ESPN’s ‘Best Student Sections In College Football’ Slideshow: Are you joking?
——BY ALEX FERGUSON/@viewfromamerica For The SEC Football Blog—-
Thanks to reading a little Saturday Down South, they pointed me towards ESPN’s latest slideshow: “The Top 20 Student Sections in College Football”.
No. 1 was Alabama. Georgia, Tennessee and Florida were all included, as were Auburn.
As lists go, it was a terrible list.
Thanks to SDS, who listed it out so we didn’t have to, here is the Top 20 list:
1. Alabama
2. Florida State
3. Penn State
4. Nebraska
5. Illinois
6. Oklahoma
7. Pittsburgh
8. North Carolina
9. Georgia
10. Tennessee
11. Wisconsin
12. Maryland
13. Florida
14. Miami
15. Cincinnati
16. SMU
17. TCU
18. Michigan
19. Auburn
20. Harvard
We’re not going to be a SEC homer, so we’ve got some questions to ask about other schools:
1) ESPN College Football guru Kirk Herbstreit called Texas A&M The ‘Best Student Section in College Football’. Fans we know from the Aggies’ Big XII days would agree. So would fans we know from the SEC who have been to A&M. The noise is relentless. And if you’re going to put Penn State’s student section at 3 – and they were also named the best student section in college football by Kirk Herbstreit back in 2005, why don’t you name the Aggies?
2) If Alabama‘s student section has been so incredible, intimidating, and such a big plus, then why has Alabama’s record ON THE ROAD – against the best student sections in the country – has actually been better than Alabama’s record AT HOME in recent years. Is that why that there are louder college football student sections than Bama’s by a mile
3) If Illinois is the third best student section in the country, then why can’t the student section sell out? The same probably applies to Georgia, too, where they are reducing the amount of student tickets because of the fact that the fans don’t show up.
4) Michigan’s student section gets in despite the fact that Ann Arbor itself is renowned for having historically quiet fans. Are you getting this off the Notre Dame-Michigan night game of 2011? Or is there any other evidence for this?
5) Miami‘s on the list, despite the fact that the stadium doesn’t even fill? If the students were the ‘best in college football’, surely they’d flood the place?
WHY WEREN’T THESE TEAMS ON THE LIST?
1) LSU – Well known as one of the loudest, rudest, student sections in college football. Oh, and the dancing during games is pretty cool, too. The fact that they seem to refuse shakers is also pretty great. Very un-SECish, but still great.
2) Ohio State – A big reason The Horseshoe is a difficult place to play is the Ohio State student section, which is absolutely rocking for any game, but particularly at night. We’d point you towards their epic battles with Texas and USC back in the day (and Michigan whenever the Wolverines are in town), over Ohio State.
3) Texas A&M – Two words for you: Twelfth. Man.
4) Oregon – The student section – and Autzen Stadium is general – is awesomely loud. Helps to make Autzen one of the most intimidating venues in college football…even if it is full of Pac-12 hippies.
5) South Carolina – A SEC fan said to me: ‘I hate to say this, but Williams-Brice is just defeaning’. Is it because it’s only been since Steve Spurrier came along? But if not, why aren’t they in?
6) Clemson – The Orange Death Valley has become one of the toughest places to play in college football. It starts with the student section. But no, ESPN, you’re putting North Carolina ahead of them!!
7) West Virginia – Morgantown’s a nutjob’s paradise. True, there’s been some trouble with the locals about fan behavior at the stadium, but you know what, West Virginia’s still a rough place to play.
8) Oklahoma State – Anyone who shows up with paddles to games automatically should get to any ‘Top 20 Student Sections in College Football List’.
9) Texas – Burnt Orange = Smoking hot. Or – as is known by a friend of ours who tries to go there once a year – ‘Paradise For Any Red-Blooded Male’.
10) Arizona State – Sun Devil Stadium’s student section ‘Black Outs’ are a sight to be seen.