Ranking the stadiums for the 2024 college football preseason top-25 teams

We’re just days away from the opening of the 2024 college football season (no disrespect to Week 0), which means all the tradition of college football Saturdays is finally back.

Plus, who could forget the stadiums?

In the the global sports landscape, college football is truly unique where entire communities pack stadiums (sometimes exceeding crowds of 100,000) to watch amateur games. Many of college football’s programs boast world-class stadiums that fans from all over the country only dream of visiting.

That brings us to this list where we are re-ranking the preseason USA TODAY US LBM Coaches Poll by stadiums. Unlike our MLB and NFL stadiums rankings — which offered first-hand experience from almost every stadium — there are so many college football venues that we haven’t experienced yet. So, that’s exactly what the judging metric will be based off of here:

The stadiums that we want to go to (or return to) the most.

Here’s how it turned out.

25. Kansas - David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium

Technically, Kansas' stadium shouldn't be ranked at all in this list because it is currently a construction zone. The Jayhawks will play most of their home games this season at the Chiefs' Arrowhead Stadium (along with a couple early season games at Sporting KC's Children's Mercy Park). Lance Leipold's miraculous turnaround helped invigorate the fan base to the point that Phase 1 of the long-needed new stadium is set to be ready for 2025.

24. Kansas State - Bill Snyder Family Stadium

I have been to Manhattan many times, and I can’t imagine myself voluntarily going back for any reason. The stadium is fine, and K-State has invested in its facilities over the years. But it’s certainly not nice enough to convince me to take a flight from Phoenix to Kansas City and drive another two hours.

23. Arizona - Arizona Stadium

Despite Arizona's recent success rebuilding the football program, football game days in Tucson are still lacking behind the basketball atmosphere. Students tend to stay for the first half before leaving to enjoy Arizona's college experience. The school was nearing renovation plans before COVID put that on hold, so we'll see if Brent Brennan can build on Jedd Fisch's momentum and bring on more facility work.

22. NC State - Carter-Finley Stadium

NC State football has never been a bucket-list destination, but Carter-Finley Stadium did look incredible for the NHL's Stadium Series. So, there's that.

21. USC - Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum

The L.A. Coliseum is one of the few stadiums on this list that I have actually been to, and it’s not a place that has me rushing to go back — even after the renovations. That being said, the games against Penn State and Notre Dame should be incredible there. And the new club amenities look phenomenal if you can afford to enjoy them. Los Angeles is one of my favorite cities to visit -- just not for college football.

20. Texas A&M - Kyle Field

Kyle Field is a needlessly large stadium for a football program that hasn’t won its conference title since 1998. Watching mediocrity with 102,000 other people sounds exhausting, to be honest.

19. Missouri - Faurot Field

While I haven't made a visit to Mizzou since the move to the SEC, Faurot Field has always been a solid place to watch football. There's not really a bad seat -- unless you're stuck sitting on a bunch of rocks behind the end zone. And the school is consistently making improvements to the stadium itself. A major renovation is already in the works.

18. Miami - Hard Rock Stadium

Hard Rock Stadium is a beautiful venue for NFL games and major sporting events (besides the ones organized by CONMEBOL), but it's not a great fit for the Miami Hurricanes. Even when Miami is a contender -- which hasn't been recently -- the team rarely sells out the stadium. But hey, it's still Miami. There are certainly worse places to watch college football.

17. Utah - Rice-Eccles Stadium

For a state with draconian laws about alcohol consumption, Utah manages to have one of the more underrated environments in college football. Plus, there’s no denying that the mountain backdrop looks awesome. Big 12 fans should absolutely look to make a trip there.

16. Florida State - Doak Campbell Stadium

When Florida State is good and not losing in Dublin, I'd imagine that Doak Campbell Stadium is a great place to spend a college football Saturday. Just get me a seat under the awning at the Champions Club because the rest of the stands is basically metal bleachers with no seatbacks. In the Sunshine State? That’s asking for trouble. A renovation is also set to be done for next season.

