30 Best College Football Stadiums of All-Time
By Duncan Smith
Nov 2, 2013; South Bend, IN, USA; A general view of Notre Dame Stadium during the third quarter of the game between the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the Navy Midshipmen. Notre Dame won 38-34. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports
3. Notre Dame Stadium
South Bend, Indiana
Capacity: 80,795
What makes it great: Notre Dame stadium oozes tradition. From the golden dome to “Touchdown Jesus“, the scope of history is unmistakable. Built in 1930 by Osborn Engineering, the same company that designed Yankee Stadium and Fenway Park, Notre Dame Stadium was designed on a smaller scale based on Michigan Stadium.
With the exception of a single Thanksgiving Day game against Air Force in 1973, every home game played at Notre Dame Stadium since 1966 has been sold out. Notre Dame players enter the field down a set of stairs past a sign that reminds them to “Play Like a Champion”, and that entrance onto the field is often shown at the beginning of Irish TV games.
Greatest game played: In 2010, the long-time rival Michigan Wolverines came to South Bend, and quarterback Denard Robinson put on a one-man show for the Wolverines. Despite the Irish mounting a late rally to come back from a 21-7 deficit, Michigan regained the lead and held on to win 28-24. Robinson threw for 244 yards and ran for another 258, totaling 502 yards on the day which was a record for total yards in a game in the rivalry.
Next: Ohio Stadium