OT: Road Wins as a Fan

[LonghornsGamecocks]

I was in the Big House yesterday for Texas @ Michigan. Was my second straight "road game win" as a fan (SC @ Ole Miss, 2018) and sadly only my third ever "road game win" as a fan (SC @ UGA, 2001). Second time I've been able to go to the Big House (Ohio State @ Michigan, 2023); it's a fantastic experience. Highly recommend.

I've been to Williams-Brice (70+ times), Darrell K Royal (~20 times), Clemson (~6 times), Georgia (~6 times), Kyle Field, Tennessee, Virginia, Wake Forest, Vanderbilt, LSU, Ole Miss, Florida, Baylor, Texas Tech, Georgia Dome (SECCG), AT&T Stadium (B12CG), Cotton Bowl, BofA Stadium (Belk Bowl), Michigan, Ohio State, NRG Stadium (CFP Title Game).

Trying to set bias aside, my 2 favorite stadiums to experience college football in are Michigan Stadium and Tiger Stadium. Williams-Brice, Clemson Memorial Stadium, and Sanford Stadium are easily the next 3. None of the rest moved the needle for me in terms of being that impressive. From a biased perspective, Williams-Brice will always be home.

Side note, there was a LOT of burnt orange in Michigan Stadium yesterday. My friends and I guesstimated ~25k. This photo is from our seats post-game after much of the maize and blue had cleared out.

 

[will110]

I was in the Big House yesterday for Texas @ Michigan. Was my second straight "road game win" as a fan (SC @ Ole Miss, 2018) and sadly only my third ever "road game win" as a fan (SC @ UGA, 2001). Second time I've been able to go to the Big House (Ohio State @ Michigan, 2023); it's a fantastic experience. Highly recommend.

I've been to Williams-Brice (70+ times), Darrell K Royal (~20 times), Clemson (~6 times), Georgia (~6 times), Kyle Field, Tennessee, Virginia, Wake Forest, Vanderbilt, LSU, Ole Miss, Florida, Baylor, Texas Tech, Georgia Dome (SECCG), AT&T Stadium (B12CG), Cotton Bowl, BofA Stadium (Belk Bowl), Michigan, Ohio State, NRG Stadium (CFP Title Game).

Trying to set bias aside, my 2 favorite stadiums to experience college football in are Michigan Stadium and Tiger Stadium. Williams-Brice, Clemson Memorial Stadium, and Sanford Stadium are easily the next 3. None of the rest moved the needle for me in terms of being that impressive. From a biased perspective, Williams-Brice will always be home.

Side note, there was a LOT of burnt orange in Michigan Stadium yesterday. My friends and I guesstimated ~25k. This photo is from our seats post-game after much of the maize and blue had cleared out.

View attachment 645303

I've only seen two road game wins...2014 Florida and 2017 Tennessee. That 2014 Florida game actually ended up being a loss since it's the game that got us Muschamp.

What is it about Michigan Stadium that makes it so good from a gameday experience standpoint?

 

[Uscg1984]

I've been to a few road games with the Gamecocks, but my three biggest road wins were as a Southern Miss fan. As a student, watched them beat Auburn on the plains, LSU in Baton Rouge (at night), and Georgia in Athens. Some years later, I watched them play Penn State tough in Happy Valley before eventually losing by multiple touchdowns.

Of all the road games I've attended for South Carolina or Southern Miss, without a doubt, the most obnoxious fans were in Penn State (and I've been to Baton Rouge three times and Clemson many times! Lol)

 

[LonghornsGamecocks]

What is it about Michigan Stadium that makes it so good from a gameday experience standpoint?

Good question. A few thoughts:

• Views of the field are great, even from 100 rows up. Whatever the unique slope of the seating is from field level to top of the bowl makes even the furthest seats feel a lot closer than other large stadiums
• Very well managed and produced experience from a video board and music and in game entertainment (i.e. marching band) perspective
• Well coordinated traditions and chants among the fans. Maybe best I've seen.
• It's LOUD. As loud as they come. Now of course, the Horns turned down the volume quickly on Saturday
• The home fans are very well behaved and polite to visitors. So are the stadium staff. As we left, it seemed every staffer made a point of saying "thank you for visiting, I hope you enjoyed Michigan Stadium." One staffer even said, "I hope all of our fans made you feel like a welcome guest in the Big House."
• There are zero in stadium advertisements. Not a single one. Not a solitary Coca Cola or Ford sign. An alum told me the big money boosters of the M Club think advertisements are tacky and pledge to the athletic department they'll pay more every year than advertisers would, just to keep the signage away
• Here's a negative: the seats are NARROW. Packed in. But I like to stand for the whole game anyway as did most of the section I was in both times I went there. So not as big a deal when standing. But when seated it's TIGHT.
• Easy in/out traffic management. We tailgated in a rental car that we drove in ourselves for Ohio State; we had a limousine for 12 for Texas and the traffic management has dedicated flow management for high occupancy vehicles

 

[will110]

Good question. A few thoughts:

