SoCon Venue Ranking

[Pwns]

http://www.southernpigskin.com/index.ph ... e_ranking/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I like SP's SoCon stuff, but I think El Cid got snubbed here. They're usually in the top four in attendance and though they haven't had nearly as many wins as Wofford and Elon recently, it's a tough place to play. GSU has not had many easy wins there, even in the best of times and I know some of App. State's better teams have struggled there sometimes as well.

Also, I agree that as a facility KBS is better than Paulson, but come on...App's 30-game winning streak in Boone was good, but GSU had a 39 game winning streak, and not to mention 27 straight playoff wins at home before even losing our first playoff game at home.

[ASUG8]

Agreed on the Citadel getting snubbed - it was a great environment went we went last year.

There are so many intangibles to any of these rankings so you have to take them with a grain of salt. Elon and ASU probably have the freshest coats of paint on them right now and have been ranked highly for the past couple of years so they're getting recognition. Gibbs and Paladin are both great stadiums, although the rain at both last season probably kept the home fans from coming out in force. I need to get to Statesboro and Chatty at some point as well.

[OL FU]

I agree with the comments on the Citadel and I sure they were left off because of their overall win loss record. Basically they picked the four best teams in recent SoCon history and added in GSU because, well because Paulson deserves the honor.

I think Elon's rise to the top of the SoCon has been too short to really measure the impact of their stadium.

From a Furman perspective, Johnson Hagood is much more daunting a challenge than Gibbs. Just an FU fans two cents.

[youngterrier]

From a Terrier perspective, Johnson Hagood hasn't been intimidating since the Clinton Administration

[OL FU]

From a Terrier perspective, Johnson Hagood hasn't been intimidating since the Clinton Administration

[ASUG8]

From a Terrier perspective, Johnson Hagood hasn't been intimidating since the Clinton Administration

Maybe ESPN will televise the WoCo/ASU game in Boone again this season - worked out pretty well last time.....

[citdog]

From a Terrier perspective, Johnson Hagood hasn't been intimidating since the Clinton Administration

don't you have a curfew youngster?

[JConnolly]

I've only been to Wofford, Furman and Elon, but they are all nice. I'm going to go to App, and probably El Cid this year. Woffords was cool, and pretty crowded for a rainy day and an injury plagued team last year. and I'd put them at 4th and move Elon to 5th. Rhodes is alright, but its not that good. The new fieldhouse is coming along pretty good, and that should make the stadium better. Furman's stadium was really nice. The home side was really big, and it's definitely my favorite that I've been to as of right now.

[bucs90]

Johnson Hagood is tougher when it's hot. The Charleston heat/humidity is crippling sometimes. Nothing worse than heat and a loud crowd.

My Buccaneers finally pulled a win out there in 06, then lost in 07 and we got taken off the schedule. Shouldnt have, CSU vs Citadel should be an annual cross town game.

[OL FU]

Johnson Hagood is tougher when it's hot. The Charleston heat/humidity is crippling sometimes. Nothing worse than heat and a loud crowd.

My Buccaneers finally pulled a win out there in 06, then lost in 07 and we got taken off the schedule. Shouldnt have, CSU vs Citadel should be an annual cross town game.

Just for discussion purposes, no. Only three out of conference games a year means very few teams should have an annual out of conference game and if the Citadel has one it should be with VMI for obvious reason.

Welcome to the board.

[bucs90]

Johnson Hagood is tougher when it's hot. The Charleston heat/humidity is crippling sometimes. Nothing worse than heat and a loud crowd.

My Buccaneers finally pulled a win out there in 06, then lost in 07 and we got taken off the schedule. Shouldnt have, CSU vs Citadel should be an annual cross town game.

Just for discussion purposes, no. Only three out of conference games a year means very few teams should have an annual out of conference game and if the Citadel has one it should be with VMI for obvious reason.

Welcome to the board.

You're right. With only 3 non-conference, it's hard to get the Citadel-CSU game annually. CSU because of it's southern baptist affiliation always hosts North Greenville College. And of course, the reality of 1-AA football these days is you have to play at least 1 maybe 2 1-A money games. So instead of having annual games vs local teams like Citadel and SC State like CSU once had, and was great for regional football fans, instead CSU is going to play Hawaii and Kentucky.

