If you’re a fan of college football or early 20th century architecture, come along for a nostalgic visit to these 32 legendary, on-campus stadiums across America. From the Big House in Ann Arbor to an intimate venue like Peden Field in Athens, Ohio, these stadiums hark back to the Golden Age of American sports.
Put these oldest college stadiums on your bucket list, load up the SUV and catch a college game in one of these iconic venues.
32. Sanford Stadium, University of Georgia (1929)
Dedicated on October 12, 1929, when Georgia hosted Yale, Sanford Stadium is known for its numerous architecturally pleasing expansions that have been carefully planned to fit with its existing “look”. 92,746 watch games played “Between the Hedges”, the privet hedges surrounding the field. The sacred hedges were removed in 1996 to accommodate the Olympic soccer competition.
31. Brooks Field at Wallace Wade Stadium, Duke University (1929)
Dedicated October 5, 1929, Wallace Wade seats 40,000. Originally named Duke Stadium, it was renamed in 1967 for football coach Wallace Wade. A just completed major renovation greatly modernized the stadium. The stadium was the site of the 1942 Rose Bowl, weeks after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.
30. Kinnick Stadium, University of Iowa (1929)
Formerly known as Iowa Stadium, Kinnick Stadium opened October 5, 1929. It currently holds 69,250 people. The stadium was renamed in 1972 for Nile Kinnick, the 1939 Heisman Trophy winner, who died in service to his country in World War II.
29. Peden Stadium, Ohio University (1929)
Situated on the banks of the scenic Hocking River in Athens, Peden Stadium has been the home of the Bobcats since October 2, 1929. Today, it has a capacity of 24,000 and is the oldest football venue in the Mid-American Conference.
28. Kenan Stadium, University of North Carolina (1927)
Kenan Stadium opened on November 12, 1927. Built at a cost of $303,000 with a seating capacity of 24,000, the stadium today holds 51,000. Set among the pine trees of south campus, it is one of the most scenic stadiums in the South.
27. Kyle Field, Texas A&M University (1927)
Kyle Field has been home to the Aggies in rudimentary form since 1904, and as a complete stadium since October 24, 1927. “Home of the 12th Man,” it seats 102,733, largest in the SEC. In 2014, Kyle Field’s hosted the largest attended SEC and state of Texas football game, when 110,631 witnessed Texas A&M’s loss to Ole Miss.
26. Michigan Stadium, University of Michigan (1927)
Known as “The Big House”, Michigan Stadium was dedicated in October 1, 1927. It is the largest stadium in the United States and third largest in the world. Its official capacity is 107,601, but it has hosted crowds in excess of 115,000.
25. Ryan Field, Northwestern University (1926)
Home of the Wildcats since October 2, 1926, Ryan Field holds 47,130 people. Prior to 1997, the stadium was named Dyche Stadium, for William Dyche, Class of 1882. It was renamed in honor of the family of Patrick G. Ryan, in recognition of the family’s contributions to Northwestern.
24. Faurot Field At Memorial Stadium, University of Missouri (1926)
71,168 capacity Memorial Stadium opened October 2, 1926 as a 25,000-seat, single level, horseshoe stadium. The original horseshoe is completed by a grass berm, famous for the giant block “M” made of painted white stones behind the endzone. In 1972, the playing surface was named Faurot Field in honor of longtime coach Don Faurot.
23. Nippert Stadium, University of Cincinnati (1924)
Home to the Bearcats in rudimentary form since 1901, and as a complete stadium since September 27, 1924, Nippert Stadium seats 40,000 fans.
22. Michie Stadium, US Military Academy (1924)
Michie Stadium, the home of the Army Black Knights, opened in 1924 and seats 38,000. Because of the view offered by its location overlooking the Hudson River and the medieval-style campus below, it is one of the nation’s most scenic sport venues.
21. Darrell K. Royal–Texas Memorial Stadium, University of Texas (1924)
Memorial Stadium has been home to the Longhorns since November 27, 1924. The current capacity of 100,119 makes the stadium the second largest in the state of Texas, the largest in the Big 12, eighth largest stadium in the United States, and the 11th largest in the world.
20. Tiger Stadium, Louisiana State University (1924)
Popularly known as Death Valley, Tiger Stadium was dedicated on November 25, 1924 with a capacity of 12,000. Renovations and expansions have brought the current capacity to 102,321. Tiger Stadium is one of only three FBS schools still using the H style goal posts.
19. Folsom Field, University of Colorado (1924)
Home of the Buffaloes since October 11, 1924, Folsom Field sits at 5,360 feet above seal level. Originally known as Colorado Stadium, the 53,613-seat venue was renamed in 1944 after the death of Colorado coach Fred Folsom.
18. California Memorial Stadium, University of California (1923)
The venue opened in November 24, 1923 and currently seats around 63,000 fans. Constructed as a memorial to Californians who lost their lives in World War I, the stadium’s position at the foot of the Berkeley hills provides spectators with panoramic views of San Francisco Bay and the Berkeley Hills.
17. Zuppke Field at Memorial Stadium, University of Illinois (1923)
Opened November 3, 1923, Memorial Stadium is dedicated as a memorial to the University of Illinois students who died in World War I; their names engraved on the 200 granite pillars surrounding the stadium’s façade. A statue of the legendary Red Grange graces the entrance to the 60,670-seat stadium.