• Views of the field are great, even from 100 rows up. Whatever the unique slope of the seating is from field level to top of the bowl makes even the furthest seats feel a lot closer than other large stadiums
• Very well managed and produced experience from a video board and music and in game entertainment (i.e. marching band) perspective
• Well coordinated traditions and chants among the fans. Maybe best I've seen.
• It's LOUD. As loud as they come. Now of course, the Horns turned down the volume quickly on Saturday
• The home fans are very well behaved and polite to visitors. So are the stadium staff. As we left, it seemed every staffer made a point of saying "thank you for visiting, I hope you enjoyed Michigan Stadium." One staffer even said, "I hope all of our fans made you feel like a welcome guest in the Big House."
• There are zero in stadium advertisements. Not a single one. Not a solitary Coca Cola or Ford sign. An alum told me the big money boosters of the M Club think advertisements are tacky and pledge to the athletic department they'll pay more every year than advertisers would, just to keep the signage away
• Here's a negative: the seats are NARROW. Packed in. But I like to stand for the whole game anyway as did most of the section I was in both times I went there. So not as big a deal when standing. But when seated it's TIGHT.
• Easy in/out traffic management. We tailgated in a rental car that we drove in ourselves for Ohio State; we had a limousine for 12 for Texas and the traffic management has dedicated flow management for high occupancy vehicles

When you say no in-stadium ads, does that mean no ads during commercial breaks on the video screen too?

 

[LonghornsGamecocks]

When you say no in-stadium ads, does that mean no ads during commercial breaks on the video screen too?

Yep. The only ads are for the upcoming sporting events and to join the M Club

 

[LonghornsGamecocks]

Good question. A few thoughts:

Oh, one other thing. The student section was packed to the gills an hour before the game and despite Texas pretty much nailing the coffin mid 3Q, it was still nearly full at the final whistle. I'm looking at you with side-eye, Williams-Brice.

 

[KingWard]

I was in the Big House yesterday for Texas @ Michigan. Was my second straight "road game win" as a fan (SC @ Ole Miss, 2018) and sadly only my third ever "road game win" as a fan (SC @ UGA, 2001). Second time I've been able to go to the Big House (Ohio State @ Michigan, 2023); it's a fantastic experience. Highly recommend.

I've been to Williams-Brice (70+ times), Darrell K Royal (~20 times), Clemson (~6 times), Georgia (~6 times), Kyle Field, Tennessee, Virginia, Wake Forest, Vanderbilt, LSU, Ole Miss, Florida, Baylor, Texas Tech, Georgia Dome (SECCG), AT&T Stadium (B12CG), Cotton Bowl, BofA Stadium (Belk Bowl), Michigan, Ohio State, NRG Stadium (CFP Title Game).

Trying to set bias aside, my 2 favorite stadiums to experience college football in are Michigan Stadium and Tiger Stadium. Williams-Brice, Clemson Memorial Stadium, and Sanford Stadium are easily the next 3. None of the rest moved the needle for me in terms of being that impressive. From a biased perspective, Williams-Brice will always be home.

Side note, there was a LOT of burnt orange in Michigan Stadium yesterday. My friends and I guesstimated ~25k. This photo is from our seats post-game after much of the maize and blue had cleared out.

View attachment 645303

I love road games and adore road wins. I haven't seen many of the latter (saw Spurrier's first win at Knoxville and a win over UPC up there years ago), but our 2001 win at Georgia was one of the greatest games I've ever seen that wasn't high scoring, and being there for the celebration in Athens was the greatest experience I've ever had as a football fan. It was a night game also and the place was amped up. It couldn't have been any better.

 

[KingWard]

Good question. A few thoughts:

• Views of the field are great, even from 100 rows up. Whatever the unique slope of the seating is from field level to top of the bowl makes even the furthest seats feel a lot closer than other large stadiums
• Very well managed and produced experience from a video board and music and in game entertainment (i.e. marching band) perspective
• Well coordinated traditions and chants among the fans. Maybe best I've seen.
• It's LOUD. As loud as they come. Now of course, the Horns turned down the volume quickly on Saturday
• The home fans are very well behaved and polite to visitors. So are the stadium staff. As we left, it seemed every staffer made a point of saying "thank you for visiting, I hope you enjoyed Michigan Stadium." One staffer even said, "I hope all of our fans made you feel like a welcome guest in the Big House."
• There are zero in stadium advertisements. Not a single one. Not a solitary Coca Cola or Ford sign. An alum told me the big money boosters of the M Club think advertisements are tacky and pledge to the athletic department they'll pay more every year than advertisers would, just to keep the signage away
• Here's a negative: the seats are NARROW. Packed in. But I like to stand for the whole game anyway as did most of the section I was in both times I went there. So not as big a deal when standing. But when seated it's TIGHT.
• Easy in/out traffic management. We tailgated in a rental car that we drove in ourselves for Ohio State; we had a limousine for 12 for Texas and the traffic management has dedicated flow management for high occupancy vehicles

Very excellent report. The Michigan fans that visited Columbia in the 1970s were some of the nicest I have had the pleasure of encountering.

I'm very pleased Texas won that game. VERY pleased. They are uplifting the SEC already - and on a day when Arkansas and Auburn did not. One of those two schools will be making a coaching change this year, I suspect. Auburn losing to Cal at home is an absolute disgrace but Freeze is not the coach I'm talking about. That boy at Arkansas is a good cultural fit, but he ain't winning like they want to win.

 

[will110]

Yep. The only ads are for the upcoming sporting events and to join the M Club

That is incredible.