Big Ten Football 2011: Power Ranking All the Stadiums

They're the home fields of the Big Ten. Historic pieces of rich traditions. Through more than a century of Saturday battles, they've seen icons and legends burst through their gates. They've been the battlegrounds for the conference's most celebrated and revered personalities. 

Of these houses of pain, who holds the best "home-field advantage?" 

We'll power rank all of the stadiums of the Big Ten. Before we do though, we should probably define the criteria.

The first criteria has to be seating capacity. While the sheer number of bodies within a stadium doesn't necessarily make it great, the more voices you have, the tougher it is for opponents to communicate on the field.

Another criteria should be the seating arrangement. Some stadiums have their fans right down in the middle of the action, while others seem to push their fans into the sky and away from the field.  The closer the fans are to the players, the better.

The overall shape will also play into the arrangement.

The age of the building should also be a consideration. For one, there is a great historical attachment to fields that have tasted the toes of the greats. On the other hand, newer stadiums may have amenities that older ones may not. This will be a tough balance.

Finally, historical significance has to be a major factor. Stadiums that have witnessed some of the greatest games in Big Ten history have to get some bonus points.

Without further ado: here are the stadiums of the Big Ten!

12. Ryan Field (Northwestern)

Built: 1926

Permanent Seating Capacity: 47,130

Formerly known as Dyche Stadium, Ryan Field has seen College Football Hall-of-Famers like Otto Graham, Ara Parseghian and current head coach Pat Fitzgerald grace it's hallowed turf.  In total, 15 HoF inductees played their glory days on this field.

Northwestern rides the double-edged sword of being a highly exclusive, private institution.  On the one hand, they can maintain a very high academic standard and do whatever they like to turn a pure profit.  They're not a state-funded school, so they have much more wiggle room with their money.

On the other hand, they don't regularly get the kinds of recruits that other institutions can grab. They don't have an historic "power name" like Notre Dame, and their academic standards are high enough to eliminate a good portion of the competition.

All of that means that they struggle to bring in the kind of athletic and financial support to build a stadium that might stack up against the elite of their conference brethren.  What they do bring in has to be carefully monitored as they don't get the kind of government-sponsored support that other institutions can use as a safety net.

Why Ryan Field Should Be Higher on the List

Northwestern really does provide a good college football experience, and the stadium is all part of that.  At barely over 47,000 capacity, it almost feels like an amped-up high school state championship.

It's a cozy atmosphere with loyal and proud fans. The stadium is in good shape and has good visual appeal.

Why it Ranks the Bottom

While size isn't everything, it does matter.  At less than half the capacity of the larger conference stadiums, Ryan Field isn't going to intimidate too many opponents. It's the smallest venue in the conference and it shows.

Also, while Northwestern can boast alumni names like Graham and Fitzgerald, the field hasn't really hosted a ton of games that decided the conference title. There have been some great games, but not that many of them have been for really big things.  

There aren't a lot of "extras" that set the stadium apart either.  It has good visual appeal but doesn't boast a ton of luxury suites, jumbotrons, etc.  It's quaint and cozy but isn't going to provide a huge advantage to the home team.

Northwestern has a home field they should be proud of, but they just don't have the fan base necessary to build a truly awe-inspiring facility.

11. Memorial Stadium (Indiana)

Built: 1960

Seating Capacity: 52,929

The current Memorial Stadium replaced the previous Memorial Stadium, which was built in 1925. The original facility seated only 20,000, but in the mid-20s, that wasn't out of the norm. 

The home of the Hoosiers boasts a 36' by 91' HD scoreboard that was added for the 2010 season.  That's one massive TV and ranks among the largest scoreboards in the country.

Why Memorial Stadium Should Rank Higher

Take a good look at the photo that accompanies this slide.  The facility looks as though it could have been built just a year or so ago.  No, it's not huge, but it has great visual appeal and opponents almost have to feel like some ancient Roman gladiators tossed into the ring of death.

The layout is good and a large portion of the fans are practically on top of the players (literally).

Why it Should Be Ranked Lower

If we're talking about historical names that played on the home field, Northwestern actually scores higher than the Hoosiers. Indiana can only boast six CFB Hall-of-fame inductees compared to Northwestern's 15. 

This is about the stadium and not the teams though, right?  Right. 

Still, Memorial Stadium can't boast having the same big names treading on its turf as other stadiums.  As with Northwestern, it also hasn't seen that many conference championship-making games either.