I get it. CSU has travelled to play Florida, Hawaii, Miami, South Florida in the last 3 years. It pays, and really especially the UF game, CSU gets a ton of exposure for recruiting.

But I can't help but wish for the local out of conference matchups. After all, CSU has played Wofford every year for the past 15 years I think. If Wofford, why not The Citadel? But I 100% think if The Citadel has any chance to schedule an extra OOC game, it should be VMI. That rivalry going away is a crime. PC vs Newberry not happening anymore is also.

[AppMan]

Don't see how Wofford made the cut. No band, no home fans, no concession stands (only a few tables and a county fair type corn dog trailer) on the opposite side, and most of all - no atmosphere. Kids sliding down the bank on cardboard boxes during the games just screams big time.

[youngterrier]

Don't see how Wofford made the cut. No band, no home fans, no concession stands (only a few tables and a county fair type corn dog trailer) on the opposite side, and most of all - no atmosphere. Kids sliding down the bank on cardboard boxes during the games just screams big time.

hell, the Citadel barely has bathrooms on their visitor's side.

I think I heard a rumor about a band, but I don't know that for certain.

We are constructing a video board

[Saint3333]

I've only attended the stadiums when they are playing ASU, but I'd rank the atmospheres as follows:

1. ASU - biased, but 25K+, student arive an hour+ before game time, tailgating is now the best in the SoCon, but for visitors it is likely the worst due to the lack of parking

2. GSU - tailgating is historically strong and fans are brutal (most in a good way)

3. Furman - with the exception of last year's "white out" they bring the fans and have a great place for visiting tailgating. Last year almost dropped them on my list, white out was a complete failure, looked more like a silver out with all the empty bleachers

4. WCU - may not be like this for all games, but for ASU they come out and party hard

5. Citadel - good tailgating and home side stadium is nice

6. Elon - another one that is getting good for ASU games at least

7. Wofford - no band, kids sliding on the bank seem to be the most excited fans in the stadium. They were crazy for the bball tourney - not sure the difference in the crowds. They only have 1,400 students so it really isn't fair for a ranking of this nature.

8. UTC - hopefully getting better, but you used to be able to park right beside the stadium 15 minutes before the games and maybe 4K people would attend.

9. Samford - N/A never been there.

[eagleskins]

Tailgating at Appy isn't even in the same stratosphere as Paulson.

[Skjellyfetti]

Tailgating at Appy isn't even in the same stratosphere as Paulson.

delusional.

[citdog]

Tailgating at Appy isn't even in the same stratosphere as Paulson.

delusional. Just like my thoughts on illegal mexicans.

very instructive

[OL FU]

I've only attended the stadiums when they are playing ASU, but I'd rank the atmospheres as follows:

1. ASU - biased, but 25K+, student arive an hour+ before game time, tailgating is now the best in the SoCon, but for visitors it is likely the worst due to the lack of parking

2. GSU - tailgating is historically strong and fans are brutal (most in a good way)

3. Furman - with the exception of last year's "white out" they bring the fans and have a great place for visiting tailgating. Last year almost dropped them on my list, white out was a complete failure, looked more like a silver out with all the empty bleachers

4. WCU - may not be like this for all games, but for ASU they come out and party hard

5. Citadel - good tailgating and home side stadium is nice

6. Elon - another one that is getting good for ASU games at least

7. Wofford - no band, kids sliding on the bank seem to be the most excited fans in the stadium. They were crazy for the bball tourney - not sure the difference in the crowds. They only have 1,400 students so it really isn't fair for a ranking of this nature.

8. UTC - hopefully getting better, but you used to be able to park right beside the stadium 15 minutes before the games and maybe 4K people would attend.

9. Samford - N/A never been there.

For the number of students we have and therefore the number of alums (especially when you consider the number of students that could care less), I have always been impressed with FUs support of the football team. But it has certainly waned in the last 5 years or so. Average attendance used to be 13-14K now down to probably around 10. Hoping the Paladins do something to wake up the crowd again.

[Saint3333]

Tailgating at Appy isn't even in the same stratosphere as Paulson.

delusional.

Eagleskins obviously hasn't been to an ASU-GSU game since 2003. Before 2005 no doubt GSU was best in the land. Now ASU's scene is best in show, although tailgating for visitors isn't as good due to parking restraints.

