Ranking road trips in the new Big 12

[RezClone]

Listening to CW and Blum debate a trip to Provo vs a trip to Cincinnati got me wondering. What is CF's ranking of Big 12 road trips in the NEW Big 12? (no OuT$$$$)

I'm assuming no one has been to all 4 of the new stadiums, so it can be a mix of where you have been and what you already know mixed with a wish list of places you haven't been and how you think they might stack up. Or just a straight wish list of where you haven't been.

Short explanation or reasoning is appreciated, if you wish to do so.

 

[CyCrazy]

Provo
Cincy
Ucf



Houston

 

[JM4CY]

UCF and Houston are tied for absolute dead last of any ranking.

 

[RezClone]

UCF and Houston are tied for absolute dead last of any ranking.

Except for maybe weather in late November.

 

[JM4CY]

Except for maybe weather in late November.

If we’re talking football road-trip, those places suck. If I want to travel for weather and had the money, piss on football. I’ll watch the game from a beach. I have zero desire in really any scenario to go back to either of those cities to watch Cyclones play.

 

[bozclone]

I have been to a game at Cincy. It was a fun place to watch a game. It is a different experience than Jack Trice. Campus is in the middle of the city and the stadium is right in the middle of campus with university buildings all around it. The playing surface is below ground level which is kind of cool, but the stadium feels much smaller than Jack Trice. It is a good place to watch a game, but I would think Cincinnati would do some upgrades in the future now they are in the Big 12.

Cincy (it is easy for me)
Provo
UCF
Houston

 

[Al_4_State]

Cincy looks like the best for simply participating in a college football weekend. Nippert looks like the Wrigley Field of college football. Cincy has some on-campus tailgating, and a big bar/restaurant district right next to campus that embraces the game day thing. I think it would be a hoot.

Provo would be the best for a more widespread trip. I think going to the game in Cincy would be more fun, but the outdoor opportunities in Provo blow everything else out of the water - but this is about going to a college football game. Not being able to party aside, I think a BYU game would be interesting. Beautiful setting and passionate fans.

UCF is third by default, as they have a pretty well known raucous home crowd. I have no interest in Orlando in general, but I think going to a game there would be fun. They seem like they like to party.

Houston is last by a country mile. The town is a **** hole, and their fanbase sucks.

 

[RezClone]

If we’re talking football road-trip, those places suck. If I want to travel for weather and had the money, piss on football. I’ll watch the game from a beach. I have zero desire in really any scenario to go back to either of those cities to watch Cyclones play.

I hear what you're saying and can't say I disagree with your logic.

I would just say that I always felt that getting to watch the Cyclones while getting a little relief from the Iowa/Upper Midwest weather during the conference season, particularly in November, was always an underrated built-in positive for Big 12 membership the last decade or so vs. road trips in say the big ten.

I certainly wouldn't call it an advantage competitively for our team, actually quite the opposite. But it is certainly a positive I can sell to my wife that she appreciates and probably the first thing we comment on when we arrive most of the time, even in Kansas to a lesser extent

JTS is awesome, but from a fan standpoint, particularly for casual fans or people with children etc, there's no denying the weather generally ranges from unexpectedly tolerable to uncomfortable to down right brutal for much of the conference slate.

 

[Al_4_State]

UCF and Houston are tied for absolute dead last of any ranking.

I give UCF the nod because they have a fanbase. But as far as destinations, neither Houston nor Orlando do **** for me.

 

[RezClone]

Cincy looks like the best for simply participating in a college football weekend. Nippert looks like the Wrigley Field of college football. Cincy has some on-campus tailgating, and a big bar/restaurant district right next to campus that embraces the game day thing. I think it would be a hoot.

Provo would be the best for a more widespread trip. I think going to the game in Cincy would be more fun, but the outdoor opportunities in Provo blow everything else out of the water - but this is about going to a college football game. Not being able to party aside, I think a BYU game would be interesting. Beautiful setting and passionate fans.

UCF is third by default, as they have a pretty well known raucous home crowd. I have no interest in Orlando in general, but I think going to a game there would be fun. They seem like they like to party.

Houston is last by a country mile. The town is a **** hole, and their fanbase sucks.

I appreciate the thought put into this one. 10/10.

 

[JM4CY]

Cincy looks like the best for simply participating in a college football weekend. Nippert looks like the Wrigley Field of college football. Cincy has some on-campus tailgating, and a big bar/restaurant district right next to campus that embraces the game day thing. I think it would be a hoot.

Provo would be the best for a more widespread trip. I think going to the game in Cincy would be more fun, but the outdoor opportunities in Provo blow everything else out of the water - but this is about going to a college football game. Not being able to party aside, I think a BYU game would be interesting. Beautiful setting and passionate fans.

