College Football Road Trip Preview

By Andrew Musur on July 9, 2015

If you haven’t been able to tell from reading a few of my articles, I am an avid college sports fan. The passion and love for the game shown by college players, coaches and fans is something that is unmatched in the world of sports.

For me, college football is my calling card. I love fall Saturdays full of games and tailgates. There is so much going on during college football season and every weekend plays a pivotal role in deciding who will be crowned national champs. As a University of Illinois student I have not experienced some of the best football over the last two years, but our team was able to make their first bowl game since 2011, something I cherished as a student and fan.

Unfortunately we were selected to play in the Zaxby’s Heart of Dallas Bowl rather than the Quick Lane Bowl on December 26. Although I would have loved to make the trek down to Texas the day after Christmas it was nearly impossible for me to watch the game from anywhere other than my couch. We ended up losing to Louisiana Tech, but I was still able to say I watched an Illinois football team make a bowl game.

With the 2015 college football season right around the corner, I could not help but think how my Illini would fare this season. Back in December I wrote an article focused on the Illini, where I predicted they would go 6-6 and head to their second straight bowl game. Don’t get me wrong I will be attending as many Illini games as I can this season, home and away, but as an aspiring sports journalist I thought it would be pretty cool to expand my college football horizon.

I plan on visiting at least five different schools this fall to experience how some of the biggest and best college football teams in the country do it on Saturdays. Along the way I will be writing articles, tweeting pictures and short blurbs and most importantly seeing how different schools celebrate their teams. Here is a look at a few of the schools I may be at this fall.

The Ohio State University

Stadium name: The Horseshoe

Capacity: 104,944

There is no better place to start this journey than at The Ohio State University. The Buckeyes are the defending national champions and have good reason to believe they will be in contention for their second consecutive title. Ohio State has the third largest stadium in all of college football, and from what my friends have told me anyone and everyone attends the Buckeyes’ games.

Not only is Ohio Stadium one of the biggest in college football it is also one of the loudest. It’s hard for over 100,000 fans to stay quiet on a beautiful Saturday afternoon, especially when your team is undefeated. That 7:00 p.m. game on October 17 vs. Penn State is looking very enticing; I just might have to make the trip up to Columbus.

University of Michigan

Stadium Name: Michigan Stadium

Capacity: 109,901

Here is the thing, I am not a Michigan fan or an Ohio State fan for the matter, but when a friend invites you up to come tailgate with nearly 110,000 people it is hard to pass up. The Wolverines are home to the biggest stadium in all of college football, and something tells me a trip to Ann Arbor will exceed my wildest expectations.

For a team that has been mediocre over the last couple years, Michigan is still able to put butts in the seats. Since the Wolverines landed new coach Jim Harbaugh, the excitement around the program has grown rapidly. It is hard to pass up an opportunity to experience something as amazing as Michigan stadium.

Michigan State University

Stadium Name: Spartan Stadium

Capacity: 75,005

Some may call the Spartans the little brother to big, bad brother Michigan, but results have shown Michigan State has had the upper hand over the last few years. East Lansing is one of the most unique places to watch a college football game. The atmosphere surrounding Spartan football has exploded over the past five years, and it always seems like it comes down to them and Ohio State when deciding who will be Big Ten Champs.

I have a lot of respect for the support Michigan State students have for their basketball team, but I think it would be a fantastic experience to see if they give the same attention to football.

University of Wisconsin-Madison 

Stadium Name: Camp Randall

Capacity: 80,321

It is crazy to think I have yet to make a trip to beautiful Madison, Wisconsin in my two years at college. I have had a few trips planned, but they never panned out to be anything more than a dream.

I have been told Wisconsin is one of the best venues to watch a college football game in all of the country. Eighty thousand strong, the Badger fans know how to pack their stadium and have a good time doing it. If there is one thing I would love to cross off of my bucket list, it would be to participate in the “Jump Around,” during the 4th quarter at Camp Randall Stadium.

Although it is a four hour trip, it would be well worth it.

University of Iowa

Stadium: Kinnick Stadium

Capacity: 70,585

My last Big Ten school on this list features another fantastic place to enjoy a college football game. Iowa City is known for football and it would be a joy to take in the sights and sounds that go along with it. Having several friends that attend the University, this trip may come a little easier than the rest. Let’s hope we can survive the four hour car ride.

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I will be adding a few non Big Ten schools in the upcoming weeks such as Georgia, Ole Miss, SMU and possibly Texas A&M. There is no guarantee I visit all of these schools, but as a journalist I feel it is my duty to go out and explore the world around me. I hope to cross off as many stadiums, as I can, on this list.

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