Iowa State (Big 12) 2014

College: Iowa State University

Year:   2014

Game: Baylor 49 Iowa State 28

Rating: 9
Cost Index:  Low

Tickets:  Easy

Stadium:  Jack Trice Stadium

Description:  I went to Iowa State last year and loved it.  Last year's review is here:

http://www.collegefootballroadtrips.com/2013/10/iowa-state-big-12-2013.html

If anything this trip cemented Iowa State's status as a big time place to see a game.  I might make it a yearly trip because Big 12 football is ENTERTAINING.  Watching Baylor play is hypnotizing.  Their offensive philosophy is to line up and take what the defense gives, they just to it in 20 or 30 yard chunks.  Since they don't physically beat their opponent up you never really feel like the other team is out of the game until you look up at the scoreboard and Baylor is up by 4 touchdowns.

We were not originally planning to hit Iowa State.  This trip was supposed to include Kansas but we had to pivot out because of the air traffic control problem in Iowa.   As an aside, should I feel bad for Brian Howard the FAA contractor who attempted suicide, failed at that and proceeded to fuck up air traffic for the entire United States?  I suppose if I were a compassionate person I would but I really just feel like this fucking asshole was a selfish prick.  I understand mental illness and I know how awful the world can seem but killing yourself over a transfer to Hawaii?  HAWAII????  Fucking asshole, just quit and find another job.  

If you want to make it part of a larger trip: Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas City

Don't Miss:  The Iowa State Tailgate experience

Avoid:  I didn't come across anything obnoxious or silly

Attendees:  Bones, Dr. John Thackery, Polychronopolis

  

Game Recap:  http://scores.espn.go.com/ncf/recap?gameId=400547860

Oklahoma State (Big 12) 2014

College: Oklahoma State University

Year:   2014

Game: Oklahoma State 45 Texas Tech 35

Rating: 8

Cost Index:  Moderate (we paid 50 for a 90 dollar face value ticket)

Tickets:  Medium -- but I expect this would be a very difficult ticket for a big game

Stadium:  Boone Pickins Stadium

Description:  We arrived in Stillwater around 2PM for a 6:30 kick.  Stillwater is your run of the mill rural college town.  A well manicured campus surrounded by a sleepy town.  There are few bars and restaurants but nothing like you find in Lawrence or Manhattan (KS).  The tailgate is ok but Boone Pickins is right in the middle of campus so it's not the sprawling tail gate you get at a place like Iowa State or K-State.

The highlight of the trip by far was the stadium itself and the atmosphere inside.  This was a moderately big game (conference game against a decent but not great team) and the fans were knowledgeable and involved. I can't imagine what this place would be like for an Oklahoma game.  We will definitely be making a return trip in the future.

Before the game we stopped into Eskmo Joes.  I don't think I've ever seen a college bar this big.  They have their own apparel store, two floors and they also run the parking lot across the street that was open for some music and an outdoor tail gate. Like most things this big it's very corporate and nothing special.  We ate at the Hideawy, which was also decent but nothing ground breaking.

They have a great student section and the stadium is mostly enclosed so it's really loud.  They renovated it a few years back so it's classy, modern and provides a home field advantage.

One random note:  It seemed like once the game ended there was a rush to leave.  Understandable for a Thursday night but it did not seem like the students really celebrated the win, the bars were not slammed or anything.  Usually the students are more active after a win, not sure why they were not in this case.

While the crowd was mostly good we happened to sit behind an Oklahoma jerk off.  It's funny how each area of the country has a stock character jerk off.  The Oklahoma version is a skinny dink who danced during every time out.  Fuck him.

If you want to make it part of a larger trip: Oklahoma, Kansas State, TCU, Texas, Texas A&M

Don't Miss:  The overall experience in Boone PIckins, grab a beer at Eskimo Joes

Avoid:  I didn't come across anything obnoxious or silly

Attendees:  Bones, Dr. John Thackery

Game Recap:  http://scores.espn.go.com/ncf/recap?gameId=400547859

Alternate OSU logos:

Kansas State (Big 12) 2014

College: Kansas State University

Year:   2014

Game: Auburn 20 Kansas State 14

Rating: 7

Cost Index:  120 dollar ticket (I way, way, way over paid...no reason to buy tix in advance for Thursday night games)

Tickets:  Easy - there were plenty of buyers walking around the stadium

Stadium:  Snyder Family Memorial Stadium

Description:  One thing that I've noticed on these excursions is how accurately these Universities represent their regions.  K-State was no different.  The people in this area of the country are extremely friendly and welcoming.  The region is pristine and very pretty.  We are led to believe it's nothing but cornfields from Kansas City to Denver but this is not the reality, it's a very relaxing and scenic place to drive.

Bill Snyder Family Stadium was originally built in 1968 but it was recently renovated so it mine as well be new. I think most of the K-State campus is made of limestone and they kept with that theme when building/renovating this guy.  Very nice stadium, not iconic or anything along those lines.  Only feature that stands out is the press box.