This is what I'd call a "Tweener" stadium.  It's somewhere between a high-end FCS stadium and a mid-level FBS stadium.  It's aesthetically much better than what you'd find at the typical FCS school, but not as big or impressive as you'll find at many FBS schools. 

10. Ross-Ade Stadium (Purdue)

Built: 1924

Seating Capacity: 62,500

This grand old stadium boasts 34 luxury boxes and a 200-seat indoor club level.  It's part modern, part throw-back. 

This version of the field replaced the old Stuart Field, which was originally home to the Boilermakers from 1892.  It's named after David E. Ross and George Ade—the principal benefactors.

It's original seating capacity was a meek 13,500.  A series of renovations boosted that capacity as high as 70,000, but the most recent one lowered it again to the current numbers.

Why Ross-Ade Should Rank Higher

As one of the older fields in the conference, Ross-Ade has seen a lot happen in this conference.  With names like Bob Griese, "Bump" Elliott, Rod Woodson and Len Dawson gracing it's turf, there has to be a real level of revelry when contemplating this field.

The fans are close to the field and can get a real taste of the action.  Don't underestimate the power of a few dozen hostile fans screaming in your opponents' ears.

This is a good "Old School" stadium that never allowed its roots to be torn up in the name of progress.  It still has some of the feel of the good old days, while embracing some of the amenities customary to the modern era.

Why it Should Rank Lower

In keeping with the history theme, there have been some great battles with the Indiana Hoosiers but not that many all-time great Big Ten games.  Let's face it, Purdue has been near the bottom of the conference pile for so long that few of the games taking place in Ross-Ade have had any real significance.

Look again at the picture.  From the press box that looks like it belongs on a larger field to the bare-naked corners, the field screams of patchwork quilt.  Nothing seems to quite come together and it really has the feel of a stadium that's been continually added to, rather than completely renovated.

It's not big enough to be completely intimidating and not modern enough to really please the eye.

The only thing keeping Ross-Ade ahead of Indiana's Memorial Stadium is sheer capacity. 

9. Memorial Stadium (Illinois)

Built: 1923

Seating Capacity: 60,600

Originally built in memory of alumni who lost their lives in World War I, the stadium was later rededicated to honor those who also lost their lives in World War II as well.  On either side of the stadium are large pillars, most of which are inscribed with the name of one of the alumni who died in the first war.

Memorial Stadium is old school architecture that hasn't parted much from the original concept.  A few upgrades here and there have made it more modern, but it could easily be transported back to the mid-1900s and not look out of place.

Why Memorial Stadium Should Rank Higher

You don't get a lot more historic than Memorial Stadium.  Boasting such alumni as Dick Butkus, Red Grange and George Halas, these are truly hallowed grounds.

A good portion of the fans are perched not far behind the players, making for a fairly hostile environment.  Those in the upper deck seem to bear down on the field and give the impression of being towered over. 

The "rough" feel of the facility give the impression of a no-nonsense organization that doesn't waste a lot of time or resources on "frill" but prefer to spend their assets on whooping tush.

Why it Should Rank Lower

It doesn't look that tough. The "rough" architecture could just as well be described as outdated and in need of a real renovation.  The exterior is impressive and historic, but the interior (in places) looks like a bad 70s police drama-gone-wrong.

It lacks closed in corners to entrap the opponents and doesn't quite boast the capacity to intimidate them with sheer numbers.

It's tough to rate this stadium this low.  There's a lot of history here, and it's good to see programs hold onto their identity.  Memorial Stadium is a good facility with a solid fanbase to support the home team.  With more than 60,000 screaming fans, it's hardly the smallest venue in the conference.

On the other hand, it's hardly the largest, nowhere near the newest, and you have to dig into the history to find much inspiration in the facility.

8. TCF Bank Stadium (Minnesota)

Built: 2009

Seating Capacity: 50,805

Meet the conference's newest home field. The Gophers left behind the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome for their new digs and are still wearing out the "new car smell."

Their new home offers 39 luxury suites, 300 indoor club seats and a 48' by 108' HD scoreboard.

Why TCF Bank Should Be Ranked Higher

How does the newest stadium in the conference not rank near the top?  This is a brand new stadium with all new amenities.  Everything is sleek, new and in great working order.  It's "prettier" than a lot of stadiums on this list and will be for quite some time.

By all accounts, the new stadium is an upgrade from the Metrodome. 

