The blowback from EA Sports’ announcement of the 25 toughest places to play in college football for the upcoming video game, College Football 25, is sure to be strong.
Louder than some of the stadiums listed, that’s for sure.
As part of the week-long reveals, which will also include the game’s top offenses and defenses on Thursday and overall team power rankings on Friday, Tuesday’s reveal shed another intriguing piece of information about the title, which is set to release on December 19. July. It will be the first game in the series since NCAA Football ’14.
Texas A&M’s Kyle Field tops EA Sports’ list, with Alabama’s Bryant-Denny Stadium right behind. And yet, those are just two of the missteps on the list of 25.
First the formalities. Here are the official rankings released Tuesday, followed by our highlights:
UNIVERSITY FOOTBALL 25:EA Sports released a video of the game. When does the game come out?
The toughest places to play in college football (EA Sports list)
LSU, Tiger Stadium should be number 1
This isn’t a knock on A&M or Alabama, but when many people think about the college football scene, it starts with Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge at night.
First, there’s the unique aesthetic: Tiger Stadium is the only major venue that marks the yard lines at five instead of ten. Plus, it features arguably the best midfield logo in all of football, a purple and gold tiger’s eye, which stares into the television camera during overhead shots.
Oh yeah, and as for the noise? The stadium is often recorded on a seismograph, including the matchup against Auburn in 1988 known as “the Earthquake Game.”
Michigan should be No. 2, Penn State No. 3, Texas A&M No. 4
Hey, sometimes numbers matter. And the fact of the matter is that Michigan and Penn State are the two largest college football stadiums in the United States in terms of capacity.
And given this, A&M is not far behind. But no team has been better at home than Michigan over the past three years at 22-0. Penn State is 17-4 in that stretch and A&M is 16-5, for what it’s worth.
Michigan Stadium at number 16 is an absolute atrocity. And while Beaver Stadium at No. 6 is a slight snub in comparison, these two Big Ten venues are as good as it gets.
Tennessee, Neyland Stadium up to No. 6
Speaking of numbers, Tennessee’s Neyland Stadium ranks fifth on that capacity list and the Volunteers’ home win over Alabama two seasons ago was a reminder of what Knoxville is capable of when it supports a good team.
The number 13 is too low here.
As for Florida State at No. 9, Florida at No. 10?
Didn’t Florida State beat Florida in Gainesville last year? Without your starting quarterback?
Yes, we’re fine with these Sunshine State rivals in this order, for now.
Oklahoma Memorial Stadium outside, Clemson, Oregon in top 10
Oklahoma’s loudest crowd each year is probably at a neutral site: the Cotton Bowl, for the annual Red River Rivalry.
Sure, Clemson hasn’t lived up to the national championship game in recent seasons, but Death Valley and the entire Howard’s Rock tradition are still among the best and loudest in college football. And Autzen, while a bit lacking compared to the numbers, features an amphitheater-like shape to channel noise directly into the field.
The Ducks are 19-1 at home since 2021.
Biggest Snub: Nebraska, Memorial Stadium
OK, we get that Nebraska hasn’t exactly been a world champion in recent years, but Memorial Stadium is the 14th largest in college football.
No, size is not everything. But the Cornhuskers have sold out a whopping 396 consecutive home games. Three-nine-six! That’s the longest streak in any college sport.
This is a place that borders on the top 10. Not having it in the top 25 is crazy.
A Group of Five trade: Boise State out, Appalachian State in
There was a time when Boise and Smurf Country were a no-brainer on this list.
But maybe not so much now. Attendance at these two stadiums was fairly similar in 2023, with Boise averaging 35,867 and Appalachian State averaging 34,734. But maybe it was College GameDay’s visit last season, or the fact that the Mountaineers are 16-3 in Boone, North Carolina over the last three years, but they feel like they belong.
Get ’em out of here: Michigan State, Arkansas, Mississippi State
Again, if this game had been made three years ago, we might be willing to write off the Spartans.
Arkansas lost at home to Liberty in 2022 in the game that SEC apologists like to pretend and convince never happened. And yes, they use cowbells in Starkville, we get it.
We’d also argue that Davis Wade Stadium isn’t even the toughest venue in the Magnolia State, and Spartan Stadium certainly takes a back seat on America’s list.
Bring ’em: BYU, Oklahoma State
Seriously, if you haven’t, just do a quick internet search for LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo, Utah.
We rest our case. Additionally, Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater, Oklahoma, is one of the Big 12 Conference’s few underrated gems along with Kansas State and Iowa State. The Cowboys are 19-2 over the last three seasons and the fans banging on the walls with paddles also add a unique element.
The 25 Most Difficult Places to Play in College Football Corrected
We’ve made our cases for quite a few of these and obviously there’s no exact science.
But for the sake of argument, here’s how we think EA Sports’ rankings should have changed:
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