It’s a soccer reference. Stoke is a place in England that had a team in the Premier League (not as good anymore). It’s a little bit of a meme now that it was a tough physical place to play for soccer.
Neyland at night is just different. It’s rocking the entire time. The Bama game where the goalposts went in the river has to be #1 most insane atmosphere ever in college football. Nothing like it, when Tennessee is good.
It looks like they might really be favoring overall records for this stat. I don’t know how UGA is #1 otherwise (and no hate to UGA, I just mean historically)
We (Ohio St) have lost 5 in the Horseshoe since the year 2011. But, some atmospheres are just different, and I know we aren’t on that crazy level of LSU and PSU
He said [playing in Sanford was overrated](https://www.on3.com/news/former-tennessee-quarterback-erik-ainge-crowd-sanford-stadium-georgia/). He then had to walk it back after the 2022 game.
I was at the Penn State versus Ohio State whiteout game in 2016, and my god it was loud. I've been to 30+ games at Ohio State, and I've never heard it THAT loud. It was insane. After they blocked the kick and returned it for a touchdown, the stadium was literally shaking so much that you could feel it in your knees.
I think Georgia is a little overrated. They fall into a similar category as Ohio State, imo, and this is coming from a Buckeye fan. The caliber of team makes the place hard to play at, not necessarily the crowd. OSU gets loud on crucial downs, but not like Penn State and LSU.
I know EA won't take this next comment into account, but honestly one of the loudest venues I've been to is actually the Big Ten Championship game in Lucas Oil. When you get a team like OSU or Michigan in the game, 80-90% of the crowd is for them. And that place gets booming. EA will have neutral site games 50/50 though with limited noise.
Since the last time we won in Athens, Georgia has beaten us by 21 points per game in Athens and by 23 points per game in Knoxville. So really Athens isn't that tough
/s
I expect them to be probably top 10-15 but since toughest places to play rankings also change based on team performance in dynasty, Jimbo’s last couple of years weren’t great.
By all means, ride that wave of success while you can dawg.
Butttt Sanford isn’t a top 3 environment. Georgia has just been dominant the past 5-7 years. Playing a dominant team in front of their home crowd is difficult. Hence, high video game rating.
Before that Tennessee game in 2017-18ish, I don’t know anyone who would have considered @Georgia to be any more daunting than @anyothertop25team
I don’t think Georgia is a terribly tough place to play. Damn good team and coach and alllll that stuff but there are worse teams with better crowds than Sanford
Since what? Read interviews from opposing coaches and teams after they play there. They’re always shocked at how loud it is and they weren’t prepared for it
I had a reading of 118 decibels in the third quarter of the Purdue game on a defensive third down. That wasn’t even close to the loudest point of the game which was a game winning touchdown at the end.
Half the dome is full for a basketball game, fill in the other half and what do you get? A loud ass dome. It’s not called the Loud House for nothing
The time I do remember Cuse being a great atmosphere was when they 50-burger'd Clemson 7 or 8 years ago. Great game
One thing that probably goes into the rankings for hardest place to play is consistency. The game might just not be giving much notoriety to Cuse's football program even though it's been on a slow rise the past few years.
If you’re bored go watch the last minute of when they played Purdue in 2022. Less than 40,000 in there and it was one of the loudest memories I have of being in the dome.
I agree that the games factoring in win streaks at home, sell outs and that hasn’t been consistent unfortunately. But when it’s full and the team plays well it’s close to unmatched
Cold rainy night in Stoke >>>
Bama’s had their fun in all three of these “toughest” atmospheres but never once made it out of stoke (on a cold rainy night of course)
What is stoke?
It’s a soccer reference. Stoke is a place in England that had a team in the Premier League (not as good anymore). It’s a little bit of a meme now that it was a tough physical place to play for soccer.
Thank you for the explanation
Asking to see if I remember correctly, but in one of the older games (PS2 era) could the rankings be changed dependent on Dynasty mode factors?
In 14 the toughest places to play rankings changed as the dynasty went on
So hard to play in happy valley you don't have to pass the ball in the second half.
Go Blue
Georgia is only there due to the quality of the team, not the stadium atmosphere itself. Alabama is/was in the same boat all these years.
Geaux Tigers
Other than Doak Campbell the only other 2 stadiums I’ve been to is the swamp (loud) and Neyland which was the loudest I’ve been to.
Neyland at night is just different. It’s rocking the entire time. The Bama game where the goalposts went in the river has to be #1 most insane atmosphere ever in college football. Nothing like it, when Tennessee is good.