15. Iowa - Kinnick Stadium

Iowa football itself won't electrify anyone with its play, but Kinnick Stadium has one of the Big Ten's more underrated atmospheres. Plus, it is home to arguably the coolest tradition in college football: The Hawkeye Wave.

14. Oklahoma - Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium

Honestly, the stadium looks incredible, and Norman lives for college football. We’re at the point in the list where the separation between the stadiums is pretty slim. I just don’t want to hear “Boomer Sooner” 200 times in three hours. SEC fans should get used to that.

13. Tennessee - Neyland Stadium

I’ve enjoyed all my trips to Knoxville, and Neyland Stadium seems like the kind of stadium that will make your jaw drop. Tennessee is even planning major renovations on the stadium for the next few years because of course they are. There’s always room to make a stadium bigger and better in the SEC.

12. Oklahoma State - Boone Pickens Stadium

Admittedly, the last time I went to Boone Pickens Stadium, it was among the newest stadiums in college football. The facility and atmosphere were super impressive at the time, so I'd be curious to see how it's held up the past 12 years. The school completed a $55 million renovation of the stadium this offseason as well.

11. Clemson - Clemson Memorial Stadium

Seeing the players enter the field from The Hill is one of the cooler traditions in college football, and it has to be a thrill to see it in person. The stadium itself will likely feel more modern with the renovation phases completed.

10. Notre Dame - Notre Dame Stadium

You don’t even have to be a college football fan to know that seeing a game at Notre Dame Stadium is bucket-list worthy.

9. Michigan - Michigan Stadium

It’s just a preposterous amount of people in a single stadium. It’s been 17 years since my visit to the Big House for a game, and I’d love to see how the renovations have changed the feel of the stadium. Game days in Ann Arbor are also tough to beat.

8. Texas - Darrell K. Royal Texas Memorial Stadium

Texas is constantly putting money into the stadium, and while most fans are still stuck with metal bleachers, DKR Memorial Stadium is an elite venue. Austin might have changed a ton over the years, but Texas football game days remain fantastic.

7. Penn State - Beaver Stadium

Another stadium that I have been to in person, and I’d absolutely love to go back. It checks all the boxes: impressive (and HUGE) stadium, game-day atmosphere, college town and passion. Beaver Stadium is worth visiting.

6. Ohio State - Ohio Stadium

Like I mentioned earlier, the separation between these stadiums is so small that you could basically interchange any of the top 10. The Horseshoe is what comes to mind when many people think of iconic college football stadiums. It’s a place that every college football fan should try to experience in person.

5. Georgia - Sanford Stadium

It’s among the more picturesque stadiums in the country — fall Saturdays between the hedges. And with Georgia looking to win three titles in four seasons, the atmosphere in Athens is guaranteed to be electric.

4. Ole Miss - Vaught Hemingway Stadium

I’ve heard legendary things about The Grove on game days at Ole Miss. I wouldn’t care if the stadium was 10 rows of bleachers in a public park — it would still be top five because of The Grove.

3. LSU - Tiger Stadium

I know that this isn’t a tailgating list, but if you’ve ever seen videos of the pregame food scene at LSU, you’d understand. Plus, there’s the whole “Saturday Night at Death Valley” thing. I must experience all of that.

2. Oregon - Autzen Stadium

It’s architecturally unique, loud and I’m partial to the Pacific Northwest. Other stadiums are larger, but Autzen Stadium is among the best venues that college football has to offer. We'll certainly see that on display when Ohio State travels to Eugene on Oct. 12. The new Big Ten is going to be wild.

1. Alabama - Bryant-Denny Stadium

Alabama is like a ridiculously rich person who loves hosting parties for 100,000 friends. Bryant-Denny Stadium is that mansion. Who is going to say no to a party at a mansion? Exactly. But for real, this is an iconic stadium that is constantly getting improved. They’re never satisfied at Alabama, and it shows (in a good way). We'll have to see if all that remains true in the post-Nick Saban era.

This article originally appeared on For The Win: Ranking the stadiums for the 2024 college football preseason top-25 teams