UCF is third by default, as they have a pretty well known raucous home crowd. I have no interest in Orlando in general, but I think going to a game there would be fun. They seem like they like to party.

Houston is last by a country mile. The town is a **** hole, and their fanbase sucks.

I can agree with this for the most part. The ‘05 bowl left quite an impression on me. That city sucks so, so bad.

 

[Al_4_State]

I can agree with this for the most part. The ‘05 bowl left quite an impression on me. That city sucks so, so bad.

I went to the game at A&M in 2009 and spent Friday night at a buddy's in Houston. I'd never been to a place without zoning before and never realized how important having a sense of order is to the overall feel of a city.

The whole place is a ******* sprawling mess.

 

[Al_4_State]

I hear what you're saying and can't say I disagree with your logic.

I would just say that I always felt that getting to watch the Cyclones while getting a little relief from the Iowa/Upper Midwest weather during the conference season, particularly in November, was always an underrated built-in positive for Big 12 membership the last decade or so vs. road trips in say the big ten.

I certainly wouldn't call it an advantage competitively for our team, actually quite the opposite. But it is certainly a positive I can sell to my wife that she appreciates and probably the first thing we comment on when we arrive most of the time, even in Kansas to a lesser extent

JTS is awesome, but from a fan standpoint, particularly for casual fans or people with children etc, there's no denying the weather generally ranges from unexpectedly tolerable to uncomfortable to down right brutal for much of the conference slate.

Kansas, northern Oklahoma, and West Virigina all get plenty miserable in November too.

 

[Hoggins]

My in-laws snow bird in Orlando and I’ve been there a lot over the years. It’s actually a great area IMO. The parks are obviously there, but there’s a lot more going on. Beach is like 90 minutes away too. Lots of golf

 

[State2015]

Along with others I feel like Cincy would be my #1. Excited to go to that game this year. Provo would be great as I’ve never been to Utah and I feel like there’s a lot of outdoorsy stuff to do around there. But the lack of bars and tailgating just won’t make it feel like a gameday experience to me.

Some won’t agree but tailgating and talking to the home fans at the local bars are the best part of away trips

 

[helechopper]

I feel Provo is the place to be.

Roll up with a blunt and a 40, slap some dudes 5 wives on the a$$ and say “welcome to the big time you religious zealots!”

 

[loyalsons4evertrue]

I know a lot of people on here are going to say UCF as being on the lower tier, which is fine, but there's tons to do in Orlando BESIDES Disney....also you're 45 minutes away from the Atlantic Ocean, which is where I'd be

 

[RezClone]

Kansas, northern Oklahoma, and West Virigina all get plenty miserable in November too.

For sure. It's all relative. That's why I said "a little relief". Even in KS or OK it's generally warmer than say Minneapolis or West Layaette. I'll give you that WVU is probably a wash tho.

For example, in Stillwater last year at kickoff it was around 50 ish degrees, but it was still hovering in the 20s back in Ames.

I'm not saying this is a hill I'm gonna die on here or anything. But I am saying, as an Iowan, it's a nice little silver lining to life in the Big 12 that doesn't go completely unnoticed and has at least some positive aspect to it.

I have no doubt Orlando and Houston are rightfully at the bottom of the list, but they certainly aren't gonna be hosting any Ice Bowls any time soon lol.

 

[KennyPratt42]

I drove by BYUs stadium when I was in Utah earlier this year. Its certainly at the top of my list.

 

[AvonLakeCyclone]

Cincy looks like the best for simply participating in a college football weekend. Nippert looks like the Wrigley Field of college football. Cincy has some on-campus tailgating, and a big bar/restaurant district right next to campus that embraces the game day thing. I think it would be a hoot.

Provo would be the best for a more widespread trip. I think going to the game in Cincy would be more fun, but the outdoor opportunities in Provo blow everything else out of the water - but this is about going to a college football game. Not being able to party aside, I think a BYU game would be interesting. Beautiful setting and passionate fans.

UCF is third by default, as they have a pretty well known raucous home crowd. I have no interest in Orlando in general, but I think going to a game there would be fun. They seem like they like to party.

Houston is last by a country mile. The town is a **** hole, and their fanbase sucks.

UC is a great place to visit and watch a game. And yes, I'm a bit biased with all three of my children having attended there (though I am an ISU grad). Nippert is actually named for the grandson of James Gamble, of P&G.
Stadium in the middle of campus. Stadium serves all the local craft beers, which are very good. The surrounding area Clifton is great for bars and food (Short Vine and McMillan streets). Just a short trip to Over the Rhine area, which has great restaurants and microbreweries, With the stadium on campus, parking gets a bit tough and areas to tailgate are limited - again, just hit the local bars.
And I'll also plug for Basketball. Fifth third arena (right next to the football stadium) was updated a couple of years ago. Place is very loud and fun for games with student sections at each end line. Oscar Robinson still occasionally attends games.