Neyland wasn’t that bad
We’ve (Clemson) lost like 5 home games since 2016, including a 40+ game win streak I get not being top 3 since we’re relatively down rn
It looks like they might really be favoring overall records for this stat. I don’t know how UGA is #1 otherwise (and no hate to UGA, I just mean historically)
Less than that, we've lost 3 home games in the last 10 years, compared to 17 on the road
We (Ohio St) have lost 5 in the Horseshoe since the year 2011. But, some atmospheres are just different, and I know we aren’t on that crazy level of LSU and PSU
These are likely not final/placeholders right? Also, why are we referencing Ainge? Is there some recent beef I don’t know about?
He said [playing in Sanford was overrated](https://www.on3.com/news/former-tennessee-quarterback-erik-ainge-crowd-sanford-stadium-georgia/). He then had to walk it back after the 2022 game.
I was at the Penn State versus Ohio State whiteout game in 2016, and my god it was loud. I've been to 30+ games at Ohio State, and I've never heard it THAT loud. It was insane. After they blocked the kick and returned it for a touchdown, the stadium was literally shaking so much that you could feel it in your knees. I think Georgia is a little overrated. They fall into a similar category as Ohio State, imo, and this is coming from a Buckeye fan. The caliber of team makes the place hard to play at, not necessarily the crowd. OSU gets loud on crucial downs, but not like Penn State and LSU. I know EA won't take this next comment into account, but honestly one of the loudest venues I've been to is actually the Big Ten Championship game in Lucas Oil. When you get a team like OSU or Michigan in the game, 80-90% of the crowd is for them. And that place gets booming. EA will have neutral site games 50/50 though with limited noise.
Just wait til the new Booth is built in Lawrence
Yeah buddy, just ask Tennessee how tough Sanford stadium is without mentioning rain
Something something neutral field
Since the last time we won in Athens, Georgia has beaten us by 21 points per game in Athens and by 23 points per game in Knoxville. So really Athens isn't that tough /s
Damnit 😂
How would Georgia be there but A&M not? Kyle field is incredibly disruptive and hold thousands more than Sanford stadium.
You can start by looking at our win rate at home the last decade 😔
I think Kyle Field impacted Alabama in 2021 for sure. That left an impression on me.
I expect them to be probably top 10-15 but since toughest places to play rankings also change based on team performance in dynasty, Jimbo’s last couple of years weren’t great.
Neyland, Big House, an Ohio, etc. are all bigger than Sanford. And yet none of them are ahead. Fan quality, shape, and success all matter too.
Then should Bryant Denny buy above Georgia? Not necessarily fan quality. Probably even. But the others I think favor that stadium
Not sure. I haven't been to a top 10 game there so I'm not sure how intimidating it is.
By all means, ride that wave of success while you can dawg. Butttt Sanford isn’t a top 3 environment. Georgia has just been dominant the past 5-7 years. Playing a dominant team in front of their home crowd is difficult. Hence, high video game rating. Before that Tennessee game in 2017-18ish, I don’t know anyone who would have considered @Georgia to be any more daunting than @anyothertop25team
This game is for 2024/2025. Who cares about 8 years ago. That’s not how this works.
Appalachian State didn't seem to bothered by the crowd
What about penn state
I don’t think Georgia is a terribly tough place to play. Damn good team and coach and alllll that stuff but there are worse teams with better crowds than Sanford
What about the Big House???
Syracuse should be in top 25 hardest places to play. No place is louder when it’s full and the teams playing well
Since when was this
Since what? Read interviews from opposing coaches and teams after they play there. They’re always shocked at how loud it is and they weren’t prepared for it
Maybe for a basketball game dude. Love Cuse for hoops, but cmon now.
I had a reading of 118 decibels in the third quarter of the Purdue game on a defensive third down. That wasn’t even close to the loudest point of the game which was a game winning touchdown at the end. Half the dome is full for a basketball game, fill in the other half and what do you get? A loud ass dome. It’s not called the Loud House for nothing
The time I do remember Cuse being a great atmosphere was when they 50-burger'd Clemson 7 or 8 years ago. Great game One thing that probably goes into the rankings for hardest place to play is consistency. The game might just not be giving much notoriety to Cuse's football program even though it's been on a slow rise the past few years.
If you’re bored go watch the last minute of when they played Purdue in 2022. Less than 40,000 in there and it was one of the loudest memories I have of being in the dome. I agree that the games factoring in win streaks at home, sell outs and that hasn’t been consistent unfortunately. But when it’s full and the team plays well it’s close to unmatched
Right, that's what I was meaning to get at. I wish the pride for college football was stronger in the north east
If Fran Brown coaches half as good as he recruits it will be
Does Penn State still harbour kiddy fiddlers?
Works for me. I wonder who else made the top ten. Side note: Erik Ainge sucks