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Brad Crawford
With college football's much-anticipated return normalcy expected this season, sellout crowds are coming back to many of the nation's most storied venues and will create atmospheres we've grown used to for decades. Home-field advantage is everything in college football and for most, the 2020 campaign robbed the near-automatic edge teams have playing in front of their faithful.
Empty seats took some getting used to for players and waves of momentum weren't as palpable without the intimidation factor creeping in when opposing teams were on the road. But thoseraucousenvironments that often pushelite programs into the national championship picture will continue and the upcoming season almost cats as a reward for getting through a challenging year.
Without further ado, let's take a closer look at this season's home schedules for many of college football's top teams and try and project which programs will have the most initimidating environments at full strength.
Editor's note: This isa ranking based on the 2021 schedule for many of the nation's top programs and who they play at home. The tougher the opponents, the more likely said team's environment will be loud.
10. Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium (Oklahoma)
Home games: Western Carolina, Nebraska, West Virginia, TCU, Texas Tech, Iowa State
Equipped with arguably the nation's top offense entering the 2021 season, Oklahoma should give their fans plenty of fireworks as the favorite in the Big 12. Senior Day against Iowa State is the game we're looking at as the loudest (potentially) this fall. That comes a week before Bedlam and could decide at least one spot in the conference championship game if the Cyclones are as good as advertised. That Oct. 16 showdown vs. TCU could be interesting as well. Gary Patterson hasn't beaten the Sooners since 2014 in Ft. Worth, but the Horned Frogs are a darkhorse option in the league this season. You better believe Oklahoma fans will be loud and proud throughout.
9. Camp Randall Stadium (Wisconsin)
Home games: Penn State, Eastern Michigan, Michigan, Army, Iowa, Northwestern, Nebraska
If the Badgers take care of business against Notre Dame at Soldier Field this season, the rest of Wisconsin's toughest games all come in Madison behind a rabid student body that always makes it tough on the opposition. The university is planning for full capacity at home games, so you can go ahead and crank up the volume early for that opener against nationally-ranked Penn State — a huge matchup for both teams.Sadly, the Badgers may not be at their maximum spirit level since the kickoff time is slated for 11 a.m. local. Also, this isthe first time that the Badgers are not opening up the season on a Friday since the 2016 season.
8. Autzen Stadium (Oregon)
Home games: Fresno State, Stony Brook, Arizona, California, Colorado, Washington State, Oregon State
Considering Oregon's talent level this season and the fact this teamlikely won't face a single opponent in Eugene that's ranked inside the top 25, there's a good chance the Ducks will be playing for their Playoff lives away from home. Autzen Stadium, if you've ever been on gameday, feels like Jurassic Park at times. Remember the scene in the original that introduces T-Rex outside the paddock when water trembles at his footsteps? That's what this venue mimics when Oregon is a Playoff-caliber elite. Autzen Stadium is special and would be ranked higher if the home slate featured tougher opponents in 2021.
7. Sanford Stadium (Georgia)
Home games: UAB, South Carolina, Arkansas, Kentucky, Missouri, Charleston Southern
Given the yawn that is the home schedule this season, the Bulldogs would actually be higher on the list if they welcomed a nationally-ranked opponent to Athens, but it's not happening. If you've been between the hedges, especially at night, your bones rattle after a big defensive stop or long touchdown. Sanford Stadium is a special place when Georgia is elite and there may not be a team in college football with more hype than the 2021 installment of the Bulldogs. Kirby Smart knows he must take advantage of a considerably favorable schedule once that season-opening showdown vs. Clemson is over.
6. Memorial Stadium (Clemson Tigers)
Home games: South Carolina State, Georgia Tech, Boston College, Florida State, UConn, Wake Forest
Clemson was limited to 19,000 fans last season in Death Valley, but that didn't stop the Tigers from running their home winning steak to 28 games. And there's a chance the Tigers could be favored by at least three touchdowns in every home game this fall.
“As with all of the limitations we’ve done over the last year, we’ve kind of followed the guides given to us by the university,” Clemson AD DanRadakovich said last month, via ClemsonSports.com. “The university is looking to be full-go, in-person classes in the fall. So we’re moving forward full-go for a full Memorial Stadium.”
5. Ohio Stadium (Ohio State)
Home games: Oregon, Tulsa, Akron, Maryland, Penn State, Purdue, Michigan State
Higher than you expected for the defending Big Ten champs? Early kickoffs hurt the intimidation factor often at Ohio Stadium, but this season's home slate should clear some of that up. The home opener vs. Oregon is a huge game for both Playoff contenders and interesting bouts with Maryland and Penn State could test the Buckeyes' top-tier defense. By that time Ohio State entertains Michigan State late, we'll know just where the Buckeyes are in the title picture. And their fans — a hungry bunch wanting a return trip to the Playoff — will, too.
4. Ben Hill Griffin Stadium (Florida)
Home games: FAU, Alabama, Tennessee, Vanderbilt, Samford, Florida State
The faithful in Gainesville aren't going to break any decibel records during the opener against FAU, but wait until the defending national champions roll into town on Sept. 18. We're talking about a capacity crowd perhaps showing up on the Richter scale if the Gators can stay in the game with the Crimson Tide. That's a huge spot for Dan Mullen against the standard in college football. Other rivalry games against Tennessee and Florida State this season make season tickets coveted among Florida fans. But that showdown vs. America's No. 1 team is the one everyone is pointing to this summer.
3. Kyle Field (Texas A&M)
Home games: Kent State, New Mexico, Mississippi State, Alabama, South Carolina, Auburn, Prairie View A&M
Texas A&M fans have been waiting since lat season's College Football Playoff pairings were announced fortheir next crack at Alabama. Now some of the home slate is laughable this season with lots of icing, but the mammoth October bout against the Crimson Tide is one of the single most important tilts across the national college football landscape and will undoubtedly play a factor in the Playoff race. Can Texas A&M get it done against the Crimson Tide in front of six figures in College Station? The 12th Man says yes.
2. Beaver Stadium (Penn State)
Home games: Ball State, Auburn, Villanova, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Rutgers
One of the Big Ten's most storied cathedrals, Beaver Stadium is deafening on game days when a capacity crowd rocks Happy Valley. And for the first time in nearly two seasons, Penn State expects to have sell out crowds of 107,000 strong this season. Welcoming a quality SEC opponent like Auburn in the non-conference could be a momentum-builder for a team that's coming off a disappointing campaign last fall. The late-season matchup vs. Michigan is one that'll energize the fanbase on gameday and undoubtedly be a featured game that weekend nationally.
1. Tiger Stadium (LSU)
Home games: McNeese State, Central Michigan, Auburn, Florida, Arkansas, ULM, Texas A&M
After LSU erupts for more than 100 points over its first two home games of the season, the Tigers entertain Auburn and Florida in spotlight opportunities against two hated rivals. Ed Orgeron's team then gets to close out the regular season with three straight in Baton Rouge against Arkansas, Louisiana Monroe and Texas A&M to determine where they'll finish in the SEC title race. Like most raucous crowds, LSU's fans inside Tiger Stadium are considerably more boisterous when the game is played under the lights and they've had all day to tailgate and join in on tailgate fun.
