seeing a game at Notre Dame Stadium is bucket-list worthy.
10. Michigan Stadium - Michigan
It’s just a preposterous amount of people in a single stadium. It’s been 16 years since my visit to the Big House for a game, and I’d love to see how the renovations have changed the feel of the stadium. Game days in Ann Arbor are also tough to beat.
9. Darrell K. Royal Texas Memorial Stadium - Texas
Texas is constantly putting money into the stadium, and while most fans are still stuck with metal bleachers, DKR Memorial Stadium seems like an elite venue. I’ll be there in September, so we’ll see if it really deserves the No. 9 ranking.
8. Husky Stadium - Washington
Husky Stadium underwent a massive renovation in 2013, essentially turning it into a new stadium. There’s just something amazing about a stadium right on the water in the Pacific Northwest. The Big Ten is in for a treat with games in Seattle.
7. Beaver Stadium - Penn State
Another stadium that I have been to in person, and I’d absolutely love to go back. It checks all the boxes: impressive (and HUGE) stadium, game-day atmosphere, college town and passion. Beaver Stadium is worth visiting.
6. Ohio Stadium - Ohio State
Like I mentioned earlier, the separation between these stadiums is so small that you could basically interchange any of the top 10. The Horseshoe is what comes to mind when many people think of iconic college football stadiums. It’s a place that every college football fan should try to experience in person.
5. Sanford Stadium - Georgia
It’s among the more picturesque stadiums in the country — fall Saturdays between the hedges. And with Georgia looking to three-peat as national champions, the atmosphere in Athens is guaranteed to be electric.
4. Vaught Hemingway Stadium - Ole Miss
I’ve heard legendary things about The Grove on game days at Ole Miss. I wouldn’t care if the stadium was 10 rows of bleachers in a public park — it would still be top five because of The Grove.
3. Tiger Stadium - LSU
I know that this isn’t a tailgating list, but if you’ve ever seen videos of the pregame food scene at LSU, you’d understand. Plus, there’s the whole “Saturday Night at Death Valley” thing. I must experience all of that.
2. Autzen Stadium - Oregon
It’s architecturally unique, loud and I’m partial to the Pacific Northwest. Other stadiums are certainly larger, but Autzen Stadium is among the best venues that college football has to offer.
1. Bryant-Denny Stadium - Alabama
Alabama is like a ridiculously rich person who loves hosting parties for 100,000 friends. Bryant-Denny Stadium is that mansion. Who is going to say no to a party at a mansion? Exactly. But for real, this is an iconic stadium that is constantly getting improved. They’re never satisfied at Alabama, and it shows (in a good way).
