GameDay Atmosphere

[WarTiger 3,909]

Gameday, Part Two

By B.J. Bennett

SouthernPigskin.com Senior Editor

In our second segment of a three-piece installment, we examine and rank the gameday settings of the SEC.

1. Tennessee – There isn’t a setting that showcases the true passion and meaning of college football better than Neyland Stadium. Irregardless of any and all conditions, well over 104,000 Volunteer faithful show up in Knoxville on every home Saturday, creating a scene unlike any other. Neyland itself is a mountain of a facility. A steep, almost scary-steep, double-deck bowl build helps the stadium holds its sound in as well as any venue in the nation. Nestled between the historic center of the old school campus and the Tennessee River, the area around the stadium is perfect for tailgating – both on land and water. Thousands of fans arrive by boat, forming a powerful fleet deemed the “Vol’ Navy” by Tennessee fans. With pre-game festivities taking place on land, amidst the Blue Ridge Mountains, and on water, few tailgating experiences are as impressive. Inside, patrons form what becomes a city of orange – an almost blinding sight for those on field level. Tennessee fans are rabid, loyal and relentless, especially in their enthusiasm when singing “Rocky Top”, the unofficial fight song played dozens of times each game. Tradition is almost overwhelming on gameday: there’s the Vol Walk, Smokey the blue tick hound, the famed “T” entrance, the checkerboard endzones and the ever-anticipated PA announcement that it’s...“football time in Tennessee”. It doesn’t take long to understand and appreciate the importance of Volunteer football in the state of Tennessee. The success of the flagship football program may tinker with the attitude of some states; in Tennessee, it defines it.

2. LSU – It’s like a purple and gold carnival, really. Nearly 100,000 fans swarm Baton Rouge, creating a festive, friendly atmosphere for Tiger fans – and a deafening, intimidating venue for the unlucky visitors. Fans arrive on campus late in the week for big games, signifying the beginning of some of the best tailgating around. While many places grill your typical array of hamburgers, hotdogs, ribs and chicken, LSU fans don’t just grill, they cook. Regional dishes such as seafood, gumbo and poultry are served and done so all day long. With the majority of Tiger games scheduled for evening kickoffs, the faithful have hours to feast and revel in pre-game traditions. In the hours before the game, fans may spot Mike the Tiger, the live bengal tiger that stares down visitors to his stadium. LSU football games have a distinct, special feel to them, one in some ways atypical to their conference brethren. In addition to having most games begin at night, the endzones are unique, the midfield, eye-of-the-tiger, logo is innovative and the team always wears white, traditional road garb, at home. The trend dates back to 1958 when the team wore white jerseys at home and won the national championship. With such a strong inception, the tradition has stuck. LSU fans are rambunctious, spirited and persistent. Their ardent nature along with the imposing, precipitous structure of Tiger Stadium has given the venue a more pertinent nickname: Death Valley.

3. Florida – Ben Hill Griffin Stadium is an uncomfortable place for visitors. Better known as "The Swamp", the recently redone facility is touted by some as the nation’s loudest home stadium – and regarded by all who visit as menacing and overwhelming. The intensity inside is not for the faint of heart. Emotion is a game-long theme and the Gators feed off that home electricity better than almost any team around. No matter where you turn your head, there’s no mistaking where you are: gator country. A large wall reads “This is...THE SWAMP”, the inside of the structure itself is orange and the towering sides provide no view out, no escape from the madness and noise. The setting is what you would expect in the state of Florida. There are palm trees, blue skies, and it’s hot and humid. Because of the weather, and their nature, most Gator fans don’t fit the button-down shirt, khaki pants and a tie mold. They dress casually – though never act that way, and dress down – though never sit that way. The stadium flourished and garnered its fierce reputation during the Steve Spurrier era. Though some of that aura was lost under Ron Zook, Urban Meyer has vowed to reclaim The Swamp – his Gators went undefeated at home in year one. Recent renovations have beautified the facility, especially the press box and luxury seating, making Ben Hill Griffin Stadium one of the premier venues in all of college football.

