Miami football: Hard Rock Stadium is most intimidating venue in Florida
According to recent rankings the Miami football team’s home field, Hard Rock Stadium is the most intimidating in the state of Florida. The Rock is ranked 17th in the nation overall. FSU’s Doak Campbell Stadium is 21st and Florida’s Ben Hill Griffin Stadium is 19th.
The recent renovations at Hard Rock Stadium have significantly helped the Miami football team improve the crowd noise for home games. The roof that protects 90 percent of the fan base from the elements had the added benefit of trapping the noise in at Hard Rock Stadium.
The atmosphere at Hard Rock Stadium for the prime time games against Virginia Tech and Notre Dame was reminiscent of the night games at the Orange Bowl. The home field advantage that the Hurricanes had against the Hokies and the Fighting Irish disproved the nonsense that comes from rivals that UM needs an on-campus stadium.
The Miami football team was one of two teams ranked in the top 25 published by 247Sports.Com that plays in a stadium that they do not own. USC is ranked 25th in the rankings.
A lot of the criticism comes from the Florida State fan base. It’s hypocritical considering that Florida State did not own their basketball arena until 2012.
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When the Hurricanes are playing a crucial game at home, the fans are there and among the loudest in the country. Miami enters 2018 with a nine-game home regular season home winning streak. Under Mark Richt, Miami is 11-2 in home games at Hard Rock Stadium.
ABC and ESPN College Football analyst Kirk Herbstreit said after working the Virginia Tech and Notre Dame games last season that Hard Rock Stadium was the loudest venue he’s ever been in. The same was said by Notre Dame tight end Durham Smythe after Miami’s blowout win over the Irish last fall.
"“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).”"
Despite the compliments by both opponents and a neutral observer, the Hurricanes still have their detractors. The majority of that seems to be coming from Tallahassee. Skip Foster the Publisher of the Tallahassee Democrat went out of his way to troll the Hurricanes on Twitter.
That feeling when more people come to your rival's mid-summer recruiting event than come to half of your home games ..... https://t.co/ibfZfjORSy
— Skip Foster (@skipfoster) July 10, 2018
The professionalism coming from the three major newspapers that cover the Hurricanes, the Sun Sentinel, the Miami Herald and the Palm Beach Post are far greater. There is not the same pettiness that occurs.
Virginia Tech Defensive Coordinator Bud Foster who has been with the Hokies since 1987 also commented on the crowd at Hard Rock Stadium last year. Perhaps no current opponent has played against the Hurricanes as many times as Foster.
"“I have been to a bunch of games here…I think the closest to the atmosphere they had here tonight was when [Michael] Vick came in his sophomore year. They beat us. We were a top-five football program at that time. I have not seen the atmosphere here like this in a long, long time. It was a good night for the Canes.”"
Next: Miami football big favorite to repeat ACC Coastal title
Miami will have a top ten ranking entering the 2018 season. That should practically guarantee Hard Rock Stadium will continue to roll this season. Miami’s biggest home games this season are likely to be Florida State on October 6 and Pittsburgh November 24. Many of the Miami fans are likely to want redemption for the Panthers’ win last season.