Stadium Journey's FBS Top 25 Stadium Rankings 2025
- Jack Quinn
- 3h
- 12 min read
College football in 2025 couldn’t be more exciting. It’s the second year of the 12-team playoff, and chaos has occurred across the country with teams moving conferences, players transferring left and right, and schools pouring in money towards NIL for players. With all of this change, one thing has remained constant: the stadiums and the fans. Every Saturday is nothing short of a spectacle as people pour into these historic venues to watch their teams battle it out.
This is Stadium Journey’s FBS Top 25 stadiums for the 2025 season. A “FANFARE” score has been used by writers to determine the optimal evaluation of a venue. This score tracks different elements of the stadium on a scale of 1-5: food & beverage, atmosphere, neighborhood, fan support, access, return on investment, and an extra category for anything that doesn’t fall into the others. To view the complete review for each of the 25 stadiums, click on the stadium title link below.
Aaron Terry - Husky Stadium is notable for several reasons, including hosting speeches for several US presidents, as well as hosting multiple NFL games. More impressively, the wave is said to have originated here back in the fall of 1981 (credit is shared between a former band director, yell leader, and trumpet player). But perhaps most important of all is that Husky Stadium is officially recognized as the loudest college football stadium in the nation, thanks in part to cantilevered metal roofs above each sideline that trap the noise inside. During a 1992 game versus Nebraska, ESPN recorded a noise level of 133.6 decibels, the highest ever recorded for college football.
Jack Quinn - When you take the exit towards Tuscaloosa, you’ll come upon a quaint southern town that merely sits in the shadow of a cathedral that is Bryant-Denny Stadium. The massive bowl carries countless stories of success at the highest level of college football. The Alabama Crimson Tide has ruled the SEC and college football in general for many years, recently hosting opponents in their 100,000+ seat stadium, which is always buzzing on game day since it was expanded in 2010. Bryant-Denny is a full bowl-shaped stadium with a lower bowl and an upper deck that is disconnected into four large parts, one on each side of the field.
Aaron Terry - Arthur L. Williams Stadium in Lynchburg, VA, is home to the Liberty Flames football team and was built in 1989; its current capacity is 25,000. The facility started off with only 12,000 seats, but underwent a major renovation a few years back when Liberty made the move from FCS to FBS. The facility now includes two-story stands on both the east and west sides, a five-story press box complete with 18 suites, and seating around the horseshoe of the south end zone, which boasts both box seats as well as berm seating, capped off by brick arches built into the wall surrounding the venue.
Stadium review by Sean MacDonald - Ohio Stadium, home of the Buckeyes, is one of the best sporting destinations in the land, and the team on the field often matches the overall game day experience. Opened in 1922, “The Horseshoe” has hosted generations of Buckeye fans and continues to evolve and expand to keep the beloved venue modern. Ohio Stadium has a capacity of just under 105,000 and is doubtless one of the top experiences for a sports traveler. College football home games here are truly events, and if you haven’t been to one of the football stadiums in the Big Ten, consider Ohio State the perfect place to start.
Stadium review by Sean MacDonald - Ann Arbor is the quintessential college town, and this is most obvious on a sunny Saturday autumn afternoon when the Wolverines are home at Michigan Stadium, more commonly known as The Big House. This nickname is not an exaggeration, as the gridiron is the third-largest stadium in the world behind Narendra Modi Stadium in India (114,600) and Rungrado 1st of May Stadium in North Korea (113,281), which obviously makes it the largest in the United States, even with its capacity having been reduced to 107,601 a decade ago.
Gregory Koch - The Dukes routinely draw near-sellout crowds, with the fans in attendance being some of the most passionate in the country. Whether it’s tossing the streamers after touchdowns, banging the bleachers on third downs, or booing the refs after a perceived bad call goes against JMU, these fans are loud, they are proud of their Dukes, and they are not afraid to show it. When visiting Bridgeforth Stadium expect the crowd noise to be consistently loud and intimidating for opposing teams.
Eric Moreno - There is nothing quite like the atmosphere of a big-time college football stadium on game day. In recent years the Longhorns have done a great job ramping up the atmosphere at DKR, from upgrading the Godzillatron in the south end zone to the Longhorn-shaped player’s entrance (complete with billowing smoke), to upgraded lighting and LED boards, it’s all better in Austin. The stands are littered with burnt orange, and the student section is filled with rowdy fans throwing their horns up (always up) – including groups such as the Longhorn Hellraisers. Fans chant “Texas Fight” and sing along to the “Eyes of Texas”.
