EA Sports activities stirred up a number of debate when it unveiled its rankings of the hardest locations to play for the upcoming Faculty Soccer 25 online game. I’ve my very own ideas based mostly on some 30 years of protecting the game wherein I’ve attended video games at and been on the sidelines for most of the most charged stadium atmospheres within the nation.
The loudest and craziest venue I’ve been to is the previous Orange Bowl. When there was an enormous Miami sport there — often a Florida State go to — nothing was fairly prefer it. The closest factor I’ve seen is LSU’s Tiger Stadium. My colleagues at The Athletic had their very own ideas on the EA Sports activities record, and now right here’s my rating of the ten hardest locations to play in school soccer.
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Faculty Soccer 25’s Hardest Locations to Play: Debating the rankings
1. LSU: Tiger Stadium
The place is simply pure mayhem, and it begins means earlier than kickoff. I’ve heard from so many coaches through the years about how hostile the remedy of their groups is, from rattling their bus on arrival to dousing the guests with booze. Simply seeing Mike the Tiger in individual provides one other layer of intimidation to this.
Mike Leach informed me the story of the primary time he went in there when he was the offensive coordinator at Kentucky.
“There have been these little previous girls with their grandchildren flipping off our bus,” Leach stated. “Then as we bought nearer, they begin rocking our bus!”
Depend Leach amongst these awed by Mike the Tiger — and your complete expertise.
I keep in mind being there in 2007 when Florida and Tim Tebow got here into Loss of life Valley on a Saturday night time for a top-10 showdown. Les Miles went for it 5 instances on fourth down and his staff — and their devoted — had his again each step of the best way for a come-from-behind 28-24 win. It was a document crowd on the time of 92,910. It seemed like twice as many individuals have been packed in there at a stadium that now holds greater than 100,000.
There was additionally the legendary Earthquake Recreation in 1988. Technically, there have been fewer than 80,000 followers in there to see LSU upset Auburn, 7-6. However a seismograph registered an earthquake after Tommy Hodson linked on a fourth-down TD go with lower than two minutes to play.
I requested former LSU staffer and longtime Louisiana media member Derek Ponamsky in regards to the loudest he’s ever heard the place for a sport, and he stated it was in 2019 when one other Florida staff, ranked No. 6, visited.
“That sport was insane from the second we stepped off the bus,” he stated. “Ja’Marr (Chase’s) TD and our cease on fourth down within the crimson zone was nearly pretty much as good because the Earthquake Recreation or Rueben Randle’s catch and run in 2010 in opposition to Alabama. However that stadium was a jet engine for six hours. It was LOUD earlier than they even took the sector. ‘Faculty Gameday’ on campus. It was electrical.”
When you meet somebody who has by no means been round school soccer however desires the total expertise, there is just one place they should go to get it on full blast: LSU’s Loss of life Valley.
2. Alabama: Bryant-Denny Stadium
My favourite go to right here was for the 2010 Iron Bowl — the Cam Newton sport. There was a ton of drama surrounding Auburn and Newton that season based mostly on the NCAA’s investigation into his recruitment.
Within the wake of this sport, an Alabama staffer was let go due to their determination to play the Steve Miller Band track “Take the Cash and Run” over the stadium sound system throughout warmups. It solely added to the raucous vitality within the constructing that day. The Tide jumped everywhere in the Tigers early, going up 24-0, however Newton was Superman that season. He led Auburn to a 28-27 comeback win, snapping a 20-game house win streak for the Crimson Tide.
Bama additionally deserves a number of credit score for ratcheting up the stadium vitality with the lights, audio and video boards they’ve added through the years. It could possibly really feel like a reasonably mind-scrambling expertise after they bought rolling.
3. Penn State: Beaver Stadium
The Nittany Lions’ White Out video games are deafening. Penn State often saves it for the hardest matchup of the season, though with Fox’s latest “Large Midday” technique factoring into Large Ten scheduling, typically it doesn’t find yourself that means.
The Nittany Lions have received six of their previous seven prime-time White Outs, with six of these being in opposition to ranked opponents — together with the 2016 win over No. 2 Ohio State. The lone defeat was in opposition to No. 4 Ohio State by one level, 27-26, in 2018. Final yr, Penn State shut out No. 24 Iowa, 31-0.
However I can communicate from expertise that it’s not simply the White Outs that make this place particular. The ambiance final November when No. 3 Michigan visited Pleased Valley was the loudest midday kickoff sport I can keep in mind within the final decade — louder than another “Large Midday” sport I’ve been at — with nearly 111,000 folks in attendance. Michigan, which had probably the most skilled staff within the nation in 2023, did win that sport, 24-15.
4. Ohio State: Ohio Stadium
The Buckeyes have been the Large Ten’s most dominant program for a very long time now, so whoever reveals up often is dealing with a stacked staff with a extra proficient roster. Nonetheless, the Horseshoe is a towering constructing that feels a lot totally different, and extra intimidating, than the Large Home at archrival Michigan. The group is available in prepared to interrupt its opponent early and appears shocked if there’s something apart from a dominant Buckeyes exhibiting.
