Which college football stadiums are the loudest in the country? Autzen Stadium in Eugene, home of the Oregon Ducks, has long been known for its crowd noise – inclusion in this list is a given. Oregon’s mighty crowd is surely an advantage for the Ducks: But is Autzen Stadium the loudest?
Certainly, the success on the field over the past few years adds to the excitement on game day, which is not lost on Oregon coach Dan Lanning.
“This place is so special. I think every one of us longs for fall,” said Lanning. “It’s an opportunity to be there in the stadium during a football game.”
A look at the Top 10 loudest stadiums in college football from FanBuzz reveals that Autzen Stadium still reigns as one of the best. More good news, in their first year in Big Ten conference play, the Ducks play just one away game (Wisconsin) at a top-10 noisiest stadium.
10. Camp Randall Stadium (Wisconsin)
The home of the Wisconsin Badgers is the oldest stadium in the Big Ten. It’s the oldest stadium in the conference and the fifth biggest. This noise reaches a crescendo when the loudspeakers blare “Jump Around” and the fans happily oblige.
Built: 1917
Capacity: 75,822
Highest recorded decibels: 106
Game Day: The Badgers hosts Oregon on November 16
9. Husky Stadium (Washington)
This is a venue Duck fans know all too well. A key element to the noise level is the construction of the stadium. The bulk of the fans are located under cantilevered roofs that keep in the noise. Back in 1992, ESPN measured Husky Stadium’s volume at 133.6 decibels, which was the loudest recorded volume at a college stadium at the time.
Opened: 1920
Capacity: 70,083
Highest Recorded decibels: 133.6
Game Day: The Ducks host Washington on November 30
8. Memorial Stadium (Clemson)
This stadium is a better known as “Death Valley.”
Opened: 1941
Capacity: 86,092
Highest Recorded Decibels: 132.8
Game Day: N/A
7. Neyland Stadium (Tennessee)
This is a stadium with over 100,00 seats—the fifth-largest stadium in the United States.
Opened: 1921
Capacity: 101,915
Highest Recorded Decibels: 125.4
6. Ohio Stadium (Ohio State)
Known as “The Horseshoe,” Ohio State’s stadium is simply deafening. Following renovations to add luxury suites, capacity has dropped from 110,000 to a little over 102,000.
Opened: 1921
Capacity: 102,780
Highest Recorded Decibels: N/A
Game Day: The Ducks host the Buckeyes on November 30
5. Kyle Field (Texas A&M)
Texas A&M Aggies fans have always been known for their ability to make noise. So, it comes as no surprise that they actually have “yell practice.” Kyle Field has long been considered one of the most challenging places to play on the road. The noise definitely plays a part in that.
Opened: 1927
Capacity: 110,633
Highest Recorded Decibels: 126
Game Day: N/A
4. Ben Hill Griffin Stadium (Florida)
Known as “The Swamp,” this is a tough place to play.
Opened: 1930
Capacity: 88,548
Highest Recorded Decibels: 115
Game Day: N/a
3. Beaver Stadium (Penn State)
This could be confusing to some given the Ducks’ long-time rival, the Oregon State Beavers. This is not a typographical mistake, Beaver Stadium is in Happy Valley, not the Willamette Valley, and is the second-largest stadium in North America, behind Michigan’s “Big House.”
Opened: 1959
Capacity: 106,572
Highest Recorded Decibels: 122
Game Day: N/A
2. Autzen Stadium (Oregon)
The Oregon Ducks’ stadium has the smallest capacity on this list, with attendance topping out around 60,000 which includes standing-room-only crowds. Notably, the fans are extremely close to the field. The field is also sunken, creating a bubble of noise.
Going forward, any discussion of stadium expansion includes trapping crowd noise to the extent possible. Simply put, on a per-person basis, Ducks fans make more noise than just about anybody. As Oregon prepares to enter Big Ten conference play this fall, the noise level is likely to increase and challenge LSU for the noisiest stadium in the country.
Opened: 1966
Capacity: 60,000
Highest Recorded Decibels: 127
1. Tiger Stadium (LSU)
Tiger Stadium tops the list. The stadium is up over 100,000 people now, and they make a ton of noise. Hence the nickname “Deaf Valley.”
Opened: 1924
Capacity: 102,321
Highest Recorded Decibels: 130
Game Day: N/A
Duck fans already have much to cheer about in terms of an outstanding coach in Dan Lanning, his success in the recruiting game and, ultimately, results on the field. You can count on the cheers to be louder and longer and a difficult experience for visiting teams.