Fortunately, you got it right when you said "I know this means nothing." That said, Virginia twice, but Michigan once? No Michigan-Ohio State ritualistic visit to cap off the tour? Who are you and how did you find our blog?
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A Traveling Football Season - 15 Weeks of Teams and Places
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I have about a hundred updates for my computer and I have finally gained access to some high speed internet, but now I have to kill time while I wait. One thing I have always wanted to do is see a game at a different venue for the entire regular season. I thought I would share what my plan would be this year if I could make all the trips. So I hope you enjoy my theoretical game plan of travel based out of the Washington DC area. Attendance numbers – Wikipedia, Mileage – Google, Pre-Season Ranking – Bleacher Report (I know this means nothing)
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/232349-2009-2010-college-football-rankings-full-120-team-rankings
Week 1: Lots of good games but a trip up to New York is possible, so I chose Minnesota(43) @ Syracuse(93). Carrier Dome in Syracuse holds 49,500. 374 miles from DC. 6 hour and 18 minute drive. Would be strange being inside for the first game of the season, but should be a good game in which Minnesota wins.
Week 2: Notre Dame(36) @ Michigan(75). My ticket is purchased. 521 miles. 8 hour and 36 minute drive. You know the rest.
Week 3: Nebraska(29) @ Virginia Tech(8) Lane Stadium holds 66,233. 265 miles. 4 hour and 19 minute drive. Should be a big game, especially if VT beats Alabama in their first game.
Week 4: Iowa(23) @ Penn State(4). Beaver Stadium holds 107,282. 215 miles. 3 hour and 45 minute drive. Both teams should be 3-0 at this point, plus woo night game.
Week 5: Virginia(89) @ North Carolina(35). Kenan Stadium holds 60,000 and is supposed to be very scenic. 269 miles. 4 hour and 36 minute drive.
Week 6: Duke(82) @ NC State(48). Carter Finley Stadium holds 57,583. 281 miles. 4 hour and 32 minute drive. Should just stay in North Carolina for the week after the Virginia – UNC game. I’d get to see what should be two easy wins in one state!
Week 7: Marshall(98) @ West Virginia(18). Mountaineer Field at Milan Puskar Stadium holds 60,000. 207 miles. 3 hour and 27 minute drive.
Week 8: Georgia Tech @ Virginia(89). Scott Stadium holds 61,500 and has what might be one of the longest full names in college football. The Carl Smith Center, Home of David A. Harrison III Field at Scott Stadium. 111 miles. 2 hour and 13 minute drive.
Week 9: Miami(41) @ Wake Forest(39). BB&T Field at Groves Stadium holds 31,500. 337 miles. 5 hour and 33 minute drive. Starting to get later in the season, but what should be a solid ACC matchup.
The next three games are a bit of wishful thinking, but could be done, technically.
Week 10: Florida State(31) @ Clemson(56). Memorial Stadium holds 80,301. 530 miles. 8 hour and 37 minute drive. Death Valley!
Week 11: Florida(1) @ South Carolina(55). Williams-Brice Stadium holds 80,250. 479 miles. 7 hour and 30 minute drive.
Week 12: Vanderbilt(51) @ Tennessee(34). Neyland Stadium holds 102,037. 483 miles. 7 hour and 38 minute drive. Lane Kiffin drives an orange lamborghini with OMG shirtless Eric Berry on the hood onto the field for their Heisman campaign.
Week 13: Boston College(76) @ Maryland(65). Byrd Stadium holds 51,055. 0 miles. Yay metro!
Week 14: Cincinnati(47) @ Pittsburgh(17). Heinz field holds 65,050. 246 miles. 4 hour and 14 minute drive. Brian Kelly in an NFL stadium?
Week 15: Army(77) @ Navy(32). Lincoln Financial Field holds 68,582. 139 miles. 2 hour and 37 minute drive. More NFL stadiums?
15 games. 29 football teams. (Cavaliers twice.) 4457 miles driven. 1,048,374 screaming fans. (If they all sold out). The fall of a lifetime.
