For awhile I was doing a good job of catching 1 or 2 road games every year. But then kids came along and now we have fall baseball. THus I haven't traveled for a road game since 2018. Yikes.
But this also means a lot of my list are for stadiums that have undergone extensive renovations since I last visited. Anyway, here is my list:
1. Minnesota....I mean duh. But seriously, the sightlines are perfect, the view is nice, the open-end is a unique feature and the exterior is great. When the place is full, it's a fun environment.
2. Ohio State (2002)...It definitely is an imposing venue. The fans were a mix of rude/arrogant and friendly.
3. Penn State (2003, 2009)...The stadium itself is an erector set and wasn't anything special but the fans were extremely into it and the tailgating scene was the best. Also the fans were overall the nicest. In 2009 the game was a day after a major snowstorm blew threw so it closed down all the grass lots. We were invited by a local crew to join their party in a surface lot (permit only). Great time.
4. Illinois (2003, 2016, 2018)...One of the most underrated venues. Great exterior, good tailgating, easy in/out after the game. They don't really fill it up but the fans will leave you alone. I like Memorial Stadium.
5. Iowa (2001, 2009, 2012)...I have had extreme experiences at Kinnick. In 2001 we met the most foul-mouthed idiots and I nearly got in a fight with someone who called my fiancee a derogatory word. I'm absolutely not a fighter or a hot-head but that triggered me and it was absolutely my worst experience ever. Fast forward to 09 and 12 and I attended with an Iowa friend of mine who had season tix. (My wife has sworn that she will never attend another game down there) My experience with an Iowa fan who is pretty imposing himself made it alot of fun. Their fans are sooooo into the game. It's impressive how loud they can get.
6. Michigan (2004)....the Big House is nothing like this anymore. When I went it was well before all their add-ons and was largely just a hole in the ground surrounded by porta-johns. I wasn't as impressed as I thought I would be. Add in the fact that each "seat" is about 9 inches wide and it was an uncomfortable seating experience. Tailgating scene was good though and the fans were friendly enough.
7. Indiana (2007)....I also think this is underrated . The tailgating potential was there as the stadium was completely surrounded by parking. This was Brewster's first year though so the game was not competitive and since Indiana wasn't that great either the atmosphere was rather bland. I'd like to go back though and see the changes.
8. Wisconsin (2000, 2002, 2004)....Fans were atrocious and every game was a frustrating experience as the team got obliterated in the trenches by the Badgers. In 2000 and 2002 we gave up 31 and 28 points in the 2nd half respectively. In 2004 the game was over by halftime. I hate losing to Wisconsin so much that I just haven't had much of a desire to return. Watching the Gophers win at Camp Randall on TV is fun enough I guess.
9. Purdue (2008)...Nothing special. This trip is rated low because we were staying with family about an hour north and left our kids with them. Thus it was really a quick drive just for the game and I didn't get a chance to really take in any pre/post game stuff. It's really hard for me to remember much of that game other than we won and this was before the Brewster wheels came off.
10. Northwestern (2009, 2017)....absolute dump of a stadium. Only positive is that the walk from Lake Michigan to Ryan Field was enjoyable on a fall day. The 2017 game was terrible weather though. I brought my 7 year-old and the rain/snow and the fact we were getting blanked caused us to leave at halftime. I drove him back to the Dells and let him play at a waterpark instead.
Honorable Mention:
Colorado State (2015)....Beautiful setting on the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. The tailgating scene was pretty fun too.
Arizona State (2006....Insight Bowl)....Nice stadium. We had our kids in tow with us and they were 2 years and 6 months at the time.....so I couldn't really enjoy the ambiance. All I remember is swearing a lot under my breath as we walked out of the stadium.
