Pac 12 stadium rankings: A collection of beautiful college football venues

It is important to start our Pac 12 stadium rankings with a disclaimer. There are no places to avoid here. Unlike some other conferences, there aren’t any truly awful college football venues. No trips to Lubbock or yokel fans hanging on to a flea flicker from two decades ago.

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That being said, some are better than others. And that is why we are here with The Touchback’s Pac 12 stadium rankings. But before we begin, let’s talk about methodology. Going to a college football game is an experience which the stadium is at the heart of. Fans, gameday vibes, the area around the stadium and other factors are just as important as the concrete and bricks they are built from.

Looking at some Google Earth images and saying this stadium is good or that one is poor is a practice of judging a book by its cover. It’s not bad per se, but it also isn’t always accurate. With that out of the way, let’s jump into our Pac 12 stadium rankings.

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Pac 12 stadium rankings

12) Stanford Stadium

Stanford Stadium
The cheese pizza of stadiums

It is amazing that Stanford Stadium hosted a Super Bowl and looked like this at one time. It has been renovated over the years and is now an unoffensive, if not bland place to watch a game. There is nothing wrong with it. The exterior is pleasant, parking isn’t usually all that difficult and Cardinal fans are nice. But there is something lacking about the total package you can’t help but notice. In other words, it’s the cheese pizza of college football stadiums.

Also, the Stanford Band isn’t nearly as cool as it thinks it is.

11) Arizona Stadium

Arizona Stadium review
Nothing good or bad to see here

Arizona Stadium has this odd Franken-stadium appearance to it that is a byproduct of undergoing renovations in different decades. It’s interesting to see, especially in person, but everything else about this place is fairly underwhelming unless you are super into metal bleachers. Fun fact, there are some dorms in the south endzone structure. This would be cool if they didn’t look like a prison cell.

Related: A review of Arizona Stadium

10) Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum

LA Memorial Coliseum
Watch out for those dimly lit corners

The atmosphere at Memorial Coliseum for a USC game is so dull. Would it kill the band to play more than two songs? Also, you feel really far away from the action here. There is a major disconnect between the field and stands. Not to mention those creepy dark spots that aren’t lit. Finally, Trojan fans are incredibly annoying.

Despite all those negatives, you can’t help but marvel at some of the history found all over Memorial Coliseum. A walk around the stadium is really cool. Additionally, there are usually large swaths of empty seats meaning you can sit in a few different places and checkout various views even if the game itself seems as if it is being played in another zip code.

Keep Reading: An honest review of LA Memorial Coliseum

9) Rose Bowl

Let’s stay in Los Angeles. Every year during the Rose Bowl, Kirk Herbstreit goes on this spiel about how beautiful the stadium is. And yes, at 5pm in January with the sun setting, it is stunning. Not so much at 10pm or noon or really most other times. In fact, walking the two miles back to your car through a poorly lit golf course after those night games is creepy as all hell.

When compared to Memorial Coliseum, the views and atmosphere are better, although not by much. Make no mistake, this is an LA crowd. Arrive late, leave early and pay minimal attention to what’s happening. Less annoying and more indifferent. The negatives are offset by the history found throughout the Rose Bowl and the fact the weather is almost always pleasant.

8) Rice–Eccles Stadium

A lot of people rate Rice–Eccles Stadium more highly than I do. However, it is sort of plain. Don’t get me wrong, the Wasatch Mountains serving as a backdrop is nice. Renovations to create an enclosed bowl have helped elevate Rice–Eccles, but it still lacks something when compared to the upcoming Pac 12 stadiums on the list. Also, Utah fans are kind of annoying.

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7) Martin Stadium

Martin Stadium
It can get cold at Martin Stadium

Here’s the deal, if this was my personal list, Martin Stadium would be in the top three. I freaking love this place. Of course, I went to school on the Palouse and took some courses here during my time at Idaho. From a neutral perspective, it blends into the Washington State campus beautifully. Even with the horseshoe shape, most seats are close to the action. Wazzu fans are an interesting bunch who expect the worst and hope for the not worst. There is a reason why choking is called “Coug’ed it” in the Northwest.

