Written by Johnny Congdon
The SEC, without a doubt
the best conference in all the land. The best teams, players, oh and year, the best fans. College football is a religion in the south and every Saturday each school that plays in the Southeastern Conference get to host a football spectacle. There’s not too many fan bases that will wake up at the crack of dawn pitch their own tents and process to tailgate all day for a 60 minute football game. Just another Saturday in the SEC. The following list is my personal opinion of the Toughest places to play in the SEC.
14 Vanderbilt Stadium -Vanderbilt
Capacity: 40,550
Lackluster, small, dormant. I mean we’re talking about a school that barely survived a scare from UMass last season. You heard that right, THE UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS missed a 22-yard field goal allowing the Commodores to squeak by. Oh, and the stadium was half full. Vandy coming in at the #14 spot should surprise no one.
#13 Commonwealth Stadium – Kentucky
Capacity: 67,692
Mark Stoops has done a good job rebuilding the Cats on the field, but the atmosphere is terrible for an SEC school. Teams in the SEC East differently don’t fear heading into Commonwealth Stadium on Saturdays. We all know UK is a basketball school, and they have some of the best fans in the nation as they pack Rupp Arena. Thats why theres no excuse! Their fans have the passion for athletics lets see if a soild 2015 campaign will boost attendance in Lexington.
#12 Vaught-Hemingway Stadium – Ole Miss
Capacity: 60,580
Yeah, yeah, yeah Rebel fans will gladly remind me that Alabama walkout out of Oxford with a big “L” but lets give the credit to that landshark Ole Miss Defense not the majority of their fans who are only their for the party. Ole Miss is the fashion capital of the SEC. Rebs fans are all glitz and glam and that’s why they fall towards the bottom of the list. We all know how awesome the grove is but other teams don’t get intimidated about a cookout!
#11 Faurot Field – Missouri
Capacity: 71,009
Admit it, even if you dont want to. Missouri deserves your respect. Although they’ve been steamrolled twice in the SEC Championship the Tigers and their fans were rudely welcomed to the SEC and all they’ve done is be a model of consistency. They also come to the SEC with a very good fan base but it will take a few more solid seasons under head coach Gary Pinkel to elevate this fan base to top 10 level in the SEC.
#10 Donald W Reynolds Razorback Stadium – Arkansas
Capacity: 72,000
Hogs fans love their team and they will stick with them through thick and thin. However loyalty will not earn you a high ranking on this list. Arkansas has not shown that Fayetteville is a place that teams in the SEC West should dread playing. And lets be real that “Pig Sooie” nonsense is more cute than it is intimidating.
#9 David Wade Stadium – Mississippi State
Capacity: 55,082
With what Mississippi State lacks in size they make up for in noise. Loud, obnoxious, annoying noise. You know what I’m talking about: Cowbells. For the love of God I don’t know why the conference allows those dreadful artificial noise makers but they do and the Bulldogs fans have them and aren’t afraid to use them…for all 4 quarters.
#8 Jordan-Hare – Auburn
Capacity: 87,451
The Auburn Tigers come in at the 8 slot and deservingly so. Auburn fans are great fans, a tad delusional but passionate nonetheless. Jordan Hare was a temple for the Tigers in the 2013 season with out of this world finishes with the “Miracle in Jordan-Hare against Georgia and of course the infamous “Kick 6” against Alabama. Auburn didn’t really become a place that teams hated to play until Cam Newton came on the orange clay in 2010 yet ever since Jordan Hare has been no cake walk for opposing teams.
#7 Neyland Stadium – Tennessee
Capacity: 102,455
Neyland is the first 100,000 + stadium to make our list. Don’t get me wrong Neyland Stadium is one of the largest landmasses I’ve ever seen in my short 19 years of life. Yet, the Vols are lower on this list because they haven’t won a big game at home since Tee Martin won them a national championship 1998. Ok, thats a stretch but Tennessee has the stadium size and fanbase to become a force in the SEC and with Butch Jones at the helm and a few good recruiting classes on the horizon keep an eye out for the Vols.
#6 Ben Hill Griffin Stadium- Florida
Capacity: 88,548
The Gators have themselves a huge home field advantage. The humid Florida heat paired with the largest football stadium in the state of Florida. Throughout the Tebow Era Ben Hill Griffin Stadium might have been the toughest venue to play in the entire nation not just the SEC. The Gator chomp and one of the best fight songs in all of college football puts Ben Hill Griffin Stadium at the number 6 spot on this list
#5 Sanford Stadium – Georgia
Capacity: 92,746
How bout them Dawgs? Sanford Stadium year in and year out is one of the most consistently loud, full, and fun stadiums in the SEC. A traditional powerhouse, Georgia located in absolutely gorgeous Athens is one of the best college towns on the planet. A lot like Razorback fans, UGA fans are fiercely loyal and at the same time aren’t afraid to call out their team when they’re struggling. In all, Sanford Stadium is one of the best venues in the SEC.
#4 Williams Brice Stadium- South Carolina
Capacity: 80,250
Quite possibly my favorite place in college football to watch a football game. Even from watching a Gamecock game on TV you feel like you’re in the stadium. Columbia, South Carolina is one of the SEC’s most beautiful campus’ and the tailgating train South Carolina has behind the stadiums is unlike anything in the nation. When “Sandstorm” comes on the PA system and the students start waving their white towels you know you’re in for a long day as an opponent.
#3 Kyle Field – Texas A&M
Capacity: 102,512
There’s just something about Texas and football and the Aggies have passion like no other fan base. Students and alumni both have a feverous love for A&M and thoroughly enjoy beating up on their most bitter rivals. Kyle Field regularly is the sight of many Beatdowns. College Station is home of the “12th Man” and the students at A&M take a lot of pride in believing that they are the loudest student section in the nation. They very well might be but the A&M Aggies still come in strong at #3 on this list.
#2 Bryant-Denny Stadium – Alabama
Capacity: 101,821
Intense: of extreme force, degree, or strength. That dictionary definition does not do Bryant-Denny Stadium any justice. The thrill of being in Bryant Denny on a Fall Saturday is an experience that I wish every football fan could feel just once in their life. Rather if it’s singing “Yea Alabama” over and over or screaming the student produced lyrics of “Dixieland Delight”. When the 4th quarter rolls around Bryant-Denny gives the Tide that extra wind to finish the job. Bryant-Denny is the cream of the crop.
Tiger Stadium – LSU
Capacity: 102,321
Let me preface this by saying I despise everything about LSU. I think the corndogs have the most insufferable fans in all of college football but I will tip my cap to Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge because as Head Coach Les Miles says Death Valley is truly a place where “Opponents dreams come to die”. Speaking of Miles he has an amazing 62-9 record in Tiger Stadium and the live tiger that sits in a decorative cage is intimidating as it gets. I don’t think you’ll get too much of an argument out of real, knowledgeable, college football fans. Tiger Stadium is without a doubt #1
