The Big 12’s most stunning football stadiums, loudest crowds and overlooked gems

There isn’t a more geographically diverse power conference in college football than the Big 12. The views in and around its stadiums are proof.

From the desert of Arizona to being a mile high above sea level in Colorado to the plains of the Midwest, vastness of Texas and the rolling hills of Appalachia, it’s another stark reminder of the impact of conference realignment.

And while clusters of the 16 teams in the Big 12 have historical familiarity with one another, the past few years have been an opportunity for fan bases traveling the country to get a look at stadiums and cities they’d never seen before.

After The Athletic recently polled staffers about the best stadiums in America, here’s a tour through Big 12 country, where we touch on the overrated, underrated and everything else in the conference that stretches from the Rocky Mountains to the Sunshine State.

What is your favorite Big 12 stadium?

Feldman: Rice-Eccles at Utah. It’s in a beautiful setting — just like the Utes’ archrival’s place in Provo. It’s also kind of breathtaking, literally, since it’s at almost 5,000 feet above sea level. But the Utes’ home is also pound-for-pound the loudest stadium in college football. The MUSS (Mighty Utah Student Section) is the heartbeat of Rice-Eccles, and you feel them from the moment you enter the building. I almost said Colorado’s Folsom Field because that place is gorgeous as well, but I’ll stick with Rice-Eccles because it’s even more raucous.

Kamrani: Folsom Field (Colorado) is one of the most unique-looking venues in the country. Its U-shape perfectly complements an architectural layout of a campus that is uniform in display. Rather than vast, towering stands that encompass everything within sight, the design allows for picturesque views of the jagged Flatirons, the famed sandstone formations on the west side of town. And it offers a natural grass field, which automatically awards immeasurable points in these subjective rankings.

Khan: Is there a more picturesque setting in the conference — or in the Power Four — than BYU’s LaVell Edwards Stadium? It’s set at the base of the Wasatch Mountains, creating one of the most unique views in the sport. It seats more fans than any other stadium in the conference, and Cougars fans match the scenery with their enthusiasm and intensity (just ask opponents who visit for night games). Plus, Cougar Tails! And free ice cream for the visitors section. How can you beat that?

Ubben: Even without the flock of shirtless dudes, I’m voting Oklahoma State’s Boone Pickens Stadium. People care, and stadiums are made by the people inside them, not the programs that built them. Oklahoma State fills it, and it’s such an imposing venue. It’s modern. It’s palatial. And the Paddle People are louder than they come across on television — mostly because they slap the wooden paddles on mats on what seems like six inches behind the opposing sidelines. It’s loud. The walls are super high. And they’re right up against the sideline. It’s a great place to see a game and a fearsome opposing venue when the Cowboys are at least competent.

What is the most underrated Big 12 stadium?

Feldman: Milan Puskar Stadium. It ain’t glitzy, and it ain’t new. West Virginia’s home has been around for almost 50 years, but it’s got a vibe that’s unique. It’s rowdy and raw, and it feels like the sun wouldn’t dare poke through to spruce up the gritty feel of a fall Saturday in Morgantown.

Kamrani: Jack Trice Stadium. I’m a sucker for cool stories. And history. And anytime they’re intertwined, I’m hooked. Iowa State’s home venue is named after the school’s first Black football player, who died after injuries sustained in a 1923 game against Minnesota. (Spencer Hall’s story that touches on Trice remains one of the best college football stories ever written.) Beyond the honoring of Trice, the stadium just pops on TV.

Khan: McLane Stadium at Baylor is a cool, intimate setting. It’s well-designed and just the right size (roughly 45,000). The horseshoe-shaped home of the Bears opens up to the Brazos River, which provides for a neat view. You can sailgate. There’s a pedestrian bridge that spans the river to get to the stadium. And the Baylor Line — the human tunnel of freshmen the team runs through as it enters the stadium pre-kickoff — is a fun dose of tradition and school spirit.

Ubben: Bill Snyder Family Stadium at Kansas State. I don’t know why it isn’t mentioned as one of the best in the country. The castle aesthetic on the outside is very cool, but the fans fill it up, it’s a cool place and it’s loud.

What is the most overrated Big 12 stadium?

Feldman: I don’t know if there’s any that are talked about enough that folks could go sideways on one of them, aside from Folsom and Rice-Eccles, but those places are gems. If I had to pick one for this designation, I’d go with Arizona Stadium. I did a bunch of games there as a sideline reporter, and this includes some of the Rich Rodriguez era, when they were pretty good, and the vibe of the place still mostly felt like a basketball school.

