Miami football ranked fifth best stadium experience in ACC

ESPN College Football writer David Hale sent out a Tweet earlier this week ranking 12 of the ACC’s College Football venues for overall stadium experience. Miami football games at Hard Rock Stadium came in fifth overall.

Miami football games at both the Orange Bowl and Hard Rock Stadium have repeatedly been praised by out of town football writers for the big game experience. If crowds and the electricity at every game could match the big games Miami would have one of the best home-field advantages in the country.

The renovation of Hard Rock Stadium have made a big difference in the crowd noise and creating more of a home field. The creating of the canopy to cover 90 percent of the fans has also greatly impacted the crowd noise staying in the stadium.

The renovations also eliminated over 10,000 seats. That has created a more intimate atmosphere at the Rock. Some rivals’ websites, particularly Florida State, have harped on the Hurricanes using a rented stadium. The Hurricanes are playing in a world-class venue. The vast majority of Hurricanes opponents cannot say that.

Hard Rock Stadium hosts the Orange Bowl every year and is in the rotation every three years for that game to be one of the College Football Playoff semifinals. Hard Rock will also be in the rotation for the Super Bowl and College Football Playoff Championship game.

The atmosphere at Hard Rock Stadium for the Virginia Tech and Notre Dame games last year were electric. ABC and ESPN College Football Announcer Kirk Herbstreit and former Notre Dame tight end Duncan Smythe both called the Rock the loudest stadium that they had been in.

Smythe was quoted in the Palm Beach post earlier this year discussing the noise and atmosphere in the Fighting Irish’s 41-8 loss to Miami.

"“We kind of expected a loud atmosphere but nothing close to what it was…That was one of the loudest stadiums I’ve played in my five years (in college)…The atmosphere was great…Obviously the outcome was terrible, but I did love playing in that stadium.”"

Hale ranked only 12 of the ACC’s 14 Football member schools. He did not rank Boston College or Pittsburgh. He has not covered a game at Heinz Field or Boston College’s Alumni Stadium. When he Tweeted his rankings he specified Miami for big games.

Miami should continue adding to the mystique that night games have traditionally been in Miami. Contrary to what the Florida State bloggers have said, the Hurricanes do sell out without the Seminoles.

The games against Virginia Tech and Notre Dame sold out last season. The Orange Bowl also sold out. That doesn’t count as a Miami football home game. The tickets sales from Miami fans had a big impact on the sellout though.

Under Mark Richt, the Miami football team has been exceptional at home. The Hurricanes are 11-2 under Richt at Hard Rock Stadium. Their two losses were by a combined eight points to North Carolina and Florida State in back to back weeks in 2016. Miami will enter 2018 with a nine-game home winning streak.

It’s a far cry from the 58 straight games that Miami won from 1985-94. That streak remains the longest home winning streak in college football history.

The atmosphere at Hard Rock stadium last year for the ACC games plus Notre Dame helped the Hurricanes. Crowd noise can make a big difference. It especially helps the home team’s defense.

Next: Miami football has great homefield edge under Mark Richt

As the Hurricanes continue their reascent up the ranks of college football, Hard Rock Stadium will continue to play a big part in that. Big games are going to be more frequent during the Richt era. That will make Hard Rock Stadium’s experience special every week. That’s what the Orange Bow was.