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NCAA Football Stadiums

During NCAA football season, sports bars are crowded on Saturdays with fans rooting for their favorite college football teams. There's only one place these armchair quarterbacks would rather be: in the stands at the game.

College sports fandom is often handed down from generation to generation, and at the center of these legacies are the venerable NCAA football stadiums. The Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, has been hosting games since it opened in 1921, and it’s been the home of the UCLA Bruins since 1982. While there are few frills at the stadium, it’s been dubbed “The Granddaddy of them All.” Louisiana State University fans are a raucous bunch, and they bring the noise when the Tigers play at Tiger Stadium. Legendary Alabama coach Bear Bryant famously said the noise was so loud it was “like being in a drum.” Michigan Stadium, home to the University of Michigan Wolverines, is the largest stadium in college football—and one of the largest in sports worldwide—welcoming more than 108,000 rabid fans on game days.

There are many legendary stadiums in NCAA football, but a few newer facilities are creating their own rich legacies. The Georgia State Stadium, home to the Georgia State Panthers, was once Turner Field, home of the Atlanta Braves. It was modernized and reconfigured for football, and it can now welcome up to 25,000 fans. When East Tennessee State opened ETSU Football Stadium in September 2017, it marked the first time the Buccaneers had played football on campus since 2003. Boasting a classic horseshoe design, it sits at the base of Buffalo Mountain.

Attending an NCAA football game is an exciting, memorable experience, and these match-ups often sell out. Fans looking to watch their favorite team take the field should plan well in advance when purchasing tickets.