The Big Ten Conference has the best collection of CFB stadiums in the country

With the Big Ten expanding from 14 to 18 teams, there’s no question that the conference now features the best collection of stadiums in college football.

Michigan Stadium under the lights / Christopher Breiler

The Big Ten Conference has always had some of the top college football stadiums anywhere in the country, but the addition of four new teams from the now defunct Pac 12 Conference means that the Big Ten officially has the best collection of CFB stadiums in the country.

If you plan on visiting some Big Ten stadiums in the near future, here are the Top 10 that should be on your “must-see” list:

The Rose Bowl

Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, California. on Monday, Jan. 1, 2024. / Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK

It’s hard to find a more iconic stadium than the Rose Bowl in Pasadena. Surrounded by palm trees and the San Gabriel Mountains in the background, the Rose Bowl has featured some of the best bowl game matchups in college football history. Most recently, the Rose Bowl game featured No. 1 Michigan vs. No. 4 Alabama, an overtime thriller that saw Jim Harbaugh and the Wolverines defeat Nick Saban and the Crimson Tide.

Although making it out to the Rose Bowl for a bowl game can be quite expensive, the stadium is also home to the UCLA Bruins – and its far less expensive to catch a Bruins game during the regular season. In 2024, the Bruins will host three traditional B10 programs in the Rose Bowl – Indiana, Minnesota, and Iowa.

Michigan Stadium

The Big House, home to the University of Michigan football team had a maize out during their first home game of the 2023 season versus East Carolina on Saturday, September 2, 2023. Photo was taken from a helicopter as the band played on the field shortly before kickoff. / Eric Seals / USA TODAY NETWORK

It’s called the “Big House” for a reason. Michigan Stadium is the largest stadium in the Western Hemisphere, and still holds the record for the largest on-campus crowd to witness a game, bringing in a whopping 115,109 fans for the 2013 matchup with Notre Dame.

The Big House had an an average home game attendance of 109,971 fans, while the total home attendance for the 2023 season was a whopping 769,797 fans – good for No. 1 in the nation. If you want to be a part of the biggest crowd anywhere in the country to watch a football game on a fall Saturday, then Michigan Stadium should definitely be on your list.

Beaver Stadium

Penn State and Iowa take the field at the same time to to play in a White Out football game at Beaver Stadium Saturday, Sept. 23, 2023, in State College, Pa. / Dan Rainville / USA TODAY NETWORK

If you’re looking for one of the most incredible atmospheres that college football has to offer, a white-out game in Happy Valley has to be near the top of your list. Beaver Stadium has an official capacity of just over 106,000 fans, making it one of the largest stadiums in the country. But when the lights come on for Penn State’s annual white-out game, the atmosphere is hard to top.

Autzen Stadium

A pair of F-15 Eagle fighter jets fly over the field during the Oregon Ducks’ Spring Game Saturday, April 27. 2024 at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Ore. / Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA

It’s certainly not one of the biggest stadiums in the Big Ten Conference, but it definitely has one of the best environments. With the highest single-game attendance record of 60,055, Autzen Stadium boasts an electric crowd that makes for a difficult afternoon/evening for any opposing team.

The stadium itself offers 150 flat screen TVs throughout the concession area, and fans have the option of visiting a number of food trucks on the north side of the stadium. In 2020, Oregon installed a video board (186 x 66 feet) in the east end of the stadium that is currently the largest video board in in college football.

Husky Stadium

Nov 25, 2023; Seattle, Washington, USA; General view of Alaska Airlines Field at Husky Stadium during the second quarter of a game between the Washington State Cougars and Washington Huskies. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports / Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

With a capacity of over 70,000 fans, Husky Stadium is widely considered one of the loudest stadiums in the country. Part of the noise level is due to the design of the stadium itself, featuring cantilevered metal roofs on each side that help trap in the sound. The stadium’s open end overlooks Lake Washington and the Cascade Mountains, including Mount Rainier.

Kinnick Stadium

Nov 11, 2023; Iowa City, Iowa, USA; A general view of Kinnick Stadium during the game between the Iowa Hawkeyes and the Rutgers Scarlet Knights. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports / Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports

If you don’t mind driving through about a million miles of fields as far as the eye can see, then making the trip to Kinnick Stadium is definitely worth it. The folks out in Iowa City are built different, so don’t be surprised if you’re greeted by a group of students drinking on a massive black combine as you make your way to the stadium. With a capacity of nearly 70,000 fans, Kinnick features one of the most passionate crowds in all of college football – even when the football team sucks. Of course, Kinnick is also home to one of the best traditions in all of college football: The Children’s Hospital Wave.

Camp Randall

Sep 19, 2009; Madison, WI, USA; Members of the Wisconsin Marching Band take part in the traditional "Jump Around" festivities between the third and fourth quarters of the football game between the Wofford Terriers and the Wisconsin Badgers at Camp Randall Stadium. Wisconsin defeated Wofford 44-14. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports / Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

Wisconsin hasn’t been dominate as of late, but that doesn’t mean that you should ever skip out on an opportunity visit Camp Randall on a fall Saturday if you’ve never been. With a capacity of nearly 76,000 fans, Camp Randall Stadium is the seventh largest stadium in the Big Ten Conference – and it’s also the oldest. Everything about the stadium screams “Big Ten football”, and the “Jump Around” tradition is one of the best traditions in all of college football.

The Coliseum

Nov 18, 2023; Los Angeles, California, USA; USC Trojans wide receiver Brenden Rice (2) reacts after scoring a touchdown during the second quarter against the UCLA Bruins at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Jason Parkhurst-USA TODAY Sports / Jason Parkhurst-USA TODAY Sports

Home of the USC Trojans, the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum has a seating capacity of nearly 78,000 fans. The Coliseum was the host of the 1932 Summer Olympics Games, the home of the LA Dodgers until Dodger Stadium was completed in 1962, and was even the site for Super Bowl VII between the Miami Dolphins and Washington Redskins.

Memorial Stadium

Nov 24, 2023; Lincoln, Nebraska, USA; A general view of the game between the Nebraska Cornhuskers and the Iowa Hawkeyes at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Reese Strickland-USA TODAY Sports / Reese Strickland-USA TODAY Sports

With a seating capacity of over 90,000 fans, Nebraska’s Memorial Stadium is one of the largest stadiums in the Big Ten Conference. Much like Kinnick in Iowa City, you’ll need to drive through about a billion miles worth of fields to get there – but it’s certainly worth the effort to see the “Sea of Red”.

Ohio Stadium

Apr 18, 2024; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Ohio Stadium / Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA

It’s located in Ohio.

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