Why it Should Rank Lower

Seating capacity at the Metrodome is 64,111, so this new stadium is a step backward in terms of sheer size.  Giving up nearly 21 percent of your seating capacity makes a difference.

For a brand new stadium, the good folks who designed, built and/or paid for this fabulous structure apparently cut a few corners.  The end zones look almost bare, and the decks look awkwardly stacked. 

The Gophers may have had a few (okay, more than a few) rough seasons lately, but they're the kind of team that can sneak up and bite any number of power teams.  Their stadium should be big, loud and awe-inspiring.  It could bring in recruits all by itself. 

They had the opportunity to go for the Lexus but opted for the Prius instead.

Unfortunately, as historied as Minnesota is as a university, this stadium has none to speak of.  Previous fields saw national championship teams, conference championship teams, All-Americans and All-Pros (before they were All-Pros).  This stadium has seen a couple of teams that struggled to make bowl eligibility and barely a handful of NFL-bound players.

7. Spartan Stadium (Michigan State)

Built: 1923

Seating Capacity: 75,005

Formerly known as College Field, Macklin Field and Macklin Stadium, nothing sounds quite as right as Spartan Stadium.  Every Saturday in the fall, it bleeds green and white.

Why Spartan Stadium Should Be Ranked Higher

For starters, this stadium is larger (in terms of seating) than at least one that follows. 

In 2002, Spartan Stadium ranked No. 8 in ESPN's Mel Kiper's list of most scenic venues.  So, if it was eighth in the nation, then are you supposed to believe that the six stadiums ahead of it on this list were ahead of it on Kiper's?

Ranking right up there with some of the oldest venues in the conference, Spartan Stadium (in its various names) has been privileged to be the home of such names as Bubba Smith, Andre Rison and Lorenzo White. 

Why it Should Rank Lower

A lot has changed since 2002, including Spartan Stadium. 

The 24 luxury suites added in 2005, along with the 193-seat press box, are very nice, but several stadiums on this list have more amenities for those who can afford to splurge. 

It's a good stadium, but is it "great?"  We're down to splitting hairs here. 

Spartan Stadium is a good ol' traditional ball stadium with a good modern flare.

6. Kinnick Stadium (Iowa)

Built: 1929

Seating Capacity: 70,585

Home of the Hawkeyes, Kinnick Stadium has been a source of pride for Iowa fans for generations.  With luxury suites, indoor/outdoor club seating, a renovated press box and a state-of-the-art audio/video system, Kinnick Stadium has kept up with the times.

Why Kinnick Stadium Should Be Ranked Higher

Sporting News ranked Kinnick Stadium the best football stadium in the Big Ten in 2007 and 2009.  That says something, when Kinnick is voted higher than the Big House or the Horseshoe.

Thanks to renovations in 2006, Kinnick has all the goodies of the bigger facilities.  From consessions to restrooms to training/game day facilities, there are few within (or without) the Big Ten that can boast anything better.

Though the stadium doesn't hold as many people as those that follow, Kinnick can get awfully loud when the fans are into the action.

Why it Should Rank Lower

In the beginning, I mentioned that seating capacity was a strong consideration.  As you've undoubtedly noticed, I've relied awfully heavily on that particular criteria for my rankings.

With that in mind, Kinnick seats fewer people than either Spartan Stadium or Camp Randall. 

Kinnick Stadium has seen a lot of history.  Greats like Chuck Long, Larry Station, Cal Jones and (of course) Nile Kinnick have graced it's field. 

Still, compared to some others on this list, this stadium hasn't seen many national championships come to fruition on its field, nor many conference titles for that matter.

5. Memorial Stadium (Nebraska)

Built: 1923

Seating Capacity: 81,067

Another Memorial Stadium? Yup. This one has been dedicated to the men and women of Nebraska that have lost their lives in virtually every conflict from the Spanish-American War through Vietnam. 

Memorial Stadium boasts 65 luxury boxes, five HD screens stationed around the stadium (the largest 33ft high and 40 yards long), and of course, HuskerVision.

This hallowed hall of gridiron greats has been the home of names like Grant Wistrom, Johnny Rogers, Mike Rozier and Ndamukong Suh. 

Why Memorial Stadium Should Rank Higher

It's tough to find too many venues better than Memorial Stadium.  From 80,000 screaming fans to HuskerVision, it's not just a game, it's an event. 