4. Georgia – Few programs nationally captivate an entire state with such dominance and pull as the Georgia Bulldogs. That sentiment becomes very clear on gameday in Athens. The small town becomes flooded with red and black, the campus, deemed by some as ideal and near-perfect, becomes as crowded as a mall during the holidays and grills, cookers and RV’s can be spotted, but not avoided, as soon as the traffic jams start miles outside of Sanford Stadium. This is a team and town with affable traditions, none more recognizable than Uga, the school’s blissfully-content, yet regal looking English Bulldog who eyes every move from his perch, doghouse rather, on the sidelines. Uga is a fan favorite and mingles with visitors and poses for pictures in-between naps and gameday strolls. Uga is without question the most famous mascot in college football – we think he is well aware of his status. There are other identifiable features, including the Arch, the famous stadium hedges and the fight song “Glory, Glory” which is played on many occasions during the game. Sanford Stadium is a mammoth structure placed firmly in the heart of campus, all 92,746 seats of it. Fans surround the monster venue as soon as the weekend starts. Nearing the stadium on Saturday, you’ll be sure to hear “Go Dawgs!”, some random barking and the legendary voice of radio personality Larry Munson. You're also garuanteed to hear someone mention the name of Herschel Walker, the school's last Heisman Trophy winner, the player many deem as the greatest college running back of all time. It’s a picturesque scene in a picturesque place, until kickoff that is, when southern charm takes a very defined three-hour break.

5. Auburn – This small-town setting explodes into an overflow of pageantry and life, not to mention a quite intimidating sea of bright orange, every fall. The first thing that stands out on an Auburn gameday is the tailgating, specifically the enthusiasm of the tailgaters. Campers and RV’s are entrenched for miles outside of Jordan-Hare Stadium and the closer you get, the more chaotic the scene gets. Fans flood fraternity houses, open fields, business lots and streets for as far as the eye can see, making movement difficult and celebration paramount. The overflow is almost unbelievable as the open space surrounding the stadium is optimal for such pre-game revelry. “War Eagle!”, Auburn’s answer to rival Alabama’s themed yell, is just as commonplace. During the almost awe-inspiring Tiger Walk, that cry becomes resounding. With drooping tree-lines surrounding the concrete mountain known as Jordan-Hare and tens of thousands of orange-clad faithful brimming with excitement, Auburn is without question home to one of the more charming settings in all of college football. The enchanting beginning is just a mere precursor of things to come. The school mascot, Tiger the Eagle, flies around the stadium just before kickoff, priming fans for football with a rare game-time showcase few schools can match. When the team runs onto to the field to “Eye of the Tiger” you quickly understand why Jordan-Hare has garnered the nickname “The Jungle”. Wins are especially jubuliant as fans gather at Toomer's Corner, where the campus meets the city, and roll the spot with toilet paper and streamers.

6. Alabama – With so much tradition and so much history, Bryant-Denny Stadium has become a college football Mecca of sorts – and for good reason. Home to the Crimson Tide since 1929, the venue has seen one of the game’s most elite and most successful programs both establish and maintain unprecedented success. Hallowed names like Bear Bryant, Joe Namath, Ken Stabler and Sean Alexander roamed the sidelines here, and with one step inside the stadium, you can tell. Sights and sounds are everywhere, making Bryant-Denny a favorite, a must, for opposing fans. The Bryant Museum and Denny Chimes are always crowded with fans gawking over the legendary names and stories and reveling in the pageantry and pride. University Boulevard is the pulse of the pre-game madness, leading into the Quad, where fans can join the renowned Million Dollar Band for a fiery march to the stadium. The traditions are relatively simple, but famous. Fans yell “Roll Tide!” for every occasion. The saying is a battle cry, a welcome, an acknowledgement, a thank you, a vent and a joyful shout. If you ever get confused as to what to say, just remember: “Roll Tide!”. The football team always, and has always, taken the field in their celebrated red-and-white numbered helmets, a classic look duplicated by many lower level college and high school teams. Alabama fans are a proud, borderline-conceited bunch that doesn’t act rude, but rather just knows that they are better. They tailgate with reckless abandon, cheer for hours on end and for the most part fit their stereotype: nicely-dressed, southern gentlemen and women with a true passion for college football. They become especially frenetic when the band strikes up “Rama Jama Yellow Hammer Give ‘Em Hell Alabama”.

The Others

7. Ole Miss

8. South Carolina

9. Arkansas

10. Miss. St.

11. Kentucky

12. Vanderbilt

[Boonan 0]

I've been every place in the SEC except UK and USC, and by far the Vandy place is the hardest to play at! Come on! Twelfth?!?! No place could possibly match the... quietness and lack of caring of those clad in the black and gold. It should get an honorary bump to 13th just for being so sad.

