JonDMiller
Publisher/Founder
There was an item today over at The Sporting News where a pair of their college football writers listed the Top Ten home field advantages in college football. You can read it here.
One of the writers said this: 8. Iowa. Incredible fan following especially helped in 2008 win over Penn State. Hawkeyes also seem to get Saturday wind and cold if they need an extra edge.
They also listed Ohio State and Wisconsin.
I have talked with several former Iowa players as well as members of the Iowa media through the years about the stadiums they felt were the toughest to play and the toughest environments they witnessed. It’s tough to not break things out into categories when looking at the home field advantages in the Big Ten, so I won’t try doing that.
VOLUME: It’s tough to top The Horseshoe at Ohio State for volume, but Beaver Stadium in State College might actually do that. It’s either one of those two stadiums with regards to the loudest decibel level stadium, as each boasts more than 100,000 fans on gamedays. But based on conversations with several former Iowa players that played in the NFL, and them asking former Big Ten players these same questions, Kinnick Stadium comes in a solid third with the 70,000 and change that show up each weekend. Camp Randall Stadium in Madison is probably real close here.
MOST INTIMIDATING ENVIRONMENT: The White House that Iowa saw at Penn State was something else, and the Horseshoe is an awe inspiring sight with how vertical it goes…sort of like a modern day Coliseum. Camp Randall actually shakes (at least the press box did the times I have been there). But Kinnick is right there; the proximity of the fans to the players on the visiting sideline is unlike anything else in college football. Iowa fans absolutely are involved in the action on the field, the true 12th man. Michigan is just big, but it’s not loud, or at least it wasn’t deafening in its old configuration. It will be interesting to see if there is any new baffling or amplified effect from the luxury sweet towers that will parallel the field on both sides starting this fall. Kinnick is #2 on the list behind The Horseshoe.
INSANE POSSE: Their crazy at Camp Randall, rain or shine. While they are just flat loud at Ohio State and Penn State, no one has ever told me they felt like they were in a nuthouse the way they did at Wisconsin. Like it is at Iowa, it’s close to being personal. The fans know they are needed and they bring it. We touched on the proximity to the field in the last paragraph and that’s why Kinnick scores big marks here, too, but we’ll go with the Madtown folk here. Hey, it’s OK to pass on the honor of the most insane.
BEST GAMEDAY ENVIRONMENT: I have been told the people at State College are very hospitable, as are the folks at Michigan. I am sure this depends on your own personal experiences (which I want you to share with everyone below). I won’t rank Kinnick here, because I am too biased to do so. I am going to leave this one up to you, the Hawkeye fan road warrior that makes these trips each year.
FLAT TIRES: Chuck Hartlieb once told me that playing at Indiana was not easy..not because the stadium gets raucous, but because its so flat and sterile, you just don’t encounter that too many times during the season. With the new stadium at Minnesota being a better place to play a football game, the Hoosiers win this one. Some might think Northwestern, but there are always so many fans from the opposition to liven the place up, they don’t get the call.
WORST PLACE TO TRAVEL: This is another category that will be tough to judge objectively…so much of this has to do with your experiences, and you might have drawn a bad parking assignment next to some hooligans. Based on the interactions I have had and conversations with others, Illinois scores unfavorably here, which means they are near the top of this category. Perhaps that is just because we’re Iowa and they’re Illinois; I’ll concede that.
TOUGHEST TO GET TO: I have heard several horror stories about getting to State College by plane or by car…While Iowa City is smack dab in the middle of flyover country, visiting fans can fly into Cedar Rapids and be just 20 minutes away from campus once they get on I-380 and it’s right on I-80. Illinois is an easy trip, as is Minnesota and Madison, Ohio State and Michigan. While State College is at a disadvantage because it’s the farthest from Iowa, it’s still not easy. Purdue jumps up on the list here; you have to go off the beaten path. I had my own personal horror story getting out of Evanston once, but again, these opinions are quite personal.