Anyone ever dream of doing something like this? What games on the list would you skip/ replace? What region of the country would you base out of? It’s tough and takes a bit but if you have the time make your own. What games/stadiums have you always wanted to go to? One year in my life I will get to do something like this and it will be epic. Only 15 minutes longer to finish my download!
August 17th, 2009 at 9:47 PM
#2
Fortunately, you got it right
August 17th, 2009 at 10:13 PM
#3
I am a Michigan alum.
But the point of the tour is a different stadium every week and I've already got my ticket for Notre Dame. I graduated and moved to DC. It was hard to find semi-realistic games to attend without scheduling an ACC team twice. Are the pictures working for you guys, as they were working before and now I am home and they aren't. I'd be happy to fix it if they aren't working.
August 17th, 2009 at 10:38 PM
#4
none but week 14 show up for
none but week 14 show up for me on firefox
August 17th, 2009 at 10:58 PM
#5
I bet he forgot to give
the secret handshake or the password after someone said, "Halt! Who comes here?"
August 17th, 2009 at 10:05 PM
#6
You should check out the Jet
You should check out the Jet Blue all you can fly package. $600 a month gets you as many flights as you can take. It could rapidly expand what games you see, even if you use it for only one month. You could possibly catch more weekday night games, however meaningless they may be. Those would also be the cheapest tickets.
August 17th, 2009 at 10:20 PM
#7
I was just checking the FBS
I was just checking the FBS google map and noticed I can drive from my house in Houston, TX and it takes less time to reach the University of Alabama (crossing east Texas, all of Louisiana, and all of Mississippi) than it does Texas Tech. I can almost reach Florida State in less time. It lost by about 20 minutes.
August 18th, 2009 at 12:02 AM
#8
Ugh...
As a future resident of the great city of Lubbock, TX, this is depressing.
August 18th, 2009 at 12:22 AM
#9
One of my sisters goes to
One of my sisters goes to Tech currently. At least it's no longer a dry county.
August 18th, 2009 at 12:58 AM
#10
Word.
I was thrilled to find out that they passed the law. I have been there numerous times before, and it was such a pain in the ass to drive all the way across town for beer.
August 17th, 2009 at 10:53 PM
#11
Good Trip
We live in a similar geographic area (Raleigh) so I've been to a lot of those stadiums.
Syracuse - A little strange seeing a game in a dome but they sell beer. Hit Armory Square at night. Good times.
Michigan - I have plane tickets up to A2 for ND weekend. No football tickets yet.
VA Tech - Trying to catch a game there this year.
Penn State - Fun town but the fans suck. Be careful if you wear Michigan stuff (although it's probably toned down a little bit after last year). Go to the Rathskeller for Happy Hour on Friday night or The Phirst after the game on Saturday.
North Carolina - You're right, it's a very scenic stadium (nestled in the pines) but the tailgating isn't very good because of the limited parking options and the crowds are pretty tame. The girls will all be dressed up. Good to see....but not exactly a football environment.
North Carolina State - I live less than two miles from the stadium. Spirited fans that lean toward the redneck side. Good tailgating but very limited parking for out-of-towners.
Virginia - Nice campus. Decent tailgating.
Wake Forest - Small-ish stadium but they've been upgrading lately. Again, limited parking and tailgating.
South Carolina - Now you're getting into SEC country. The stadiums are a little larger and the fans are a little more serious. Good tailgating. Get there early.
Sounds like a good fall. Have fun.
August 17th, 2009 at 11:07 PM
#12
Ditto...
week 14 only on Chrome.
August 17th, 2009 at 11:21 PM
#13
Attempt #2
Let me know if it works, it may take a bit to load though.
August 18th, 2009 at 12:06 AM
#14
+1
For the avatar.
August 18th, 2009 at 12:14 AM
#15
Did you live on the 200 block of Packard this year?
A couple of your posts have been a give away that you did. You may know me as I lived on Prospect, and roomed with the sombrero wearing Michigan basketball fan that was your roommate my junior year. Or I've gone nuts, and disregard everything I've said.
Signed, Dave
August 18th, 2009 at 1:29 AM
#16
Indeed...
You are correct, although I thought I mentioned that to you once before. And speaking of the sombrero man, I haven't seen him around this board very much lately. Perhaps that's what happens when you get a real job.
