To some, college is all about learning. To others, it’s about partying. And still to others, college is a cradle for football history, and the making of NFL’s greatest legends. Check out our top 10 picks for college football destinations and get ready to rumble.
South Bend, Indiana
The University of Notre Dame’s Fighting Irish have all their home games at Notre Dame Stadium shown on NBC, and for good reason – the team has won 11 national championships, sent seven players to win the Heisman Trophy, and has claimed the title for more All-Americans than any other Football Bowl Subdivision School. Visit South Bend to see the stadium that was built in 1930 and is known for its view of “Touchdown Jesus.”
Ann Arbor, Michigan
In 1902, the University of Michigan beat Stanford 49-0 in the first Rose Bowl, and has dominated the college football atmosphere ever since. The Wolverines have the most all-time wins and the highest winning percentage of all-time in the NCAA Division 1, and play their home games in Michigan Stadium – also known as The Big House. There is supposedly one extra seat in the stadium “reserved” for former head coach Fielding H. Yost, but the location remains a mystery. When you visit the Big House, prepare yourself for lots of fight songs and winged helmets.
Columbus, Ohio
The Buckeyes have given Ohio State University a total of nine undefeated seasons since 1899. Although one of the largest universities in the country, the institution’s Ohio Stadium, built in 1922, still has no field lights, and has traditionally used temporary lights for night games. But lack of luster certainly hasn’t stopped some of the world’s biggest acts – U2, The Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, and Metallica, to play on the same ground as the university’s athletes.
Gainesville, Florida
The Ben Hill Griffin Stadium at Florida Field (better known as the “Swamp”) was built in 1930, and while it only officially holds 88,548 people, the stadium somehow manages to make room for about 90,000 raving fans per game. The University of Florida Gators have also won three national championships, eight Southeastern Conference championships, had three Heisman Trophy winners, and established 138 All-Americans and forty-two NFL first-round draft choices.
Austin, Texas
Everything’s bigger in Texas, including the University of Texas Longhorn’s Memorial Stadium. With a seating capacity of 100,119, it is the largest football venue by seating capacity in the state, as well as the largest in the Big 12 Conference. It also plans to grow – capacity is expected to exceed 115,000 if the franchise expands its end zone, which would surpass the University of Michigan – currently the largest football stadium in North America.
Norman, Oklahoma
The University of Oklahoma Sooners have been playing since 1895, and have seven national championships, 41 conference championships, and every Big Seven championship awarded under their belts. The team also has scored more points in Division I-A football history, even though they’ve played 60 fewer games than other teams. Since the AP poll began in 1936, the Sooners have the highest winning percentage of any team. Visit the Oklahoma Memorial Stadium to see its talented team, and the stadium’s $54 million renovation.
Lincoln, Nebraska
The University of Nebraska Cornhuskers are one of only seven football programs in NCAA Division I-A history to win 800 game as members of the Big 12 Conference (but they’ll move to the Big Ten in July 2011). The team recently completed their 119th season and holds an all-time record of 827—341—40. The stadium, commonly referred to as “The Sea of Red” boasts an NCAA record for 304 consecutive sellouts, which began in 1962.
Los Angeles, California
No other college football team in the world has held the Olympic Games in its stadium twice. The University of Southern California Trojans, established in 1888 play in the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, and has since won 11 national championships. If you plan on visiting LA to see the Trojans, be on the lookout for the “Perfect Day” – one in which both UCLA and Notre Dame lose simultaneously. Clearly, rivalries here run deep.
Cambridge, Massachusetts
A little bit of history helps Harvard Crimson make the list. Built in 1903, the team’s stadium is the oldest permanent concrete structure in the country. Along with Harvard Crimson and their rivals, the Yale Bulldogs, legend Bob Marley took the stage here, and Janis Joplin played her last show ever here in 1970. Whether you visit Harvard for the Ivy League prestige or the rock and roll glam story doesn’t matter.
University Park, Pennsylvania
Seeing the Nittany Lions at Beaver Stadium not only means that you’re seeing a team with seven undefeated seasons, two national championships and three Big Ten championships, or that you’re in the second largest stadium in the Western Hemisphere. It also means you’re seeing Joe Paterno – the 84 year-old coach that has brought the team to record-breaking victories since 1966. He’s coached more bowl game wins than any other coach in college football history, and is one of three active coaches inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.
