EA Sports activities stirred up lots of debate when it unveiled its rankings of the hardest locations to play for the upcoming Faculty Soccer 25 online game. I’ve my very own ideas primarily based on some 30 years of masking the game by which I’ve attended video games at and been on the sidelines for lots of the most charged stadium atmospheres within the nation.
The loudest and craziest venue I’ve been to is the previous Orange Bowl. When there was an enormous Miami recreation there — normally a Florida State go to — nothing was fairly prefer it. The closest factor I’ve seen is LSU’s Tiger Stadium. My colleagues at The Athletic had their very own ideas on the EA Sports activities record, and now right here’s my rating of the ten hardest locations to play in school soccer.
GO DEEPER
Faculty Soccer 25’s Hardest Locations to Play: Debating the rankings
1. LSU: Tiger Stadium
The place is simply pure mayhem, and it begins approach earlier than kickoff. I’ve heard from so many coaches over time about how hostile the remedy of their groups is, from rattling their bus on arrival to dousing the guests with booze. Simply seeing Mike the Tiger in particular person provides one other layer of intimidation to this.
Mike Leach advised me the story of the primary time he went in there when he was the offensive coordinator at Kentucky.
“There have been these little previous women with their grandchildren flipping off our bus,” Leach mentioned. “Then as we acquired nearer, they begin rocking our bus!”
Rely Leach amongst these awed by Mike the Tiger — and the complete expertise.
I bear in mind being there in 2007 when Florida and Tim Tebow got here into Dying Valley on a Saturday evening for a top-10 showdown. Les Miles went for it 5 instances on fourth down and his group — and their trustworthy — had his again each step of the way in which for a come-from-behind 28-24 win. It was a document crowd on the time of 92,910. It seemed like twice as many individuals have been packed in there at a stadium that now holds greater than 100,000.
There was additionally the legendary Earthquake Sport in 1988. Technically, there have been fewer than 80,000 followers in there to see LSU upset Auburn, 7-6. However a seismograph registered an earthquake after Tommy Hodson linked on a fourth-down TD cross with lower than two minutes to play.
I requested former LSU staffer and longtime Louisiana media member Derek Ponamsky concerning the loudest he’s ever heard the place for a recreation, and he mentioned it was in 2019 when one other Florida group, ranked No. 6, visited.
“That recreation was insane from the second we stepped off the bus,” he mentioned. “Ja’Marr (Chase’s) TD and our cease on fourth down within the pink zone was nearly nearly as good because the Earthquake Sport or Rueben Randle’s catch and run in 2010 in opposition to Alabama. However that stadium was a jet engine for six hours. It was LOUD earlier than they even took the sphere. ‘Faculty Gameday’ on campus. It was electrical.”
Should you meet somebody who has by no means been round school soccer however desires the complete expertise, there is just one place they should go to get it on full blast: LSU’s Dying Valley.
2. Alabama: Bryant-Denny Stadium
My favourite go to right here was for the 2010 Iron Bowl — the Cam Newton recreation. There was a ton of drama surrounding Auburn and Newton that season primarily based on the NCAA’s investigation into his recruitment.
Within the wake of this recreation, an Alabama staffer was let go due to their resolution to play the Steve Miller Band tune “Take the Cash and Run” over the stadium sound system throughout warmups. It solely added to the raucous vitality within the constructing that day. The Tide jumped all around the Tigers early, going up 24-0, however Newton was Superman that season. He led Auburn to a 28-27 comeback win, snapping a 20-game dwelling win streak for the Crimson Tide.
Bama additionally deserves lots of credit score for ratcheting up the stadium vitality with the lights, audio and video boards they’ve added over time. It might really feel like a reasonably mind-scrambling expertise once they acquired rolling.
3. Penn State: Beaver Stadium
The Nittany Lions’ White Out video games are deafening. Penn State normally saves it for the hardest matchup of the season, though with Fox’s current “Large Midday” technique factoring into Large Ten scheduling, generally it doesn’t find yourself that approach.
The Nittany Lions have gained six of their previous seven prime-time White Outs, with six of these being in opposition to ranked opponents — together with the 2016 win over No. 2 Ohio State. The lone defeat was in opposition to No. 4 Ohio State by one level, 27-26, in 2018. Final yr, Penn State shut out No. 24 Iowa, 31-0.
However I can converse from expertise that it’s not simply the White Outs that make this place particular. The ambiance final November when No. 3 Michigan visited Completely satisfied Valley was the loudest midday kickoff recreation I can bear in mind within the final decade — louder than another “Large Midday” recreation I’ve been at — with nearly 111,000 folks in attendance. Michigan, which had probably the most skilled group within the nation in 2023, did win that recreation, 24-15.
4. Ohio State: Ohio Stadium
The Buckeyes have been the Large Ten’s most dominant program for a very long time now, so whoever reveals up normally is dealing with a stacked group with a extra proficient roster. Nonetheless, the Horseshoe is a towering constructing that feels a lot completely different, and extra intimidating, than the Large Home at archrival Michigan. The group is available in prepared to interrupt its opponent early and appears shocked if there’s something aside from a dominant Buckeyes exhibiting.