5. Virginia Tech: Lane Stadium*
The asterisk is right here as a result of I’m pondering of what this place has been up to now, not essentially what it’s been lately. I get it. The outcomes not too long ago point out in any other case. As colleague Pete Sampson famous, The Hokies are 2-10 at house in opposition to High 25 groups up to now decade, however when the Hokies are taking part in nicely, this place is exclusive. I’ve been right here for just a few Hokies beatdowns of top-10 groups the place the place rocks. It has some Tiger Stadium vibes to it, and there’s one thing particular to it as nicely.
It solely takes the primary two seconds of “Enter Sandman” to play and I get goosebumps. It occurs each time, much more than a decade later. It instantly takes me again to how Lane Stadium comes alive like no different venue, another way than Camp Randall Stadium and “Leap Round.” That’s frenzied; that is extra ominous.
It additionally completely match with their type of play. Primarily based totally on their vaunted particular groups, but additionally their aggressive protection, the Hokies have been school soccer’s preeminent sudden-change/quick-strike staff. It typically felt like they have been one massive swing away from turning the sport round or blowing it open.
There was a decade-plus of Hokie magic from the late ’90s into the 2000s within the peak Frank Beamer days the place Lane was a chamber of horrors. In 1999, Virginia Tech confronted three High 25 groups — Syracuse, Miami and Boston Faculty — and outscored them by a mixed 143-24 at house. In 2002, Tech smashed Nick Saban’s No. 14 LSU squad, 26-8. The subsequent yr, a top-10 Hokies staff hammered No. 2 Miami, 31-7. In 2004, the Hokies beat No. 6 West Virginia. In 2005, they beat up on No. 15 Georgia Tech and No. 13 Boston Faculty by a mixed rating of 81-17. In 2009, Lane Stadium hosted successive top-20 wins over Nebraska and Miami.
If Brent Pry can get the Hokies rolling once more, Lane will change into an opponent’s worst nightmare.
6. Florida: Ben Hill Griffin Stadium
In my expertise, The Swamp isn’t fairly within the class with LSU and Bama, however it’s proper there with Tennessee and Georgia relating to a big-time, true SEC heavyweight experiences. Being there within the ’90s within the Steve Spurrier days to see the Gators face FSU and Bobby Bowden was improbable.
7. Tennessee: Neyland Stadium
In my first journey to Knoxville, I noticed Tennessee play Georgia within the late ’90s. The Vols have been actually rolling again then, and I bought to be on the sector ultimately zone behind the Dawgs’ offense after they have been backed up inside their very own 10. I couldn’t even hear the individual subsequent to me. It was a sea of orange, and it’s simple to see why so many High 25 groups have gotten thumped there through the years when UT was driving excessive. Georgia was No. 13 that day and misplaced to the Vols, 38-13.
Autzen Stadium punches above its weight in crowd noise. (Tom Hauck / Getty Photos)
8. Oregon: Autzen Stadium
I keep in mind one rival staffer telling me that they have to pump in noise in observe the week earlier than they face the Geese. It doesn’t appear to be a spot that dimension — seating 54,000 — could be that loud. It simply didn’t make sense to him. However in a matchup of prime 10 groups, the Geese pounded their guests by nearly three touchdowns.
Autzen Stadium can be a spot the place you may see nearly each form of climate possible in the identical day. Oregon has been nice there for a very long time and has defeated 31 of its previous 32 opponents at Autzen.
9. Georgia: Sanford Stadium
I keep in mind seeing an excellent Boise State staff are available there ranked No. 18 in opposition to No. 13 Georgia in 2005. The Broncos simply got here unglued and appeared overwhelmed, shedding 48-13. It was 38-0 earlier than the Broncos settled down. Jared Zabransky, who was a extremely good QB for Boise State, had his first two passes intercepted and turned it over six instances within the first half.
It doesn’t really feel prefer it’s been any simpler for guests now that the Dawgs are much more proficient. UGA has received 13 consecutive video games in opposition to High 25 opponents at Sanford Stadium.
10. Texas A&M: Kyle Discipline
I’ve been there when the press field shakes. Kyle Discipline is an superior constructing that will get actually, actually loud, and opponents complain that their sidelines odor like horse manure. My first journey for a sport was Johnny Manziel’s debut in opposition to Florida. He was dynamic. The constructing shook. A&M misplaced, although. That’s why Kyle Discipline shouldn’t be greater on my record, even when it’s No. 1 in EA Sports activities’ rankings.
When A&M has been actually good, the Aggies have nonetheless struggled at house greater than they need to. Manziel led them to a win at Bryant-Denny Stadium in 2012, however the subsequent yr, as wild because it felt to be in Kyle Discipline for the rematch, A&M misplaced.
(High photograph: Jonathan Bachman / Getty Photos)