[ASUG8]

I've only attended the stadiums when they are playing ASU, but I'd rank the atmospheres as follows:

1. ASU - biased, but 25K+, student arive an hour+ before game time, tailgating is now the best in the SoCon, but for visitors it is likely the worst due to the lack of parking

2. GSU - tailgating is historically strong and fans are brutal (most in a good way)

3. Furman - with the exception of last year's "white out" they bring the fans and have a great place for visiting tailgating. Last year almost dropped them on my list, white out was a complete failure, looked more like a silver out with all the empty bleachers

4. WCU - may not be like this for all games, but for ASU they come out and party hard

5. Citadel - good tailgating and home side stadium is nice

6. Elon - another one that is getting good for ASU games at least

7. Wofford - no band, kids sliding on the bank seem to be the most excited fans in the stadium. They were crazy for the bball tourney - not sure the difference in the crowds. They only have 1,400 students so it really isn't fair for a ranking of this nature.

8. UTC - hopefully getting better, but you used to be able to park right beside the stadium 15 minutes before the games and maybe 4K people would attend.

9. Samford - N/A never been there.

For the number of students we have and therefore the number of alums (especially when you consider the number of students that could care less), I have always been impressed with FUs support of the football team. But it has certainly waned in the last 5 years or so. Average attendance used to be 13-14K now down to probably around 10. Hoping the Paladins do something to wake up the crowd again.

It's hard to argue that FU is anything but a great place to watch a game - the campus is amazing, the stadium is great, tailgating is close and plentiful and visiting fans are treated great. The only chinks in the Paladin's armor last year were fan support and a rainy day, the latter of which obviously was uncontrollable.

[ashram]

I really want to go to Kidd Brewer one of these years, but I keep hearing so many bad things about visitor parking. Are there any plans for improvement, or should I just suck it up and go?

I definitely have never thought of Gibbs as an intimidating place, even though for a few years straight there the games would come down to the wire (remember the mud bowl?). Also, they have deep-fried Oreos. This isn't really on-topic, but it seems like every year that I go they're charging more for parking. If it weren't for the proximity to Greenville I might stop going.

Paladin Stadium is a great venue, though some more architecture around the stadium will be nice once it happens. Lots of great (free) parking very close to the stadium. Having never been on the visiting side there, I can't speak for the intimidation factor.

The weather at last year's white-out game has to have been a factor. That was a pretty pathetic crowd for a big game. The white-out this year will be for The Citadel, and they're promoting it much earlier.

[Saint3333]

Visitor parking is tough at ASU, but they started running a shuttle service from various areas. Anyone visitors willing to give up their parking secret for parking at ASU?

[youngterrier]

7. Wofford - no band, kids sliding on the bank seem to be the most excited fans in the stadium. They were crazy for the bball tourney - not sure the difference in the crowds. They only have 1,400 students so it really isn't fair for a ranking of this nature.

because it's easier to fill a 4k gym than it is a 13k stadium

there was a lot of money behind transporting practically the whole campus to Charlotte for the championship game

[ASUG8]

I really want to go to Kidd Brewer one of these years, but I keep hearing so many bad things about visitor parking. Are there any plans for improvement, or should I just suck it up and go?

Suck it up and go - I'm clearly biased, but the gameday environment at App is pretty great IMHO. Parking only became a real problem (oddly enough ) around 2006.

[DirtyDukes]

delusional.

Eagleskins obviously hasn't been to an ASU-GSU game since 2003. Before 2005 no doubt GSU was best in the land. Now ASU's scene is best in show, although tailgating for visitors isn't as good due to parking restraints.

Unbiased JMU fan here. I visited ASU in 2006 and 2007 when the Dukes were at Boone, and I visited GSU in 2006 when I was living in GA. Nothing is lacking in ASU's tailgating scene, but nothing really stood out. Great turnout, normal scene you'd see at any tailgaiting. I was surprised when in 2006 an 8 year old girl told me "purple was for f*ggots", but I kinda expected as much from the fans as we were the opposing team. In 2007 I just laughed at a guy who said "GO BACK TO VAGINA" after that incredibly tough loss, but there were some people who were good winners and shook our hands on the way back to the car.

When I visited Statesboro my mind was blown. Trailers with full bars and TVs in them, everyone had deluxe set ups, everyone intermingling and welcoming guests. I was wearing my JMU gear (but we weren't in town, I think they were playing the Chantiqueers), and everyone was super friendly and quite knowledgeable.

Just my 2 cents.