We know Kinnick Rocks. We know the Iowa fans are a generous breed. Share your stories based on these or other perspectives you wish to add.
One of the writers said this: 8. Iowa. Incredible fan following especially helped in 2008 win over Penn State. Hawkeyes also seem to get Saturday wind and cold if they need an extra edge.
They also listed Ohio State and Wisconsin.
I have talked with several former Iowa players as well as members of the Iowa media through the years about the stadiums they felt were the toughest to play and the toughest environments they witnessed. It’s tough to not break things out into categories when looking at the home field advantages in the Big Ten, so I won’t try doing that.
VOLUME: It’s tough to top The Horseshoe at Ohio State for volume, but Beaver Stadium in State College might actually do that. It’s either one of those two stadiums with regards to the loudest decibel level stadium, as each boasts more than 100,000 fans on gamedays. But based on conversations with several former Iowa players that played in the NFL, and them asking former Big Ten players these same questions, Kinnick Stadium comes in a solid third with the 70,000 and change that show up each weekend. Camp Randall Stadium in Madison is probably real close here.
MOST INTIMIDATING ENVIRONMENT: The White House that Iowa saw at Penn State was something else, and the Horseshoe is an awe inspiring sight with how vertical it goes…sort of like a modern day Coliseum. Camp Randall actually shakes (at least the press box did the times I have been there). But Kinnick is right there; the proximity of the fans to the players on the visiting sideline is unlike anything else in college football. Iowa fans absolutely are involved in the action on the field, the true 12th man. Michigan is just big, but it’s not loud, or at least it wasn’t deafening in its old configuration. It will be interesting to see if there is any new baffling or amplified effect from the luxury sweet towers that will parallel the field on both sides starting this fall. Kinnick is #2 on the list behind The Horseshoe.
INSANE POSSE: Their crazy at Camp Randall, rain or shine. While they are just flat loud at Ohio State and Penn State, no one has ever told me they felt like they were in a nuthouse the way they did at Wisconsin. Like it is at Iowa, it’s close to being personal. The fans know they are needed and they bring it. We touched on the proximity to the field in the last paragraph and that’s why Kinnick scores big marks here, too, but we’ll go with the Madtown folk here. Hey, it’s OK to pass on the honor of the most insane.
BEST GAMEDAY ENVIRONMENT: I have been told the people at State College are very hospitable, as are the folks at Michigan. I am sure this depends on your own personal experiences (which I want you to share with everyone below). I won’t rank Kinnick here, because I am too biased to do so. I am going to leave this one up to you, the Hawkeye fan road warrior that makes these trips each year.
FLAT TIRES: Chuck Hartlieb once told me that playing at Indiana was not easy..not because the stadium gets raucous, but because its so flat and sterile, you just don’t encounter that too many times during the season. With the new stadium at Minnesota being a better place to play a football game, the Hoosiers win this one. Some might think Northwestern, but there are always so many fans from the opposition to liven the place up, they don’t get the call.
WORST PLACE TO TRAVEL: This is another category that will be tough to judge objectively…so much of this has to do with your experiences, and you might have drawn a bad parking assignment next to some hooligans. Based on the interactions I have had and conversations with others, Illinois scores unfavorably here, which means they are near the top of this category. Perhaps that is just because we’re Iowa and they’re Illinois; I’ll concede that.
TOUGHEST TO GET TO: I have heard several horror stories about getting to State College by plane or by car…While Iowa City is smack dab in the middle of flyover country, visiting fans can fly into Cedar Rapids and be just 20 minutes away from campus once they get on I-380 and it’s right on I-80. Illinois is an easy trip, as is Minnesota and Madison, Ohio State and Michigan. While State College is at a disadvantage because it’s the farthest from Iowa, it’s still not easy. Purdue jumps up on the list here; you have to go off the beaten path. I had my own personal horror story getting out of Evanston once, but again, these opinions are quite personal.
We know Kinnick Rocks. We know the Iowa fans are a generous breed. Share your stories based on these or other perspectives you wish to add.