16. Memorial Stadium, University of Nebraska (1923)
Memorial Stadium honors all Nebraskans who served in the Civil and Spanish-American Wars and the 751 Nebraskans who died in World War I. Construction was completed in just over 90 working days. Memorial Stadium was dedicated on October 20, 1923 and currently seats 90,000.
15. Gaylord Family Memorial Stadium, University of Oklahoma (1923)
Also known as Owen Field, Memorial Stadium has been home to the Sooners since October 20, 1923. Originally constructed as a horse shoe stadium with seating for 16,000, following recent renovations, capacity is now 81,000
14. Spartan Stadium, Michigan State University (1923)
Formerly known as College Field and Macklin Stadium, Spartan Stadium opened October 6, 1923. After the addition of luxury boxes and club seating in 2005, capacity grew to 75,005—though it has held more than 80,000 fans.
13. Vanderbilt Stadium, Vanderbilt University (1922)
Home of the Vanderbilt Commodores since October 14, 1922, it now seats over 40,000, smallest in the SEC. When it opened, its capacity of 20,000 dwarfed Tennessee’s Shields-Watkins Field, which was 3,200 at the time.
12. Ohio Stadium, Ohio State University (1922)
lso known as the Horseshoe or the Shoe, it’s been the home of the Ohio State Buckeyes since October 7, 1922. Currently, it can seat 104,944 but it’s original capacity was 66,000, undergoing multiple expansions over the years, the most recent of them in 2014.
11. Memorial Stadium, Kansas University (1921)
Home of the Kansas Jayhawks football team since 1921, Memorial Stadium opened on October 29, 1921. The stadium is dedicated as a memorial to the KU students who died in World War I. It has a capacity of 47,000.
10. Neyland Stadium, University of Tennessee (1921)
Opened September 24, 1921, Neyland has been the home of the Tennessee Volunteers ever since. Initially its capacity was only 3,200. The stadium has undergone 16 expansion projects, at one point reaching a capacity of 104,079 before being slightly reduced by alterations. Neyland now seats 102,455.
9. Husky Stadium, University of Washington (1920)
Opened on November 27, 1920, Husky Stadium has undergone three massive renovations, the most recent in 2013. Its capacity is 70,083, and the view overlooking Washington Lake and the Cascade Mountains is one of the most spectacular in the nation.
8. Boone Pickens Stadium, Oklahoma State University (1920)
Opened on October 2, 1920, it was Lewis Field until 2003, when Oklahoma State alum, T. Boone Pickens, donated a few million petro dollars. It started out as an 8000-seater back in the 1920’s, but has grown to 60,218, the last expansion taking place in 2009.
7. Camp Randall Stadium, University of Wisconsin (1917)
About to approach its 100th birthday, the Wisconsin Badgers Camp Randall opened on November 3, 1917. The name comes from a former Union Army training camp during the Civil War. The camp was named after then Governor Alexander Randall, who later became Postmaster General of the United States. It can seat 80,321.
6. Vaught-Hemingway Stadium, University of Mississippi (1915)
Opened on October 1, 1915, it can seat 64,000. When the stadium opened, it was named for Judge William Hemingway, a professor of law and chairman of the university’s committee on athletics. The Vaught name was added in 1982, after Ole Miss’s former coach.
5. Davis Wade Stadium, Mississippi State University (1914)
When opened in 1914, it was called New Athletic Field. Six years later that changed to Scott Field in honor of Mississippi State football star and Olympian Don Magruder. In 2001 Davis Wade, a massive contributor to the university and the stadium’s expansion, got his name as the headliner, while the field itself retained Scott’s name. It seats 61,337 fans.
4. Yale Bowl, Yale University (1914)
This historic stadium just west of Yale’s campus put an indelible stamp on the modern lexicon of football. The stadium was the first constructed in a “bowl” shape, influencing the design of future stadiums such as Pasadena, California’s Rose Bowl. That stadium gave rise to use of the term “bowl” to signify major college football games, which later influenced the name “Super Bowl.”
3. Bobby Dodd Stadium at Historic Grant Field, Georgia Tech (1913)
The oldest stadium among NCAA FBS schools, Bobby Dodd has been home to Tech since September 27, 1913. It was known as Grant Field, named after Hugh Inman Grant, son of John Grant, a well-known Atlanta merchant and original benefactor of the stadium. It was changed to Bobby Dodd, the team’s greatest head coach, in 1988, although the playing field retained the Grant name. Its latest expansion in 2003 left it with 55,000 seats.
2. Harvard Stadium, Harvard University (1903)
An engineering marvel considered the first massive reinforced concrete structure in the world, Harvard Stadium’s horseshoe design is still aesthetically pleasing. It is best known as the semi-annual site of what has become known simply as “The Game,” the long-running rivalry between Harvard and Yale. Harvard Stadium was built as a 25th anniversary gift from the Class of 1879.
1. Franklin Field, University of Pennsylvania (1895)
Built in the waning years of the 19th century, Franklin Field cost $100,000, the equivalent of $2.6 million in today’s dollars. The stadium has racked up a number of firsts in sports history, including the first use of a scoreboard (1895), the first two-tiered stadium (1922) and the first football radio broadcast (1922) and telecast (1939). It’s probably more famous as a track and field facility than football field, hosting the Penn Relays, the oldest and largest track and field meet in the U.S., since 1895.
