Toughest Places to Play

[MAC Falcon]

I spent some time the last few days researching the toughest venues to play in the MAC. Based on home winning % and crowd size here is the breakdown from the last 4 seasons 2000-2003. These will surely change if BG has another terrific season in 04. (2000 really kills our ranking).

1. Toledo
2. Marshall
3. NIU
4. UCF (Believe it or not they win 76% of their home contests)
5. Bowling Green
6. Miami
7. Western Michigan
8. Akron
9. Ball St.
10. Central Michigan
11. Ohio
12. Eastern Michigan
13. Kent State
14. Buffalo

[1987alum]

Great list! I love discussing stuff like this!

UCF certainly sticks out. Looking a little deeper ...

* They've lost their last 3 at home
* Recent wins include - 2003: Central Michigan, Buffalo & Fla. Atlantic; 2002: Ohio, Kent State, Akron, Liberty; 2001: La. Lafayette, Akron, La. Monroe, Liberty, UAB. Looks like they certainly fattened up on some cream puffs in OOC and enjoyed a favorable MAC home schedule, too.

UCF has now lost 9 straight games, BTW. Yikes. On an unrelated note, they haven't won a MAC road game since the end of 2002 (when they were 5-1 in the MAC). That losing streak includes Kent, Ohio, Akron, Eastern Michigan and Buffalo.

I'll say this, such a long road trip certainly can't be easy for most MAC kids, who are used to riding a few hours to an away game.

[redskins4ever]

Toughest places to play doesnt have to do with stadium size, rather the volume of noise the crowd can make. Unfortunately for BG as loud as you guys can roar, and I was at plenty of games in the 80's and 90's before I left for Oxford, BG has never been a raucous place. Blame it on the wind, blame it on the gentle sloping stands, but when the crowd for 80% of the season is a non-factor I cant believe that "attendance" is used as a factor. For example... I love Miami but the alumni are so quiet, you'd think they were taking finals all over again. However the students, yes behind the visitor's bench, is probably one of the most brutal locations ever for an away team.

Places where fans dont matter..

Buffalo: STANDS are TWO DAYS away from the game itself.
Akron & Kent, hell thrown in Eastern Michigan: Has anyone seen their fans???
Ball State: David Letterman taught them how to laugh at their own team, and what have they had to be excited about during the last decade?
Central Florida: Tough to be intimidating when the stadium is only 35% full.

Now for tough venues...

1. Marshall... Raucous mountain men who brew their own moonshine.
2. Toledo... Loud place to watch a game but it could be better, metal bleachers throughout add to the loudness of the stadium.
3. Western Michigan.... the stadium grows louder with each addition.
4. Northern... When the place is full... you dont want to be there...
5. Miami... Tough to be the coach and players when the students can reach across and grab your jersey.
6. Ohio... Always a full house.
7. BG... Perry Stadium unfortunately will never be an Anderson arena...

[Falconfreak90]

But Perry Stadium is getting there!!!

[BGSUfanatUT]

if we throw a dome over it and some acoustic panels......yeah baby!