5. Virginia Tech: Lane Stadium*
The asterisk is right here as a result of I’m pondering of what this place has been prior to now, not essentially what it’s been lately. I get it. The outcomes not too long ago point out in any other case. As colleague Pete Sampson famous, The Hokies are 2-10 at dwelling in opposition to Prime 25 groups prior to now decade, however when the Hokies are taking part in nicely, this place is exclusive. I’ve been right here for a number of Hokies beatdowns of top-10 groups the place the place rocks. It has some Tiger Stadium vibes to it, and there’s one thing particular to it as nicely.
It solely takes the primary two seconds of “Enter Sandman” to play and I get goosebumps. It occurs each time, much more than a decade later. It instantly takes me again to how Lane Stadium comes alive like no different venue, another way than Camp Randall Stadium and “Leap Round.” That’s frenzied; that is extra ominous.
It additionally completely match with their fashion of play. Primarily based totally on their vaunted particular groups, but in addition their aggressive protection, the Hokies have been school soccer’s preeminent sudden-change/quick-strike group. It typically felt like they have been one massive swing away from turning the sport round or blowing it open.
There was a decade-plus of Hokie magic from the late ’90s into the 2000s within the peak Frank Beamer days the place Lane was a chamber of horrors. In 1999, Virginia Tech confronted three Prime 25 groups — Syracuse, Miami and Boston Faculty — and outscored them by a mixed 143-24 at dwelling. In 2002, Tech smashed Nick Saban’s No. 14 LSU squad, 26-8. The subsequent yr, a top-10 Hokies group hammered No. 2 Miami, 31-7. In 2004, the Hokies beat No. 6 West Virginia. In 2005, they beat up on No. 15 Georgia Tech and No. 13 Boston Faculty by a mixed rating of 81-17. In 2009, Lane Stadium hosted successive top-20 wins over Nebraska and Miami.
If Brent Pry can get the Hokies rolling once more, Lane will turn into an opponent’s worst nightmare.
6. Florida: Ben Hill Griffin Stadium
In my expertise, The Swamp isn’t fairly within the class with LSU and Bama, however it’s proper there with Tennessee and Georgia in terms of a big-time, true SEC heavyweight experiences. Being there within the ’90s within the Steve Spurrier days to see the Gators face FSU and Bobby Bowden was implausible.
7. Tennessee: Neyland Stadium
In my first journey to Knoxville, I noticed Tennessee play Georgia within the late ’90s. The Vols have been actually rolling again then, and I acquired to be on the sphere in the long run zone behind the Dawgs’ offense once they have been backed up inside their very own 10. I couldn’t even hear the particular person subsequent to me. It was a sea of orange, and it’s straightforward to see why so many Prime 25 groups have gotten thumped there over time when UT was using excessive. Georgia was No. 13 that day and misplaced to the Vols, 38-13.
Autzen Stadium punches above its weight in crowd noise. (Tom Hauck / Getty Photographs)
8. Oregon: Autzen Stadium
I bear in mind one rival staffer telling me that they have to pump in noise in follow the week earlier than they face the Geese. It doesn’t appear to be a spot that measurement — seating 54,000 — might be that loud. It simply didn’t make sense to him. However in a matchup of high 10 groups, the Geese pounded their guests by nearly three touchdowns.
Autzen Stadium can also be a spot the place you may see nearly each form of climate conceivable in the identical day. Oregon has been nice there for a very long time and has defeated 31 of its previous 32 opponents at Autzen.
9. Georgia: Sanford Stadium
I bear in mind seeing a very good Boise State group are available there ranked No. 18 in opposition to No. 13 Georgia in 2005. The Broncos simply got here unglued and appeared overwhelmed, dropping 48-13. It was 38-0 earlier than the Broncos settled down. Jared Zabransky, who was a very good QB for Boise State, had his first two passes intercepted and turned it over six instances within the first half.
It doesn’t really feel prefer it’s been any simpler for guests now that the Dawgs are much more proficient. UGA has gained 13 consecutive video games in opposition to Prime 25 opponents at Sanford Stadium.
10. Texas A&M: Kyle Discipline
I’ve been there when the press field shakes. Kyle Discipline is an superior constructing that will get actually, actually loud, and opponents complain that their sidelines scent like horse manure. My first journey for a recreation was Johnny Manziel’s debut in opposition to Florida. He was dynamic. The constructing shook. A&M misplaced, although. That’s why Kyle Discipline will not be greater on my record, even when it’s No. 1 in EA Sports activities’ rankings.
When A&M has been actually good, the Aggies have nonetheless struggled at dwelling greater than they need to. Manziel led them to a win at Bryant-Denny Stadium in 2012, however the subsequent yr, as wild because it felt to be in Kyle Discipline for the rematch, A&M misplaced.
(Prime picture: Jonathan Bachman / Getty Photographs)
