Josh Pates Names His Top 5 College Football Stadium Atmospheres

When it comes to college football, there may not be another sport that offers the same level of home-field advantage. Throughout every season, we've seen some of the highest-ranked, most talented teams lose to lesser opponents on the road, largely thanks to the hostile environments created by the fans in attendance at home stadiums.

This past weekend, one of those stadiums was on full display when then-No. 2 Ohio State ventured out to Eugene to take on No. 3 Oregon at Autzen Stadium.

Even if you just watched on television, you could hear the intense roar of the crowd permeating through the screen. It undoubtedly played a role in the game, with the Buckeyes often struggling to communicate. This environment was undeniably one of the keys to Oregon's 32-31 win over Ohio State.

College football analyst Josh Pate was in attendance for the game and had high praise for Autzen Stadium, saying, "This [Autzen Stadium] is louder than any other venue in the Big Ten."

That statement, of course, did not sit well with fans of other Big Ten teams. Nevertheless, it says a lot about Oregon’s fan base and Autzen Stadium, which set an attendance record of 60,129 on Saturday night.

Pate later revealed his top five loudest atmospheres in college football:

1. Neyland Stadium - Tennessee Volunteers
2. Tiger Stadium (Death Valley) - LSU Tigers
3. Autzen Stadium - Oregon Ducks
4. Beaver Stadium (Happy Valley) - Penn State Nittany Lions
5. Bryant-Denny Stadium - Alabama Crimson Tide

"Neyland Stadium is the loudest place I've ever been," Pate said.

Pate noted that he will be attending this week's Tennessee game when they host Alabama, which is a rematch of the 2022 game he cites as influencing his ranking. The Vols upset the Crimson Tide, 52-49, on Oct. 15, 2022.

Pate also offered some context for a few of these picks, including his No. 2 stadium, LSU’s Death Valley.

"A lot of things are overhyped in this sport," Pate said. "Not Death Valley at night."

Autzen Stadium, now No. 3 on Pate's list, also drew some criticism, mostly due to its relatively small capacity.

"The people who are arguing with me about this have never been to a game there. I have," Pate said.

Penn State’s Beaver Stadium, specifically for its famed White Out games, earned the No. 4 spot.

Finally, Alabama's Bryant-Denny Stadium rounds out the list at No. 5, with Pate referencing a recent game when the Georgia Bulldogs came to Tuscaloosa.

"That was an insane environment," Pate said.

That game saw Georgia come all the way back from a 30-7 halftime deficit, briefly take the lead late in the fourth quarter, only to lose 41-34.

With the season now at its midpoint, Pate still has many more stops ahead, so his top five rankings could change at any time. This weekend, Tennessee’s Neyland Stadium could just reaffirm its place as the No. 1 spot.

Related: Josh Pate on Autzen Stadium: 'This Place Is Louder Than Any Other Venue in the Big Ten'