XOXO, Brad
August 18th, 2009 at 8:31 AM
#17
As per facebook updates I
As per facebook updates I believe the wife is in town visiting sombrero man. He needs to come back to MGoBlog. The FBS map showing schools is hilarious, there is nothing by Lubbock.
August 17th, 2009 at 11:50 PM
#18
My Goal
My Goal is more of a life goal rather than a season goal. I am trying to make it to every single one of the 120 stadiums in division 1-A. So far I have been to only 12. Each stadium I go to I buy the Jersey of the Home Team and root for the home team. Being based most of my life out of the Detroit area has made it tough to get to anything other than the Big 10/MAC games. That being said, the stadiums I have been to are as follows:
Michigan
Central Mich(Kelly Shorts Stadium)
Eastern Mich(Rynearson Stadium)
Western Mich(Waldo Stadium)
Iowa(Kinnick Stadium)
Kansas(Memorial Stadium)
Oklahoma(Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium)
Oklahoma St.(Boone Pickens Stadium)
Tulsa(Skelly Stadium)
TCU(Amon Carter Stadium)
North Texas(Fouts Field)
Texas(Darrel K Royal)
This year, other than the Michigan games I will attend, I plan on going to Toledo and Bowling Green to get them knocked off the list. Is anyone else doing anything like this??
August 17th, 2009 at 11:55 PM
#19
It's so tough. I'm trying to
It's so tough. I'm trying to do it with just MLB teams. Unfortunately, they've been rebuilding stadiums faster than I can go. Luckily, I caught both NY stadiums before they were torn down.
That's a good list though. I've got:
- Michigan
- Wisconsin
- Texas
- Texas Tech
- Houston
- Rice
I'm hoping to knock out Baylor and Texas A&M in the next year or two. After that, the closest to me are either SMU/TCU or UL-Lafayette/LSU.
August 18th, 2009 at 12:06 AM
#20
What game
What game in at DKR did you go to? I went to 2006 Texas-Texas A&M. It was one hell of a game even though the Longhorns lost the game. On a side note, but I recommend going up to Denton for a a game. I'm not sure what's in the water there, but the ladies there have the most amazing hindquarters this side of J-lo or Vida. A true must see.
August 18th, 2009 at 12:26 AM
#21
I also have a little sister
I also have a little sister at UT, and I made it to the Baylor game last year. I wrote it up and had it made the front page of Maize 'n Brew. Since it was "just Baylor" the atmosphere was a bit lackluster, but Robert Griffin made at least a first half of it.
I wouldn't expect less of UNT, but I'll just neglect to mention it to my gf when it comes time to visit.
August 17th, 2009 at 11:53 PM
#22
I've been to a game at South
I've been to a game at South Carolina and let me tell you it was awesome. The tailgating is great although the stadium is pretty far from central campus. Like UNC, all the girls will be dressed up in sundresses and guys will be dressed in casual office clothes.
When the team comes on the field, it is electric. It's been called the most exciting 10 seconds in all of college football for a reason. Next to the 2008 U-M vs. UW game, it was the loudest I've ever heard a stadium (not to compare to much, I've only been to the Big House, William Brice, Dolphin Stadium and a few baseball stadiums).
Also, go to Yesterday's at Four Points if you want some really good southern food. The Confederate Chicken-Fried Steak is amazing.
Have fun with your trip, sounds great!
August 18th, 2009 at 4:51 AM
#23
What?
No trip to the new home of the Golden Goophers? Some of those stadiums look really cool. I'd like to see UM put some decks on the end zones for extra seating and noise pollution.
August 18th, 2009 at 9:51 AM
#24
Michigan Game
I personally would rather go to the Ohio State game than the Notre Dame game. Anyways, it sounds like a really fun trip hopefully I could do something like that in the future.
August 18th, 2009 at 12:38 PM
#25
Army Navy
I envy your week 15 destination sir. Since I've been enrolled at UM I haven't been able to get to the game due to exams and what not. The Army Navy rivalry is the only football rivalry I think is nearly as good as UM/OSU, but for completely opposite reasons and I miss being at that game.
