While Florida fans may consider Ben Hill Griffin Stadium to be one of the nation’s most daunting venues in college football, a handful of analysts from ESPN aren’t necessarily as high on the home stadium for the Gators.
ESPN polled its 14 college football analysts for their list of college football’s top 20 stadiums in order using specific no criteria – and then awarded points for each ranking, with 20th netting one point and first place netting 20 points. After tabulating the results, 42 stadiums received one vote or more, from which ESPN ranked its top 25 stadiums rankings.
Granted, the rankings aren’t based on which site is the most intimidating, which may have hindered Florida’s status in the rankings, as Ben Hill Griffin Stadium checked in at No. 20 in the rankings, good for 7th in the Southeastern Conference, with 61 points.
How many schools can say they have two traditions that are immediately identifiable? Florida can. Its oldest tradition stems back to the 1940s, when George Edmondson started a “Two Bits” cheer in the stands that eventually led to his legendary pregame ritual. Starting in the 1970s, Edmondson would dress in a yellow button-down shirt, blue-and-orange tie and pinstripe pants, whistle around his neck of course, and lead the cheer from the field before every home game. He became known simply as “Mr. Two Bits.” Florida has continued the tradition in his honor with celebrity “Mr. Two Bits,” so the pregame cheer lives on.
But a new tradition emerged in 2017. As a way to pay tribute to the late Tom Petty, a Gainesville native, “I Won’t Back Down” plays between the third and fourth quarters. Imagine more than 88,000 people at The Swamp — one of the loudest stadiums in America — singing, “Hey, baby, there ain’t no easy way out” and “I won’t back down” in thunderous unison. Pretty powerful. Especially at night with phone flashlights on.
As for notable programs ahead of Ben Hill Griffin Stadium on the list, LSU’s Tiger Stadium ranked No. 1, UCLA’s Rose Bowl came in at No. 2, and Michigan Stadium ranked No. 3.
In the SEC, Alabama’s Bryant-Denny Stadium was next at No. 9, Tennessee’s Neyland Stadium ranked No. 10, Texas A&M’s Kyle Field took No. 13, Auburn’s Jordan-Hare Stadium came in at No. 17 and Georgia’s Sanford Stadium checked in at No. 18.
An in-state rival of Florida, Florida State, saw its home venue, Doak S. Campbell Stadium, check in at No. 19.
Recently, ahead of the release of EA Sports’ College Football 25, The Swamp did fare better in EA Sports’ ranking of the toughest places to play, coming in at No. 10 in the rankings.
Atop EA Sports’ list was Kyle Field (Texas A&M), followed by Bryant-Denny Stadium (Alabama) at No. 2, with LSU’s Tiger Stadium at No. 3. The first non-SEC team to make the list was Ohio Stadium (Ohio State) at No. 4, followed by Sanford Stadium (Georgia) at No. 5. Penn State’s Beaver Stadium is ranked No. 6, followed by Camp Randall Stadium (Wisconsin) at No. 7, Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium (Oklahoma) at No. 8, Doak S. Campbell Stadium (Florida State) at No. 9 and The Swamp at No. 10.
