College Football 2011: The 7 Most Overrated Home Field Advantages

As far as home-field advantage goes, some coaches and players hold it in the highest regard, while others play it down as meaning almost nothing. In my opinion, home field is the key to a successful season; it inspires teams to perform better for their most loyal and dedicated fans.

There are studies and research supporting both sides. Some claim home field can make all the difference in the world, while others assert it is just a myth created to help increase attendance on game days. Either way, it still plays a psychological role in most of the college football players' minds on game day.

Many universities are feared and respected for their ability to fill the seats, cause deafening noise and encourage their teams on to victory. Those students and alumni take pride in what their rivals and opponents think of them.

However, most of peoples' views on whose home field is most respected is aged and out of date.

We need to now bring those views up to date by examining the last five years and finding out how the home field advantage has changed for some of those stadiums that have built fearsome reputations. Some might still be on the top, but others have become overrated.

Here are seven universities whose stadiums are a bit past their prime.

Sun Life Stadium: Miami Hurricanes

Home Record Since 2006: 21-11 (.656)

Capacity: 75,192

Over the past five years, the Hurricanes have not been impressive. On and off the field, Miami hasn't exactly been the ideal university, having some tough seasons as well as scandals involving alumni. 

Since 2008, Miami has been playing in Sun Life Stadium. It holds slightly more than 75,000 people, but sellouts rarely occur nowadays. With the coaching changes, it's understandable to see why students and alumni have been absent at the games. 

The Hurricanes have just a 66 percent home winning percentage since 2006, and for a school that was once regarded as one of the toughest teams in the Southeast, these past five years haven't been as great as the 1990s and early 2000s.

Known for having some of the rowdiest fans in college football, the Hurricanes need to take advantage of their NFL-class stadium and start winning more at home. Moving past scandal will be the key for Miami to return to their former glory.

Kyle Field: Texas A&M Aggies

Home Record Since 2006: 24-13 (.649)   

Capacity: 83,002

As an Aggie myself, it was depressing for me to have to put my sacred home field on this list. A&M has fought long and hard to be known as one of the loudest venues in the nation, but sometimes your team just doesn't perform.

The 12th Man is only holding up a .649 home winning record over the past five seasons, which is much lower than in the past. The 1990s and early 2000s with RC Slocum were celebrated as some of the best years for A&M football, as the team won its lone Big 12 Championship 1998.

Now, however, as A&M moves into the SEC, home-field advantage will become more important than ever. Kyle Field finished a huge expansion recently, adding on "The Zone" to the north end of the stadium back in 1999.

With the SEC move approaching, the university has decided to expand the stadium again, possibly up to a capacity of 115,000. This would make Kyle Field the largest stadium in the country.

This season the team has had one of the most disappointing years in recent memory, losing many close games to excellent teams. The Aggies, however, have been improving since firing coach Dennis Franchione in 2008, and they are set to restore their sacred gridiron to its former status as one of the most respected in the nation.

Doak Campbell Stadium: Florida State Seminoles

Home Record Since 2006: 22-12 (.647) 

Capacity: 88,300

In the early parts of this decade, the Seminoles were one of the best teams in the nation on a consistent basis. Bowden and company made it to multiple national championship games, winning the ACC almost every season.

As of late, however, Florida State has failed to produce. For example, this year the Seminoles were predicted to be a national title contender with a Heisman candidate to boot, but they fell from the rankings after tough losses to OU, Clemson and Wake Forest. 

Doak Campbell Stadium was one of the most feared places to play for opponents during Bowden's prime, but now not even Chief Osceola and his flaming spear can stop other squads from scoring.

The students and alumni pack the stadium on most game days, but its shape doesn't retain sound very well. Florida State needs to get back to its glory days and take control of its own state, especially in regard to recruiting, if it wants to be feared ever again at home.

Sun Devil Stadium: Arizona State Sun Devils

Home Record Since 2006: 22-12 (.647)

Capacity: 76,000

The Sun Devils have one of the largest stadiums in the Pac-12, as Sun Devil Stadium holds close to 76,000 people. The football team, unfortunately, hasn't performed as well as many fans would have hoped.

They retain a solid .647 home winning percentage since 2006. Their team has always been good, but never great, and even though fans show up every Saturday, most of the time the stadium doesn't sell out.

Having one of its better seasons of the decade until the UCLA loss, Arizona State is still in the running to win the Pac-12 South and head to the inaugural Pac-12 championship game. They haven't lost at home all year, which is a good sign for future seasons.

Taking control of a division that needs leadership might be in the cards for a team that has a lot of potential for success. Junior quarterback Brock Osweiler has looked great all year, and if he decides to stay for his senior season, the Sun Devils may be looking at a possible conference championship.

The Big House: Michigan Wolverines

Home Record Since 2006: 23-14 (.622)

Capacity: 109,901

The Big House is the largest stadium in the nation. It holds 100,00 people plus change and is full for games almost every single Saturday. Unfortunately for the Wolverines, the shape and style of this stadium don't retain noise very well.

Most opposing players have come in expecting more, only to find out that the stadium is built more for extra viewers rather than extra noise. The Wolverines are the winningest football team ever, with more than 880 wins in their history.

These past few years have been extremely hard for Michigan, though, resulting in only a .622 home winning percentage. For fans that expect much more, this is more than disappointing.

Having recently just changed coaches from Rich Rodriguez to Brady Hoke, Michigan fans are hoping for a revival of their once-great program. Perhaps the fans at the Big House can help them restore what was once the most feared venue in the country.   

Notre Dame Stadium: Notre Dame Fighting Irish

Home Record Since 2006: 19-15(.559)

Capacity: 80,795

Notre Dame is one of the most storied programs in college football, winning multiple national championships and having one of the most loyal fanbases in the sport.

However, the Fighting Irish have been lacking as of the last few years, especially at home. Since the Charlie Weis era, Notre Dame has not produced like it used to. Brian Kelly has begun the journey to get them back on the track to success, but it will be extremely difficult to return to what they used to be.

Notre Dame has been embarrassed at home the past couple of years by the likes of Navy, South Florida and others, making Catholics around the country cringe. The Fighting Irish fans are some of the proudest people in the game, and they will continue to call for changes until their team is back to its former glory.

Similar in shape to the Big House, Notre Dame Stadium doesn't hold in sound very well. It may be one of the oldest stadiums in the country, but it isn't one of the loudest. Notre Dame has the clout and potential to return its football team to glory, but how long that will take is unknown.

The Carrier Dome: Syracuse Orange

Home Record Since 2006: 12-21 (.364) 

Capacity: 49,250

Between the Carrier Dome's opening in 1980 and 2005, the Orange had an overall home winning percentage of .682. Over the past five years, however, they have dropped down below .500 at home. 

One of the only domes in the college football world, Syracuse's home field holds just under 50,000 fans. It rarely fills to capacity, however, mostly due to the team's recent failures.

Despite having the lowest home winning percentage since 2006 of the teams on this list, Syracuse has looked stronger as of late. But the Orange need to continue to build on this season if they want to turn the Carrier Dome back into one of the more feared venues in the nation.