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For the past several years, the SEC has led the nation in attendance by consistently having more than one million fans pass through its gates every year. No conference has better fans or venues in which to watch a game.
Having had the opportunity to visit almost all of the stadiums, here is a ranking of the venues of SEC teams by division.
SEC East
1. Neyland Stadium (University of Tennessee)
This is the biggest SEC Stadium and, depending on which way the wind is blowing, in some years the biggest stadium in the country.
There is nothing more entertaining than listening to 100,000 people sing "Rocky Top" in unison.
Lose a game at UT as a visitor, and I promise you too will know all the words. Plus, at UT you can tailgate in a boat as part of the Volunteer Navy. That, like the Vols, is hard to beat.
2. Ben Hill-Griffin Stadium (University of Florida)
I think this and Sanford Stadium are interchangeable in the Eastern division rankings.
I'll give Florida the edge, though, because it has a great nickname in "The Swamp."
Watching Florida fans do the Gator Chomp before a kickoff is pretty impressive. It's also a good site to see the Gator faithful enjoy "We are the Boys" before the Fourth Quarter of games.
3. Sanford Stadium (University of Georgia)
My alma mater! Here's a confession of a UGA alum: Georgia's fan base is a pretty wine and cheese crowd at home games.
The fans are a little too reactive and not very proactive.
However, the stadium is beautiful and the atmosphere at UGA games is great.
Last year for the "blackout" game against Auburn was as great a home crowd as you could ever want.
The stadium boasts the nation's best live mascot, Uga, and also a graveyard for his predecessors. Okay, I can admit: that's a little creepy.
4. Williams-Brice Stadium (University of South Carolina)
South Carolina by far has the best fans in the country. Hands down, no questions asked.
The Gamecocks have never won a conference championship, but their fans continuously show up in droves of more than 80,000 at every home game in Columbia.
Watching the Gamecocks come out to 2000: A Space Odyssey is a must-see for any fan. The only drawback is that the stadium is not on campus, so it doesn't have the appeal to the eye that some of the other stadiums do.
5. Commonwealth Stadium (University of Kentucky)
This is a beautiful stadium, too. However, it's the second-smallest in the division and thus gets the next-to-last ranking.
6. Vanderbilt Stadium (Vanderbilt University)
This stadium isn't very great. It's a patchwork mess of metal bleachers and is generally inhabited by more visiting fans than home fans.
That said, it's in downtown Nashville and so it has a lot of nice things to look at...including Vandy co-eds. They got their daddy's money and their momma's good looks...
SEC West
1. Tiger Stadium (LSU)
This is a fantastic place to watch a game. While South Carolina may have the "best" fans, LSU has the most intense.
There is probably no louder stadium in the country than LSU at night. If you've never seen the tape of the "Earthquake Game", get on youtube and check it out immediately.
2. Bryant-Denny Stadium (University of Alabama)
Alabama is also a great place to watch a game. I went to a game in 2002 in Tuscaloosa and the fans were just amazing.
'Bama scored on a Charlie Peprah interception and I literally could not hear myself think. I thought that phrase only existed in theory, but it's actually true. When the PA plays "Sweet Home Alabama," it's amazing.
Side note: If you go to a game at Alabama, you may think Bear Bryant still coaches there. I googled it and apparently he does not.
3. Jordan-Hare Stadium (Auburn University)
This is also a great place to watch a game. Jordan-Hare is probably one of the more picturesque stadiums in the country along with Sanford Stadium.
The design is great and the fans are great. However, don't joke about rolling Toomer's Corner around Auburn fans if your team wins. I almost didn't make it out of there in 1996 or 2002.
4. Vaught-Hemingway Stadium (University of Mississippi)
The Grove is probably one of the best places to tailgate in all the country.
It's also a nice touch that Archie Manning's No. 18 serves as the speed limit around campus.
And, as noted above, Ole Miss has beautiful co-eds. The stadium isn't very big, however, and there's just not a whole lot to do in Oxford. It's a great town, though, and a must-do trip for any SEC fan.
5. Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium (University of Arkansas)
This stadium isn't as big and loud as most of the others and just doesn't have the great feel that some of the others do.