Kamrani: Apologies to our friends in the desert. Unfortunately I will offend our friends in the Sunshine State by singling out UCF’s Acrisure Stadium, much better known as the Bounce House. Less than 20 years old, it just has no character. It has an awesome name. But other than that, seems like the last place in the Big 12 you’d want to go see a game as a visiting fan.

Khan: I apologize for offending my alma mater, but it’s TDECU Stadium in Houston. Many out-of-town visitors have remarked to me how nice it is, and it is a good facility, especially compared to the dated venue it replaced, Robertson Stadium. But it lacks character. One of the unique aspects of the place when it was built in 2014 was the upper deck cutout in the northwest corner that allowed fans a view of Houston’s terrific downtown skyline. But three years after TDECU Stadium opened, the football team’s indoor practice facility sprouted near there, blocking the view. There are no palm trees, which Robertson had (however misplaced they may have been, I miss ’em). And most of all, the fan support is lacking for a program that aspires to compete at the highest level. It seats only 40,000, but it’s a chore to sell out (UH has had only seven sellouts in the stadium’s 12-season existence). The Cougars have won eight or more games 13 times in the past 20 years — it’s a good program! — but you wouldn’t know it by the butts in seats.

Ubben: Mountain America Stadium. It’s not great that I had to look up the name of the venue I knew as Sun Devil Stadium. It’s got a lot of history. It’s in a great location. When there’s a massive game in town — especially at night — it can get rowdy. But it’s not very consistent, and activating the Arizona State fan base always seems like an uphill battle. There are places with worse historical football that consistently have better crowds.

Superlatives

Best location: Boulder, Folsom Field. The whole area around that campus is stunning. I don’t know if it’s ideal to reel in 18-year-old linemen, but if you’re middle-aged and would love to get in some awesome hiking, this is the Tiger Stadium for the REI crowd. — Feldman

Friendliest to visitors: The first time I stepped outside my car at Milan Puskar Stadium, I was offered moonshine. I was working (and a little scared of what the mason jar might contain, honestly), so I declined, but that’s a first in my career. The tailgating area in the hospital parking lot has always been an underrated scene in the sport. — Ubben

Most intimidating: A night game at Jones AT&T Stadium can be harrowing, especially if you’re the target of Texas Tech fans’ ire. Texas had some eventful trips to Lubbock when it was in the Big 12. “They have a special hate for anyone in burnt orange,” former Texas safety Blake Gideon once told me. Oklahoma QB Baker Mayfield experienced that after returning to the school he transferred from, with fans wearing “Traitor” T-shirts and shouting expletives. Last year, Texas Tech coach Joey McGuire had to get on the microphone to plead to fans to stop throwing things onto the field against Colorado. “They were throwing everything but my mama at me,” Colorado coach Deion Sanders said afterward. Former Tech cornerback Jamar Wall once said Tech has “some of the most ruthless fans that you can have.” — Khan

Best local fare: You probably won’t go 10 feet without someone passing around Pepperoni Rolls, which are a No. 1 seed among hangover foods — and around these parts, they’re a must. — Feldman

Coolest feature: Cincinnati’s Nippert Stadium is open to anyone at any time. It’s in the middle of campus, and though it’s maddening for coaches, the idea of going to college somewhere I could set up an impromptu touch football game on my team’s stadium field at 10 p.m. on a Wednesday is something not many places can duplicate. — Ubben

Best looking: TCU’s Amon G. Carter Stadium is a beaut. It’s a 95-year-old facility but it has had a lot of work done since 2010 and is one of the classiest looking football stadiums you’ll find. The school’s stated goal upon renovation was to make it into the “Camden Yards” of college football stadiums. I don’t know if it’s quite that, but it has a light, clean facade that blends well into the rest of the university, which is aesthetically pleasing in its own right. It feels bigger than it is when you’re inside. And the stadium has two of the better nicknames you’ll find: “The Carter” and “Hell’s Half Acre.” — Khan

Best dessert: An extremely BYU thing here, but the Cougar Tail has risen in popularity as BYU’s national profile has returned under Kalani Sitake. It’s a very long maple bar that is estimated to be as much as 2,200 calories. It’s absurd. One bite should suffice. If you’re in Provo, bring a plastic knife to hand out pieces to others unless you want a Hall of Fame sugar migraine. — Kamrani

This article originally appeared in The Athletic.