UF’s football stadium ranked fifth best in SEC, LSU ranked first

Joshua Brand, 21, has thought Ben Hill Griffin Stadium was the best since he started attending UF football games as a child.

The UF political science senior said it’s a Gainesville icon.

“We’re the loudest,” Brand said, “and we have the best fans — definitely.”

USA Today recently published an article upholding this, naming UF’s Steve Spurrier-Florida Field the No. 5 stadium in the Southeastern Conference and calling it “a great place to see a game.”

Laken Litman and Steven Ruiz, authors of the article “All 14 SEC football stadiums, ranked from worst to best,” used four factors to rank the stadiums in the SEC: capacity, attendance, design and atmosphere.

The article ranked Louisiana State University’s Tiger Stadium as the best in the SEC, calling it “the loudest, craziest place in college football.” The University of Georgia’s Sanford Stadium ranked fourth, above UF’s stadium, and the University Tennessee’s Neyland Stadium ranked sixth.

While Dan Apple, the assistant communications director for the University Athletic Association, said in an email the rankings aren’t a priority, the UAA is always looking to improve visitors’ experiences. It’s currently working to provide better cell service or Wi-Fi.

But The Swamp’s atmosphere, with a capacity of 88,548, and its 86-year history are its best attributes, he said.

“Those are two things that will never be replicated anywhere else,” Apple said.