The wait is over — college football season is finally here!
Football games have become a rite of passage for students. Saturday home games are marked by packed parking lots, portable grills, and crowded seas of school colors and mascots. And the experience isn’t limited to current students — alumni near and far often travel to a game to relive their glory days.
Besides the act of attending a college football game, several factors can enhance the experience: from campus scenery and football success to the size of the stadium and the quality of surrounding bars and restaurants. To analyze these factors and more, The Washington Post sports staff voted on their favorite towns and also considered geography and conference parity. The analysis also used statistics from last year’s football season.
Which college football towns ranked the best? One Texas town made the list, and you can probably guess which.
The Texas capital is known for many things, like its live music scene, tech industry and its slogan “Keep Austin Weird.” But few things can get Austinites riled up like Longhorns football.
While DKR’s capacity is roughly twice the student body, the massive sea of burnt orange on game days explains the necessity of the massive stadium. Hours before kickoff, fans sporting Western wear gather for drinking games, live music and barbecue.
“It’s all very Texas, but nothing tops the moment before kickoff arrives when the marching band strikes up and everyone sticks a hand in the air, pinkie and index finger raised for the international sign of Hook ’Em, and sings in unison, ‘The Eyes of Texas,’ in a big, undulating, burnt orange tide,” The Post’s Ava Wallace writes.
No. 1: Madison, Wisconsin
No. 2: Baton Rouge, Louisiana
No. 3: Ann Arbor, Michigan
No. 5: Clemson, South Carolina
No. 7: South Bend, Indiana
No. 10: Fargo, North Dakota