Watching a game at Martin Stadium is an overall enjoyable experience. Well, except for the weather. There is no covering above the stands. If it’s not raining or snowing, the wind will be blasting you from somewhere. The cold can be particularly brutal for November night games. Those in Pullman don’t mind it, but your enjoyment may vary.

6) California Memorial Stadium

Let’s start with the downside of California Memorial Stadium. The surrounding area can no longer support a 60,000-seat college football stadium. The roads, infrastructure and density make gamedays a nightmare. Hell, just driving by it on a random Wednesday is a right pain in the ass. Especially since Cal students jaywalk like crazy.

Despite this, California Memorial Stadium is really quite stunning. Everything from the architecture to Tightwad Hill adds to the uniqueness. There is a reason it’s on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. Ultimately, this is a place of extremes where the awesomeness of the actual venue is able to canceled out most of the negatives of its physical location.

5) Sun Devil Stadium

Here we have another Pac 12 stadium that has hosted a Super Bowl. Sun Devil Stadium was carved into A Mountain, it’s a butte technically speaking, with this serving as one of college football’s most unique backdrops. The thing is, photos and video don’t really do the area justice. This place is awe inspiring.

Renovations to Sun Devil Stadium in recent times have improved the overall look and experience as this facility was in rough shape after the Cardinals left in the late 2000s. And while Arizona State fans aren’t my favorite, they are certainly more palatable than their hillbilly cousins in Tucson.

4) Folsom Field

There is a lot to love about Folsom Field and the Colorado campus as a whole. It is visually stunning. This should be the best stadium in the Pac 12. Unfortunately, the Buffaloes have been so bad for so long that there is no atmosphere whatsoever. A lone winning season in 15 years will do that. It has made one of college football’s great cathedrals feel hollow. Seriously, there is a palpable sadness that you can’t help but notice when attending a game at Folsom Field.

3) Reser Stadium

Reser Stadium OSU
You get to walk on the field after games at Reser Stadium

I know what you’re saying. How can a stadium under construction be rated so highly? Having gone to games here both prior to the southwest grandstand being torn down and after its destruction, this allows me to safely say Reser Stadium is still a top-three venue in the Pac 12. It’s beautiful, the seating layout is outstanding and you can’t beat the views of the Willamette Valley. The new stand will only improve the experience.

What’s more, games here are fun. Oregon State has built up some great traditions, like the chainsaw, that make being in the stands enjoyable. There is also a sense of community that should be mentioned. Getting to walk on the field of Reser Stadium after a game and mingle with players and fans is really cool. Don’t believe me? Just go to Corvallis and experience it for yourself.

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2) Husky Stadium

Washington fans are kind of dicks. And the whole “Greatest Setting in College Football” branding is pretentious. But yeah, Husky Stadium is remarkable. Everyone mentions the views of Lake Washington, but really, the walk from the U-District to the facility is just as impressive. The atmosphere here is usually awesome as well. The Huskies have plenty of great gameday traditions and one of the sport’s best fight songs.

It should be mentioned that the steepness of the upper deck is no joke. It’s kind of frightening. Plus, getting up there is a trek. But unlike say the Rose Bowl, you still feel like you’re on top of the action.

1) Autzen Stadium

Autzen Stadium
Autzen Stadium is one of college football’s gems

Autzen Stadium is the total package. It is honestly everything you could ever want from a college football stadium. The design is one-of-a-kind and with its seat sloping, there isn’t a bad spot in the house. Obviously, there are few venues louder. Oregon Ducks fans are a tolerable flock.

There is also something special about the location of Autzen Stadium. If you’re coming from campus, you cross the Willamette River and go through this green area before it appears. Simply put, there are few places in college football on par with Oregon’s home.

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