Jerome from Toronto writes: I know you guys are ranking the best facilities, and the best stadiums in the Big Ten. What about the best overall gameday experience for opposing fans? Take a look at their before game experience with tailgating, the things going on in the local community leading up to the game, the game atmosphere itself, and the partying after the game. Obviously, you need to look at the fan base as well to see which fans are good sports and are out having a fun time without being classless.With all this in mind, rank the top 5 Big Ten Game day experiences for any opposing fan. What are the must-see away games for an opposing fan to travel to? Any destinations that should be avoided due to poor fan behavior?
Adam Rittenberg: Jerome, while every fan base has a few idiots who can spoil the experience for visiting fans, I'd encourage Big Ten fans to visit as many opposing venues as possible. The Big Ten might not have the best football, but it has the best stadiums in the country. There also is great tailgating throughout most of the league, and a nice mix of different size stadiums -- from humongous to cozy -- and locations. As far as best overall game-day experiences, I'd definitely have Wisconsin and Penn State at the top. Great combination of stadiums and tailgating scenes. Iowa is up there for me -- love Kinnick and the atmosphere around it. Nebraska is lacking a bit tailgating-wise, but Memorial Stadium is awesome. You have to go to Michigan Stadium and Ohio Stadium at some point if you're a college football fan. Both offer different pros/cons and surroundings, but you just have to go. I'd also include Michigan State as a very solid game-day experience. The stadium will be improved with upgrades, and the tailgating scene is terrific.
