A lot of people claim their stadium has the best home field advantage, but for those of you that have traveled around CUSA who has the best home field advantage. If you had to rate the home field advantage in CUSA how would you do it?

This is hard for me to answer as I have not been to any of the other conference stadiums. My intuitive response is that Marshall, LA Tech and Southern Miss and perhaps UTEP are likely to be at the top of the list. Because it is an in-door stadum, I also suspect the Alamo Dome can be a really rocking place when they get a really good sized crowd in there.

One way to measure this might be by comparing winning percentages for home games, and in that case ODU would measure up pretty well. We do get pretty loud when the defense needs our support, but, all in all, I think Foreman Field is too cosy to be considerd intimidating.

Good question though. I will be interested to see what others think.

I have read opposing player quotes over the years saying it is very loud at field level.

I have only been to LYU (twice) and UNT (once). I felt no intimidation either place. maybe that's because the fans were nice.

I don't think the players felt any intimidation either. 2-1 record in those three contests.

When we are GOOD (which means we draw a bigger crowd) I think we have a pretty intimidating atmosphere...not just because of the loudness but the CLOSE proximity between the fans and the sidelines/players/field. A few games that come to mind where my ears were absolutely ringing because it was so loud was when we hosted Virginia in '09, Kansas in '10, and UCF in '11.

I think Bobby Bowden said that one of the most intimidating stadiums he's ever coached at was a MM Roberts Stadium because the crowd was literally breathing on the opposing players/staffs neck.

If you want the team that has won the most games in their home stadium, that belongs to Marshall (Min 10 years). Joan C Edwards Stadium (Org. Marshall Stadium) opened in 1991. In the 24 years its been open Marshall is 148-24 in the stadium or a win % of 0.860 or 86%.

This is the IA record, both Grand Valley State (DII) and Rowan (DIII)have a higher win % in their stadiums.

Based on pics that would be my vote, Carlisle @ Roberts. I wonder if anyone has a record of dB levels met at each stadium or if that's something the conf should put to a yearly contest. Each school gets a dB meter down on the 50, home side, and the fan's get a plaque at the stadium. Just another tiny thing that would help get buts in the seats.

I think the Alamodome has a chance to be a very intimidating place to play. It's not there yet but I've seen evidence of the noise bothering opposing teams. Two games come to mind: (1) The Tulane game in 2013 where the crowd (which as only ~ 25 K) had a big role in drawing several false start penalties in the 3rd and 4th quarter that helped UTSA win the game; (2) the 2014 Arizona game were our student section rattled their offense, which was backed up to their end zone, into hiking the ball over the QBs head for a safety.

Nothing I've seen to date compares to the noise from our inaugural game. If we ever get those crowds again, watch out.

Haven't been, but I have to imagine ODU has a great atmosphere. It's not a big stadium, but has been packed for every game.

Foreman Field is pretty loud for its size. BW said at the post LA Tech game presser that he noticed they had a hard time because of crowd noise.

(08-11-2015 12:11 PM)HerdZoned Wrote:  If you want the team that has won the most games in their home stadium, that belongs to Marshall (Min 10 years). Joan C Edwards Stadium (Org. Marshall Stadium) opened in 1991. In the 24 years its been open Marshall is 148-24 in the stadium or a win % of 0.860 or 86%.

This is the IA record, both Grand Valley State (DII) and Rowan (DIII)have a higher win % in their stadiums.

Rice because opponents aren't used to playing in a 3/4 empty, nearly silent stadium

(08-11-2015 01:47 PM)07owl Wrote:  Rice because opponents aren't used to playing in a 3/4 empty, nearly silent stadium

LOL. Would Rice ever consider getting rid of the upper deck across from the press box side or no since the stadium is historic?

(08-11-2015 01:47 PM)07owl Wrote:  Rice because opponents aren't used to playing in a 3/4 empty, nearly silent stadium

Probably has more of a impact on players than we realize. I would rather play in a loud, full, stadium(arena) than one almost empty

As for Basketball...Western's players was most affected by the ODU crowd than any place we played. Totally looked scared.

(08-11-2015 01:58 PM)MUsince96 Wrote:  

(08-11-2015 01:47 PM)07owl Wrote:  Rice because opponents aren't used to playing in a 3/4 empty, nearly silent stadium

LOL. Would Rice ever consider getting rid of the upper deck across from the press box side or no since the stadium is historic?

We still have plans to use those seats.

If I have to pick one (None are that intimidating for football) in order top three for football.

1. Marshall
2. So Miss
3. UTSA

(08-11-2015 01:47 PM)07owl Wrote:  Rice because opponents aren't used to playing in a 3/4 empty, nearly silent stadium

I believe ECU players/fans actually used that excuse for a couple of their trips to Birmingham.

When Cal QB Aaron Rodgers commented on the crowd after a winning a close game at the Rock in 2004, he said "Their fans were incredible. My voice is gone because I had to scream so loud...sounded like 70,000 people."

It gets loud as F in the Rock when it's filled.

UTEP draws nice crowds sometimes. Don't know if I'd classify it as intimidating necessarily.

As far as attendance, every school in the conference leaves room for improvement to say the least.

(08-11-2015 11:31 AM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  I have only been to LYU (twice) and UNT (once). I felt no intimidation either place. maybe that's because the fans were nice.

I don't think the players felt any intimidation either. 2-1 record in those three contests.

Rice is 0-1 at Apogee. If you were there for the Halloween game, you know the noise in our stadium had an effect on the Rice team. Go back and watch that goal-line stand again.

I'm not claiming Apogee is the loudest or most intimidating place to play in C-USA, I have not been to all of the other venues, and I believe most UNT fans are kind people. But, it can get loud in Apogee. When it does, it is certainly tough on road teams. North Texas has a 16-7 record at Apogee. That's good for a .696 home winning percentage. On average road teams only win about 30% of the time at North Texas. Not bad in my opinion.