Given that we are in Kansas you would think there is plenty of room around the stadium to tail gate....and there is plenty of room.  So much room they kept their old football stadium around for soccer.   The stadium is set on it's own on the north west side of campus with large tail gate lots on either side.  They had a good sized RV area as well.  The tail gate was noticeably sober which led to a a loud, but not overly loud, crowd compared to other places I've been.   People were drinking, but it wasn't the out of control frat boy bullshit you see most places, which is a nice change of pace.  The crowd was plenty loud enough to affect the game but I saw zero bullshit during the game.

The student section is 100% as legit as advertised. I don't usually go into a game early but because I was flying solo I went in 90 minutes before kick off.  The student section and the band start their cheers an hour before the game and they keep it going up until the kick.  I can't say it's the craziest student section I've seen (Wisconsin) or the loudest (Penn State) but they are the most co-ordinated.  I'm glad I got to see it in person.

I'm pretty cynical anytime an organization start's preaching values at me, but something about K-Sate is sincere.  Who knows if this will carry on once Snyder leaves. remember the program was awful before he got there and immediately went back to mediocre once he left the first time.  Talk is cheap, but it does appear that K-State runs a clean program and that should count for something.

As far as the game....K-State let Auburn off the hook.  Their defense played very well, more than well enough to win.  The offense played pretty well but made a couple of mistakes (dropped pass in the end zone being the most egregious).  The major problem in this game was K-State's kicker, who seemed to shrink in the moment a bit.  He missed three kicks, the biggest being a 22 yard attempt that would have tied the game in the third quarter.  This loss was typical of one of those teams that has a bit of an inferiority complex to the SEC.  Talent wise the game was pretty even, K-State just shot themselves in the foot.

On the bright side:  K-State is going to win a lot of games in the Big 12.  They may even win the conference with a little luck and a win over Oklahoma, though my guess is that they will be very tough and home and beatable on the road.  The game vs. Oklahoma is on the road.   Auburn isn't going 7-1 in the SEC West this year, not after what I saw last night.  Too many dropped passes, defense got bailed out by mistakes by K-State's offense.


If you want to make it part of a larger trip: Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Missouri, Oklahoma State

Don't Miss:  Getting their early for the student section

Avoid:  I didn't come across anything obnoxious or silly

Attendees:  Bones

  

Game Recap:  http://scores.espn.go.com/ncf/recap?gameId=400547856&ex_cid=espnapi_public

Alternate K-State logo:

Top Spots

These are the different sights that "get it right".   No one set up is any better than another, they all have a unique game day experience:

Toledo (MAC) 2014

College: University of Toledo

Year:   2014

Game: Missouri 49  Toledo 24

Rating: 6

Cost Index:  40 dollar ticket

Tickets:  Easy

Stadium:  The Glass Bowl

Description:  About what we expected.  The Glass Bowl is a very decent small college stadium but they didn't sell it out.  You need to sell out a 35,000 seat stadium when you have an SEC team come to town.  Toledo is one of many small Midwestern cities that was once riding high economically, fell on hard times and hasn't recovered.  It's not as desolate as Detroit or as run down as Cleveland but it's also devoid of any real atmosphere.  I spend both my nights at the only brew pub in town, Maumee Bay Brewing Company.  They had good beer and good food but they were also the only option.

I could not get a pulse on the city while I was there.  It is midway between Cleveland and Detroit.  My vibe was that it's kind of a boring place, that's kind of how I felt about Toledo and their campus as well.  Don't get me wrong, the campus is nice but it was not that interesting.  I'm glad we went because it's relatively close, it is a classic Midwestern stadium and it was a decent early season game, but I would not travel a long distance just for this experience.  Now if you could pair it with one of the big boys nearby then I would say go for it.

This day will be remembered as one of the toughest in the history of the Big 10 as Ohio State, Michigan and Michigan State all lost in prime time.   Add to this two Big 10 teams lost to MAC schools (Northwestern and Purdue) and two more had to pull games out of their asses (Iowa and Nebraska) against small schools  The Big 10 was more or less eliminated from the playoff discussion.

Notes:

• Missouri's kicker's name is Andrew Baggett....sometime in the second quarter we got the obligatory "Andrew Faggot" from the row behind us....I have to admit I laughed. It's funny to hear people behave in a politically incorrect manner!
• For some unknown reason Toledo's athletic department handed out Vuvuzelas to the fans.  Is there anything worse than this at a sporting event?  Zero value add.  The person(s) responsible for this should be punched in the arm until they cry. 

If you want to make it part of a larger trip: Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State

Don't Miss:  Maumee Bay Brewing Company

Avoid:  Downtown Toledo

Attendees:  Bones and Polychronopolis

  

Game Recap:  http://scores.espn.go.com/ncf/recap?gameId=400548102