[KunzelTiger 0]

I've always wondered, would it be harder to play in a stadium where all 86k people were absolutly eerily quiet? Reading that description of Auburn in football season made me miss it even more. That was a very well put together article

[bammanmr 0]

it kills me that utee gets such props. 'the vol walk'???? a tradition????? And JH being 'the jungle'??? I think most fans have dropped that manufactuered moniker.

Just more evidence that most people that write about cfb know very little about their subject. He did do a good job by leaving out ole piss and their atmosphere 'myth', though, i'll give him that.

[SouthLink02 8]

Tennessee's gameday atmosphere has to be the most over-rated

It is very fun but the best? Far from it, imo

[AUJarhead 70]

Tennessee's gameday atmosphere has to be the most over-rated

It is very fun but the best? Far from it, imo

228313[/snapback]

I think you could make a case for the 6 teams they listed there being in a 6-way tie for first.

[johnwegl 11]

I have been to several stadiums.

I would put LSU above UT any day.

In fact, I would put UT below Auburn.

I would also put South Carolina and Arkansas ABOVE Alabama.

Here's How I would rank them...

1). LSU

2). Auburn

3). UGA

4). Florida

5). UT

6). Arkansas

7). USC

8). Alabama

9). Ole Miss

10). UK

11). Miss State

12). Vandy

[API50 0]

"nicely-dressed, southern gentlemen and women with a true passion for college football. "

Where was this?????

[weaglewagon 1]

i live here in knoxville. UT is by far overrated. the river is cool, but parking and tailgaiting are horrible and inside that dungeon ain't all that either. i'd see any other of the top 6 at #1 before this dump on rocky top.

[Auburnfan91 1,407]

My ranking would proably be this:

1.)LSU

2.)Florida

3.)Auburn

4.)Georgia

5.)UT

6.)Alabama

7.)Ole Miss

8.)Arkansas

9.)USC

10).Vandy

11).MSU

12).UK

UK has loyal dedicated fans but not ones that will intimidate opponents.

[chinook 0]

While many places grill your typical array of hamburgers, hotdogs, ribs and chicken, LSU fans don’t just grill, they cook. Regional dishes such as seafood, gumbo, ,and poultry are served and done so all day long. 

the author forgot one of the regional dishes.

[ECEstudentUA 9]

Doesnt Shaun Alexander spell it S-h-a-u-n? Not Sean.

Shows how much this guy knows......

[RadioWryn 0]

I've always wondered, would it be harder to play in a stadium where all 86k people were absolutly eerily quiet?

228193[/snapback]

BG, may I defer this question to you in regards to the annual La Tech game?

[SKCAUB 0]

My ranking would proably be this:

1.)LSU

2.)Florida

3.)Auburn

4.)Georgia

5.)UT

6.)Alabama

7.)Ole Miss

8.)Arkansas

9.)USC

10).Vandy

11).MSU

12).UK

UK has loyal dedicated fans but not ones that will intimidate opponents.

228342[/snapback]

Sorry...Florida's a DUMP...let me say it again so you all get it...the SWAMP is SEVERELY overrated...and it's a DUMP!

[PChamp119 96]

Why do they say Tiger, the eagle, is our mascot? Do some damn research

[outoftowntiger 0]

i live here in knoxville.  UT is by far overrated.  the river is cool, but parking and tailgaiting are horrible and inside that dungeon ain't all that either.  i'd see any other of the top 6 at #1 before this dump on rocky top.

228338[/snapback]

Preach on brother! PM me and let's get a drink after work!

[SouthLink02 8]

I think you could make a case for the 6 teams they listed there being in a 6-way tie for first.

228315[/snapback]

Agree.

Ask each school in the Top 5 who they think and 100% of their fan base would say them

[WarDlowe 39]

I haven't been to every stadium in the SEC but from where I have been I would say that's about right. I'd love to go to the swamp, and I had a blast when I went to UGA.

[JB33 1]

Sorry...Florida's a DUMP...let me say it again so you all get it...the SWAMP is SEVERELY overrated...and it's a DUMP!

AAAAA-MEN!!!

[ECEstudentUA 9]

Sorry...Florida's a DUMP...let me say it again so you all get it...the SWAMP is SEVERELY overrated...and it's a DUMP!

AAAAA-MEN!!!     

228577[/snapback]

I went to the Swamp a few years ago, its not the best place to watch a game. That and the fans suck, they boo their coach for not running up the score.

I was at the UF vs. USC game in 2004. I think UF was up like 35-13 or something in the 4th. UF started running the ball to run out the clock. The fans started booing and next thing I know Leak is throwing a bomb from his own 45. There was something like 4 mins left in the game.