6. Scott Field (Mississippi State University)
I like Blue Oyster Cult as much as anyone, but I do not need more cowbell.
link
Having had the opportunity to visit almost all of the stadiums, here is a ranking of the venues of SEC teams by division.
SEC East
1. Neyland Stadium (University of Tennessee)
This is the biggest SEC Stadium and, depending on which way the wind is blowing, in some years the biggest stadium in the country.
There is nothing more entertaining than listening to 100,000 people sing "Rocky Top" in unison.
Lose a game at UT as a visitor, and I promise you too will know all the words. Plus, at UT you can tailgate in a boat as part of the Volunteer Navy. That, like the Vols, is hard to beat.
2. Ben Hill-Griffin Stadium (University of Florida)
I think this and Sanford Stadium are interchangeable in the Eastern division rankings.
I'll give Florida the edge, though, because it has a great nickname in "The Swamp."
Watching Florida fans do the Gator Chomp before a kickoff is pretty impressive. It's also a good site to see the Gator faithful enjoy "We are the Boys" before the Fourth Quarter of games.
3. Sanford Stadium (University of Georgia)
My alma mater! Here's a confession of a UGA alum: Georgia's fan base is a pretty wine and cheese crowd at home games.
The fans are a little too reactive and not very proactive.
However, the stadium is beautiful and the atmosphere at UGA games is great.
Last year for the "blackout" game against Auburn was as great a home crowd as you could ever want.
The stadium boasts the nation's best live mascot, Uga, and also a graveyard for his predecessors. Okay, I can admit: that's a little creepy.
4. Williams-Brice Stadium (University of South Carolina)
South Carolina by far has the best fans in the country. Hands down, no questions asked.
The Gamecocks have never won a conference championship, but their fans continuously show up in droves of more than 80,000 at every home game in Columbia.
Watching the Gamecocks come out to 2000: A Space Odyssey is a must-see for any fan. The only drawback is that the stadium is not on campus, so it doesn't have the appeal to the eye that some of the other stadiums do.
5. Commonwealth Stadium (University of Kentucky)
This is a beautiful stadium, too. However, it's the second-smallest in the division and thus gets the next-to-last ranking.
6. Vanderbilt Stadium (Vanderbilt University)
This stadium isn't very great. It's a patchwork mess of metal bleachers and is generally inhabited by more visiting fans than home fans.
That said, it's in downtown Nashville and so it has a lot of nice things to look at...including Vandy co-eds. They got their daddy's money and their momma's good looks...
SEC West
1. Tiger Stadium (LSU)
This is a fantastic place to watch a game. While South Carolina may have the "best" fans, LSU has the most intense.
There is probably no louder stadium in the country than LSU at night. If you've never seen the tape of the "Earthquake Game", get on youtube and check it out immediately.
2. Bryant-Denny Stadium (University of Alabama)
Alabama is also a great place to watch a game. I went to a game in 2002 in Tuscaloosa and the fans were just amazing.
'Bama scored on a Charlie Peprah interception and I literally could not hear myself think. I thought that phrase only existed in theory, but it's actually true. When the PA plays "Sweet Home Alabama," it's amazing.
Side note: If you go to a game at Alabama, you may think Bear Bryant still coaches there. I googled it and apparently he does not.
3. Jordan-Hare Stadium (Auburn University)
This is also a great place to watch a game. Jordan-Hare is probably one of the more picturesque stadiums in the country along with Sanford Stadium.
The design is great and the fans are great. However, don't joke about rolling Toomer's Corner around Auburn fans if your team wins. I almost didn't make it out of there in 1996 or 2002.
4. Vaught-Hemingway Stadium (University of Mississippi)
The Grove is probably one of the best places to tailgate in all the country.
It's also a nice touch that Archie Manning's No. 18 serves as the speed limit around campus.
And, as noted above, Ole Miss has beautiful co-eds. The stadium isn't very big, however, and there's just not a whole lot to do in Oxford. It's a great town, though, and a must-do trip for any SEC fan.
5. Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium (University of Arkansas)
This stadium isn't as big and loud as most of the others and just doesn't have the great feel that some of the others do.
6. Scott Field (Mississippi State University)
I like Blue Oyster Cult as much as anyone, but I do not need more cowbell.
link