Top 25 Toughest Football Stadiums

[Junkman]

Well look at little ol' us. We made the top 25 toughest stadium list with our mear 42,000 seater. The next smallest was in the mid 50's, then Morgantown in the 60's. But everything else was 80's 90's, and over a hundred thousand seater's. How can you possibly have a view of anything at the top of a hundred thousand plus seat stadium?

Here's a shot:



You can view the complete list here: http://sports.espn.go.com/videogames/index

Look for the top 25 stadium link.

[Empire Lindy]

I saw this a couple of days ago, but figured I would let the gamers post it. I would even argue for us being ahead of a few of those teams that currently rank above us. Clemson? South Carolina? How can you have a tough stadium if you are 9-4 and 8-7 respectively over the past two seasons? It would sure appear to me that teams aren't having a real tough time coming in and getting a W from you. You could argue that South Carolina is playing a bunch of Top 25 teams at home, but I seem to remember a pair of Top 15 teams coming into PJCS last year and leaving with pretty significant losses.

[Junkman]

I'd have to agree with you on that. We lost the first game in the "Oven" and haven't lost since. That's got to be intimidating for any team coming here, especially if they "accidentally" stomp on the Cardinal!

[Empire Lindy]

Well that's not QUITE true. We lost to Memphis in 2003. That beat-down still stings, and not just because it was so d@mn cold that afternoon. We have also lost to TCU, Cincinnati, ECU, Southern Miss, Oklahoma, and Illinois... most of those in John L's first two seasons.

[bling49]

Is this top 25 in the video game realm or real world?

[Judge Dredd]

I think what the game uses is crowd noise as its biggest deciding factor. Sometimes the way stadiums are built, even places like Papa Johns can sound like their is 90,000 people in the place. Why that is I dont know. But I do know that of all the places that I have seen football games in, without a doubt, the Swamp in Gainesville, Florida is the Loudest, and by far the toughest place to play for two reasons.

The fans are relentless, and that Florida humidity will get you almost everytime. Not an easy place to go to and get a win, especially if you play them in the middle of the day or early afternoon

[jeshelton]

I saw this a couple of days ago, but figured I would let the gamers post it. I would even argue for us being ahead of a few of those teams that currently rank above us. Clemson? South Carolina? How can you have a tough stadium if you are 9-4 and 8-7 respectively over the past two seasons? It would sure appear to me that teams aren't having a real tough time coming in and getting a W from you. You could argue that South Carolina is playing a bunch of Top 25 teams at home, but I seem to remember a pair of Top 15 teams coming into PJCS last year and leaving with pretty significant losses.



Are you serious about the Clemson and S Carolina remark there? Do you realize that football is a religion in the South? It doesn't matter how bad the teams are, those stadiums are packed and pumping every single Saturday in the Fall. There are only a few things that people get fired up about in South Carolina and college football are numbers one two and three.

[Junkman]

Originally Posted by Empire Lindy

Well that's not QUITE true. We lost to Memphis in 2003. That beat-down still stings, and not just because it was so d@mn cold that afternoon. We have also lost to TCU, Cincinnati, ECU, Southern Miss, Oklahoma, and Illinois... most of those in John L's first two seasons.

Well ain't that a whippin'! I didn't realize that we've lost at Papa John's to anyone except UK! Wow, that's a shocker for me because I don't remember any of those loses. I must be in denial.

[bling49]

TCU-Ladanlian Tomlinson probably killed us, I dont remember.They had a very good QB too but I dont remember his name.

Cincinnati-QB Gino Guidugli had a couple big games against us in his 4 years but I didnt recall losing to UC either.

ECU-QB Davaid Garrard & RB Leonard Henry were playing great their senior year. I think ECU was a top 25 team most of the year and henry led the nation in yards per carry. Louisville Backup QB Mike Watkins came into this game I dont remember if Ragone went down or was already hurt and Watkins started but he played a very good game, except for one INT, for U of L and almost won this one I think it was 28-25. I remember having to leave the house and catching the end of this one on the radio. Watkins almost made the Redskins roster, then player for Barcelona and also in camp with the Carolina Panthers and I think some arena ball before he gave up on football.

Southern Miss-We had this one won. I won tickets to this game and it was homecoming. Cards were up and all we had to do was keep SMU from getting a first down and we could run out the clock. We had them deep in their end of the field and it was 4th and long. They either ran a fake punt -or- a hail mary and got the first down. They continued the drive and we couldnt stop them. They scored, we got the ball back. All we needed was a field goal and I think David Akers was our kicker, is that right? Redman threw an INT, then SMU ran the clock out on us.

Illinois- This one was just embarassing. I think Kurt Kitner threw 5 TD passes on us. We were still a "win by shootout" team then and we lost this one.

Oklahoma-I honestly dont remember this one either. I'm sure we scheduled this one when Howard was the coach but by the time we played it he was gone.

[Junkman]

Originally Posted by bling49

Southern Miss-We had this one won. I won tickets to this game and it was homecoming. Cards were up and all we had to do was keep SMU from getting a first down and we could run out the clock. We had them deep in their end of the field and it was 4th and long. They either ran a fake punt -or- a hail mary and got the first down. They continued the drive and we couldnt stop them. They scored, we got the ball back. All we needed was a field goal and I think David Akers was our kicker, is that right? Redman threw an INT, then SMU ran the clock out on us.

Now I remember this game vividly, but I don't remember it being at Papa Johns. I thought this was at the old stadium. But what happened was Southern Miss lined up to run a 4th down play. If we hold them, we run out the clock, win the division, and go to the Liberty Bowl. If not, Southern Miss wins it all and goes to the Liberty Bowl and we end up at the Toe Jam and Butt Juice Bowl.

They line up (because of where the ball is placed by the ref) off center on the field so there's all kinds of room for them to run a sweep to the other side. As their quarterback walks up to the center, the whole Southern Miss team kinda stands up and looks toward their coach. Then, one of their wide receivers runs over to the sideline as if the coach had called him over. He never steps off the field, and he and the coach start a conversation. In the mean time, the Louisville players stand up to see what the delay is. Suddenly, the receiver takes off running up the field. The center hikes the ball before the receiver crosses the line of scrimmage, and their quarter back hits him for a first down and then some. The Louisville players don't realize what has happened until too late.

After that I don't remember what else happened because I shot my TV or something. The game was lost and Southern Miss was celebrating. I think I went next door and shot my neighbor's TV also. I was pissed. I'll never forget the way that game ended. It was the sweetest trick play I had even seen, so devious that I thought it should have been illegal. They got us and they got us good. That's why the year we beat them and knocked them out of the Liberty Bowl (which put us in), I was thinking "sweet revenge". You know, come to think of it, maybe that was Papa Johns because I remember that stupid look John L. had on his face. That stupid "damn, I've been out-coached again" look.

Good ol' conference USA memories. NOT!