As they've built onto the stadium, they've consistently made it better.  There are no gangly holes that look out of place or skyscrapers that seem to pop out of nowhere.  The symmetry is great, the fans are firmly in the action and you don't get a better game day experience than the one you'll find in Lincoln, Nebraska.

Why it Should Rank Lower

It shouldn't.  The only thing holding it down where it is would be the fact that the other stadiums on the list are larger and thus can afford more amenities. 

4. Camp Randall Stadium (Wisconsin)

Built: 1917

Capacity: 80,321

What an amazing structure!  Home of the Badgers, Camp Randall is the oldest stadium in the conference and one of the oldest in the country.  If it were much older, it might have hosted inter-unit games for Union soldiers.

Boasting 72 luxury suites, 337 club seats and 590 indoor varsity seats, it's as luxurious as any other anywhere. 

Why Camp Randall Should Be Ranked Higher

Sit in those stands.  If you can't, at least look at that picture.  What more do you really want in a stadium?

It's old enough to have as much history as any in the conference.  At the same time, renovations have kept the stadium on par with the best in the nation.

The massive structure is intimidating and awesome. 

Why it Should Rank Lower

It shouldn't.  If anything, it's ranked too low, but the little things make the difference now.

3. Beaver Stadium (Penn State)

Built: 1960

Seating Capacity: 107,282

Also known as "Happy Valley", Beaver Stadium is the home of the Nittany Lions and Joe Paterno.  It's seen the likes of Franco Harris and Lenny Moore.

Why Beaver Stadium Should Be Ranked Higher

With that seating capacity, Beaver Stadium is the second largest college football stadium in the nation.  Only Michigan Stadium seats more fans.

The layout of this stadium is fantastic. Totally enclosed, opponents practically drown in a sea of white on game day. 

The press box/luxury suites tower over the field, giving an empirical intimidation.  The fans are loud and the field seems almost tiny sunk in the middle of the mini-city that sprawls out around it.

Why it Should Rank Lower

It gets knocks for its age.  It's not nearly as old as Camp Randall (and thus a little lighter on stadium history), yet not nearly as new as TCF Bank Stadium (and thus possessing more modern architecture). 

It might seem like a pithy knock, but these are the breaks. 

Beaver Stadium is one of the best venues in all of college football, let alone the Big Ten.  However, per our criteria, it's just a shade short of being the "best", though I'm sure PSU fans will still think it's number one.

2. Ohio Stadium (Ohio State)

Built: 1922

Seating Capacity: 102,329

Welcome to the home of the Buckeyes.  Ohio Stadium, also known as "the Horseshoe" has seen six Heisman Trophy winners wear its colors (though Archie Griffin won it twice, bringing the total trophies to seven).

It boasts 81 luxury suites, 2,500 club seats and a 30' by 92' LED scoreboard.

Why Ohio Stadium Should Be Ranked Higher

It's a real toss-up between first and second place on this list.  If you want to talk history, this stadium has seen everything from conference championships to national titles and Heismans to Hall-of-Famers. 

Anything over 100,000 in the fan department is just enormous, and the noise can be deafening on a crisp autumn afternoon. 

Everything about this stadium screams massive and intimidating.

Why it Should Rank Lower

Well now, here's the problem.  If we adhere to the "size matters" mantra, Ohio Stadium is technically smaller than Beaver Stadium.

However, it makes up for it in its rich history and high-end amenities.

1. Michigan Stadium (Michigan)

Built: 1927

Seating Capacity: 109,901

It isn't called "the Big House" for nothing.  Michigan Stadium is the largest college football venue in the nation. 

It isn't just big, it's luxurious too.  Michigan Stadium boasts 83 luxury boxes and 3,200 club seats.  I guess it's easy to do that when you house a small metropolis within your brick-and-mortar rims.

Why Michigan Stadium Ranks No. 1

It has pretty much everything.  Size?  Check.  History?  How's three Heisman Trophy Alumns and a slew of Hall inductees? How about all of those conference/national title contests between the Wolverines and Buckeyes? 

Amenities?  It has more than any other in the conference. 

If you want to see Texas-sized college football atmosphere, you go to Michigan Stadium to catch a football game.

Why it Should Rank Lower

Again, this is all a matter of opinion.  Buckeye fans will undoubtedly think the Horseshoe is better for any number of reasons.  Husker fans will favor Memorial Stadium.

It's as it should be.

However, per the criteria established at the beginning, no stadium puts a check in every box like Michigan Stadium.