David Welch - In what otherwise would be a sleepy college town of just over 17,000 sits the 83,350-seat Frank Howard Field at Memorial Stadium, ominously dubbed “Death Valley.” It was Howard who would start the tradition of rubbing the chunk of quartzite from Death Valley, California. Howard implored players, “If you're going to give me 110 percent, you can rub that rock. If you're not, keep your filthy hands off of it.” The legend of “Howard’s Rock” was born and is the centerpiece of the famed, “Greatest 25 Seconds in Sports.”
David Welch - It is hard to beat the experience of football down south and “between the hedges”; for over 90 years, football on the University of Georgia campus has been played at the same location, as the stadium has grown around it. Football in the South takes on a different importance, making the whole experience seem more of an event than just a Saturday football game. College football season might kick off in September and run through early January, but in the state of Georgia, football season never ends.
Aaron Terry - Home to the Sooners football team of the University of Oklahoma, the venerable facility is laid out in a bowl design, with both the north and south end zones enclosed; one of the most prominent features at the stadium is the clock tower built into the wall behind the north end zone, on the exterior of the venue. Come game day in Norman, the Oklahoma Sooners put on quite a show, making Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium one of the better atmospheres in college football today. Tens of thousands of red-clad fans show up for tailgating hours before kickoff, the atmosphere inside the stadium is loud and raucous, and the staff pulls out all the stops to keep fans engaged, including twin mascots, appearances by the Sooner Schooner, jugglers, OU flags trotted out throughout the game, and even flame and fireworks to welcome the team onto the field.
Matt Colville - It's been called the Literary Capital of the South; Grisham, Faulkner, and Willie Morris all lived here and used the small Mississippi town as a setting for many of their novels. It's Oxford, Mississippi, and after coming here, it's easy to see why, as the scene is something straight out of a novel. At The Grove, you'll find tailgating as you've never seen before – it's as grand and upscale as you can get, with chandeliers hung from a sea of tents and people eating off fine china. Students wear their Sunday Best, with men in slacks and women in dresses and boots, backdropped by beautiful Greek column buildings and hundred-year-old oaks.
Will Halpern - Kidd Brewer Stadium, known as “The Rock,” is a staple of college football not just in Boone but in the state of North Carolina, and even though at times it lives in the shadow of the four in-state ACC Programs to the east, Kidd Brewer Stadium and the Mountaineers who play here have been trendsetters. The Mountaineer Walk allows the team to walk to the stadium past the fans, while “Mountain Music” by Alabama is played before the team walks from the locker room through the corner of the concourse and onto the field for the start of the game.
Stadium review by Jude Hannahs - Marshall University fans are passionate about college football. At first glance, Marshall might not seem like a school known for its loud, energetic football spirit. However, without context, one might mistake Marshall games for Ohio State, given the enthusiasm and cheering from the fan base. The Herd is among the most exciting teams to watch in the Sun Belt Conference and the Appalachian region. Marshall offers everything you want from a smaller Division I school; producing NFL legends like Randy Moss and Troy Brown, the Thundering Herd is formidable – especially at home.
Michael Davis - There are plenty of great atmospheres in college football, and many fans have legitimate reasons to think their school has the best atmosphere. LSU fans are no different, and if creating a list of the top three college football atmospheres, it would be hard not to list Tiger Stadium as one of them. The LSU fan base is one of the best all-around in college sports, and obviously, Tiger football fans are the hardcore of the group. On game day in Baton Rouge, the reflection from the Mississippi River becomes a tidal wave of purple and gold. Just like every great college atmosphere, the atmosphere begins with tailgating – over two-thirds of Tiger fans tailgate for five or more hours before every game, and many begin more than 24 hours before kickoff. There are plenty of charcoal grills, tents, televisions, music, and other festivities for tailgaters.
Joseph Oakes - Lane Stadium is best known for its “Enter Sandman” entrance, as the Metallica song is played as the team runs out onto the field. Everyone “starts jumping,” and they can at times register on the Richter Scale as the stadium shakes. Lane Stadium is the epitome of a college football on-campus stadium. It is a massive facility from the exterior, as it is built mostly above ground and is very steep. It also matches the Virginia Tech campus buildings, as the exterior of the stadium is adorned with the famous Hokie Stone.
Chris Green - The Knights and their fans have been on the highest of highs in the last half-decade. Arguably the most visible and fastest growing program in NCAA Football, UCF has long been a hidden gem among college game day experiences. However, the latest round of popularity has only helped this notoriety grow even further into the mainstream. A trip to a Knights football game at FBC Mortgage Stadium, aka the Bounce House, reveals that the college football experience is alive and well on the campus of UCF – from the tailgating all across campus to the in-game fan interaction, the average uninitiated fan who isn’t familiar with the Knights will be surprised by the atmosphere here.
