If you believe college football is all about flashy stadiums and new flash halftime productions, think again. Some of the sport’s greatest mythical, soul-restoring stadiums are old enough to predate your great-grandparents’ ever imagining tailgating.
So buckle up because we’re diving into the top 10 oldest active college football stadiums, especially the ones that still pack in the fans and the history, sometimes both simultaneously.
Franklin Field (Philadelphia)—1895
Franklin Field isn’t just old; it’s practically college football’s great-grandpa. Opened in 1895, it’s the oldest stadium and home to the University of Pennsylvania Quakers. This stadium is a depot of firsts — the location of the first televised football game, way back in 1939, revolutionizing the game beyond words.
Seating around 52,500 spectators, Franklin Field still manages to create that old-school college experience with its stone arches and vintage scoreboard. Whether Ivy League games or lacrosse games, the stadium’s retro feel invites fans who love the game’s history. And it’s just a stone’s throw from Philly Cheesesteaks, which gets the crowd pumped!
Harvard Stadium (Boston)—1903
Harvard Stadium, constructed in 1903 from reinforced concrete, was far ahead of its time. This 30,000-seat stadium was an innovator in stadium design, establishing a model emulated by arenas all over the country.
It serves as the home to “The Game,” the storied Harvard-Yale rivalry that has been a tradition since 1875. However, the stadium itself has been the battleground since the early 1900s. The views of the Charles River next door don’t come amiss either. It’s where class and fine Ivy League heritage come together, ideal for those who desire a classy act to accompany tackles.
Kyle Field (College Station, Texas)—1904
Texas A&M’s Kyle Field began small in 1904 but is today a goliath — the “Home of the 12th Man” holds a staggering 102,733, one of the largest stadiums in the nation. The atmosphere here is electric, particularly during games against archrivals Texas and LSU, when the ocean of spectators is like a storm.
Blackout intro at Kyle Field, LSU at Texas A&M nearly at foot: pic.twitter.com/tayq3NT4cj
— Brent Zwerneman (@BrentZwerneman) October 27, 2024
The luxurious suites, massive video screens, and upmarket concessions are new features, but Kyle Field’s soul is still its hardcore Aggie tradition. If you desire a football experience in which tradition is married to passion like fireworks, Kyle Field is the place to visit.
Fitton Field (Worcester, Massachusetts) — 1908
Fitton Field is an intimate, homey favorite of college football. Holy Cross has called it home since 1908. It holds around 23,500, so it’s not the largest stadium, but it gets the job done in charm and hometown feel.
The largest games might not be Prime Time on ESPN, but Patriot League showdowns get the crowd going who love down-to-earth football. Its vintage wooden stands and sweeping hilltop vistas create a retro vibe where football is raw and uncomplicated — the genuine throwback to the days when football was simple.
Bobby Dodd Stadium (Atlanta)—1913
Bobby Dodd Stadium at Georgia Tech has been operating since 1913. It is the oldest FBS stadium still located on its original ground. With a capacity of approximately 55,000, it’s not the biggest but one of the best-known.
The icing on the cake? The red-hot “Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate” between the University of Georgia means the stadium is painted gold and red. Recent renovations introduce the new flair without sacrificing that old-school feel. With its location near downtown Atlanta, fans have the best of both worlds, where good old-fashioned football meets city living.
Davis Wade Stadium (Starkville, Mississippi)—1914
Davis Wade Stadium has been on site since 1914. With more than 61,000 seats and one of college football’s most electric atmospheres, it’s become an official SEC fortress.
Mississippi State’s Egg Bowl against Ole Miss is a statewide party annually, and Davis Wade is the focal point of all the noise and fervor.
They’ve upgraded with luxury suites and huge video boards, but what makes it special is the Bulldog devotion. Opponents recognize it as a difficult stadium to play in, and fans realize it’s one of the greatest places to see a game played in the South.
Yale Bowl (New Haven, Connecticut)—1914
The Yale Bowl is a behemoth of college football history — literally. It seated 61,446 on opening day in 1914, the original bowl stadium and model for many that followed, including the Rose Bowl.
It’s within spitting distance of Yale’s campus and a symbol of Ivy League football heritage. The Yale-Harvard game is legendary, with decades of academic and athletic disdain. Though not as popular across the nation currently, the grand arches and history of the stadium are worthy of a pilgrimage by football supporters who relish the game’s history.
Vaught-Hemingway Stadium (Oxford, Mississippi)—1915
Ole Miss’s Vaught-Hemingway Stadium is a 1915 structure holding slightly more than 64,000 rabid Rebels supporters. The tailgating scene in the Grove here is perhaps the most fabulous pregame bash in college football as the fans transform the campus into a sea of red and blue before kickoff.
The Egg Bowl against Mississippi State generates statewide pride, and Vaught-Hemingway always brings a wild crowd. With modern amenities, the stadium retains that old Southern charm, making each trip memorable.
Nippert Stadium (Cincinnati, Ohio) — 1915
Although it might not have the national exposure of SEC giants, Nippert Stadium, which has been home to the Cincinnati Bearcats since 1915, has a 40,000-seat hilltop view overlooking the Ohio River that lends it character for days. The Bearcats’ recent improvement means the biggest games today attract gigantic crowds and an electric atmosphere.
Upgrades have incorporated luxury boxes and modern technology, turning Nippert into a combination of old-fashioned history and newfangled convenience—an old-school underdog tale in college football arenas.
Camp Randall Stadium (Madison, WI)—1917
The Badger pride giant of a stadium with a seating capacity of more than 80,000, Camp Randall Stadium has been the home of the Wisconsin Badgers since 1917. The annual tradition game with Minnesota, “Paul Bunyan’s Axe,” is a crowd-pleaser, with fans clad in red and white filling the seats to the limit.
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It is not only a memorial to Wisconsin’s war dead, providing an extra level of dignity and heritage that binds every fan a little more tightly, but with contemporary amenities and that unbeatable Midwestern football passion, Camp Randall is a stadium that remembers and salutes both the past and the present.
So next time you’re lucky enough to visit one, soak it all in—you’re standing on hallowed ground.
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