Editor’s note: This article is part of our College Football Stadium Rankings series, highlighting the most interesting venues across the country.
What makes a college football stadium great?
It can be the architecture, sure, and some beautiful scenery doesn’t hurt. But in building a list of the top 25 FBS stadiums by surveying college football writers and editors at The Athletic, it’s clear that what makes venues most memorable are the atmospheres and vibes they facilitate, whether 100,000-plus people are in attendance in Death Valley, at the Big House or in a White Out or less than half as many are in the stands amid leafy settings in West Point, N.Y., and Boone, N.C.
Still, criteria vary from person to person, including whether the iconic setting of the Rose Bowl qualifies as one of the best stadiums in the country for UCLA home games, too.
The 28 staffers we surveyed have attended football games at 123 of 136 FBS stadiums — and at least laid eyes upon all but two (sorry, Delaware and New Mexico State, we’ll get there soon!). We asked them to rank their 10 favorite home college football stadiums, plus name an additional five honorable mentions. Points were awarded, and a final top 25 by The Athletic was created.
Here’s our list. (Let us know your favorites in our reader survey too.)