Aaron Terry - Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, FL, is best known as the home of the NFL’s Miami Dolphins. However, on a few Saturdays in the fall, Hard Rock Stadium welcomes the hard-rocking fans from the nearby University of Miami, becoming a literal sea of orange for a few hours. The Miami (FL) Hurricanes have called the venue home since 2008, when they moved here from the old Orange Bowl Stadium, which was subsequently demolished and replaced by LoanDepot Park, home of Major League Baseball’s Miami Marlins.
Aaron Terry - Opened in 1965, Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium is home to the Memphis Tigers football team, as well as the annual Liberty Bowl, and currently has a capacity of 56,862. The facility is a true bowl design, with an oval-shaped grandstand that rises to a peak in the middle of each sideline, and descends to have valleys behind each end zone. The sight lines here are truly outstanding, meaning all seats have a great view of the action, due to the fact that the grandstand is very close to the field, but also because the seats are very steep, meaning all the seats are closer to the action than at comparably sized stadiums.
Patricia Beninato - Pitt games are populated mainly by the school’s students and alumni, but the crowd will vary depending on the Panthers’ opponent for the day. The stands are much fuller for games against rivals Virginia Tech, not so much for non-conference teams like Western Michigan. You’ll find the students in the northern end zone, and the most popular side of the stadium for non-students is the western side behind Pitt’s sideline. Even when the crowd is small, though, they are loud and engaged all during the game, to the point that it can be surprising how loud a relatively small crowd can be. Expect lots of “HAIL TO PITT” and “LET’S GO PITT” chants, and it’s a good idea to learn the words to “Seven Nation Army” and “Lose Yourself,” because you’ll hear them sung a LOT.
Paul Baker - Virtually every sports fan has a bucket list of venues they would like to visit. Chances are there are some legendary names on those lists, such as Fenway Park, Lambeau Field, St Andrews, or Wimbledon. Some venues that should be on any sports fan’s bucket list lie further off the beaten path, however, such as in quaint West Point, New York, a town of only 6,763 people – here is a venue that should be on any sports fan’s short list of places to go as you explore the planet. Watching an Army football game at Michie Stadium is more than just a game; it is part history lesson, part sporting event, part Fourth of July.
Photo Courtesy of Operation Sports
Stadium review by Stadium Journey - Albertsons Stadium is on the banks of the Boise River, nestled among the trees at the base of the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. It is a very picturesque setting for one of the most interesting college stadiums in the country. Unique in all of football is The Blue, the world’s first blue AstroTurf field. First installed in 1986, basically as a way to make Boise State stand out during its days in Division II, it has transformed into a rallying point for the Boise State team and its fans.
Photo Courtesy of Scott Schoonover
Paul Hilchen - Oregon loves its football, and Beaver fans don’t take a back seat to anyone. “Beaver Nation” is as passionate a fan base as any in college football, but that passion doesn’t go too far like some fan bases, where visitors are taunted and sometimes hassled. This stadium feels very inviting for everyone, the same feeling you would get in most “small town” settings, even though Corvallis isn’t a small town. Beaver fans are very classy and set a good example for others to follow. I didn’t see many fans that were there because “it was the place to be and be seen” – true, hardcore, OSU Beaver football fans fill the stands here.
Chris Green - Perhaps no other game day experience captures the true feeling of family, the connection to the local culture, and the enthusiasm that college sports can create than what you’ll experience at Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex. Located on the campus of the University of Hawaii Manoa, this growing facility has quickly morphed from a track-and-field venue to a respectable football stadium in short order.
Photo Courtesy of P.J. Loury
Chris Green - Stanford football is one of the most successful programs over the last few years in college football, especially within their conference. The experience at Stanford Stadium on game day is also one of the best there is – the stadium’s location, fan base, and overall aesthetics make for a remarkable experience in a picturesque setting for fans to flock to. The atmosphere at Stanford Stadium is that of a relaxing college football experience. While seemingly an oxymoronic, one minute in the stands helps you realize how true it is; the roar of the crowd fills the air during the game as the Stanford faithful cheer on their team. However, the view over the end zone grandstand shows a beautiful forest of trees, to give a wonderful setting for football.
David Welch - Down on the Plains, Saturday afternoons take on a whole different feel than most college campuses in the country – Auburn, Alabama, is transformed from a sleepy college town into one of the top college football game day experiences in the country. There seems to be the perfect combination here of a respect for the traditions that make the Auburn football experience important, combined with a modern game atmosphere of piped-in hype music, which goes a long way in creating a fun game atmosphere.
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