Best Road Game 2019

[Trojanbulldog19]

Wife and I always try to catch at least one or two road football games a year. We plan on going to New Orleans for opener even though that's not a technically a true road game.

With road games being

Auburn-Auburn
Tennessee-Knoxville
Texas A&M-College Station
Arkansas- Fayetteville

What says the pack on the best roads games this year?

Best environment?
Best trip?
Best town?
Best food?
Best Stadium?
etc?

I've gone to lots of games in College Station so I'm really more interested in the other three as I've not taken trips there for football games.

 

[Tracer Bullet]

The answer is Tennessee. We only play there once every 12 years with the current rotation. You can do the rest of them anytime. Plus you could/should get to see a road win.

 

[Baddmann]

We try and do 2 a year also. This year is New Orleans and Knoxville.

 

[RPOdawg]

New Orleans, auburn, Knoxville, college station this year for our family. I’m looking forward to the Knoxville trip. It’s one of the few places in the sec that I haven’t seen. Auburn is a great road trip. They have great fans and make it very welcoming. College station is alright. The people are overly nice and kinda weird but they’re good people. Food is great out there. I recommend Dixie Chicken.

 

[Trojanbulldog19]

completely aware of the aggie environment. Wife used to work for em. dixie chicken used to be one of our favorite lunch places along with Chimys and Freebirds.

wasn't thinking Knoxville because it's a bit of hike for us, but may have to make the trip up there. Thought I remember seeing something on here about the way their seating is set up that it kind of sucks.

 

[NWADog]

I’ll be going to Knoxville with some Hog friends. Trying to knock off every SEC stadium and I figured there wouldn’t be many opportunities to go watch my team play there.

 

[RPOdawg]

completely aware of the aggie environment. Wife used to work for em. dixie chicken used to be one of our favorite lunch places along with Chimys and Freebirds.

wasn't thinking Knoxville because it's a bit of hike for us, but may have to make the trip up there. Thought I remember seeing something on here about the way their seating is set up that it kind of sucks.

My understanding is that there are two sections for visitors. One in the upper deck and one in section A on about the 10 yard line behind the visiting bench. I’ve heard it’s really high up if you sit in the upper deck.

 

[VegasDawg13]

The answer is Tennessee. We only play there once every 12 years with the current rotation. You can do the rest of them anytime. Plus you could/should get to see a road win.

You never know when Arkansas might relegate us back to War Memorial, though. Before 2015, we hadn't been to Fayetteville since 2003.

 

[BlueRidgeMtns]

I'll be making it down from VA to catch the UT game. So i says that one.

 

[Choctaw Dawg]

You never know when Arkansas might relegate us back to War Memorial, though. Before 2015, we hadn't been to Fayetteville since 2003.

Arky needs to stop relegating all teams to War Memorial. These are the only SEC teams they are hosting in Fayetteville this year.

Auburn
Mississippi State

That's it, that's the list.

Lucky for Missouri, they get the wonderful blessing of playing in War Memorial this year*

 

[Goat Holding Inc]

Arky needs to stop relegating all teams to War Memorial. These are the only SEC teams they are hosting in Fayetteville this year.

Auburn
Mississippi State

That's it, that's the list.

Lucky for Missouri, they get the wonderful blessing of playing in War Memorial this year*

I like the idea of playing in a neutral site stadium in an in-state city. I would just rather them do it against the FCS team, because it will allow you to draw a bigger crowd.

The problem is, like the Vet and Legion, War Memorial is in pitiful shape. It's just not feasible to do it anymore. Birmingham is building a new stadium but it's only like 45K or 55K, definitely won't work for Bama or Auburn, even for a crappy game. Just not worth the money to keep up the old stadiums anymore, have to build new and go smaller.

 

[MSUDC11]

Also will be going to NOLA and Knoxville. First time going to UT.

 

[RPOdawg]

Where is everyone staying in Knoxville? Best places to stay for anyone who has been?

 

[dickiedawg]

I've been to all of those except College Station. Auburn may be the best of all the categories you mentioned. Don't remember being blown away by any of the food there or anywhere else. It's a nicer stadium than Fayetteville or Knoxville (though I havent been to Fayeteville since '15, I know they've done some renovations. Haven't been to Knoxville since '08 for that matter).

 

[Trojanbulldog19]

if you haven't been to college station, you should go. pretty cool experience with the corps of cadets marching in before the game. Pretty loud environment also. They are weird there, but they can get into the cheers and it's all synchronized together. no one side finishing well before the other. food is pretty good too for bbq and tex mex.

i've been leaning toward auburn since i've never gone there and we have a lot of friends who are auburn alum so we might get a free tailgate meal out of it if we go. Lot's of folks saying Knoxville so may go there. I presented at a conference there about 10 years ago and remember it having a decent bar scene there with some other good restaurants. Might make a smokey mountain weekend trip out of it. it's a little late for planning that though.

 

[hogfan14]

Arky needs to stop relegating all teams to War Memorial. These are the only SEC teams they are hosting in Fayetteville this year.

Auburn
Mississippi State

That's it, that's the list.

Lucky for Missouri, they get the wonderful blessing of playing in War Memorial this year*

I don't mind making Missouri play in Little Rock since their fans have to travel much further, but I would be very surprised if there are any LR games 5-10 years from now. We need to either make an OOC team play there or get rid of playing A&M in Arlington, having both is hard to justify for season ticket holders.

In the recent contract extension with War Memorial we put in a stipulation that they have to make serious upgrades or else we could pull out of the contract. The players (except maybe the ones from Little Rock) hate playing there and it seems like players end up with serious injuries from the turf every time we play there.

 

[BlueRidgeMtns]

I'm staying at a marriott relatively close to the stadium. It'll be my first trip there for a game as well.

 

[615 Guy]

My group is staying at the Tennessean, which is downtown. I'd stay away from anything across the river and north Knoxville.

 

[dickiedawg]

It's for sure on my list. It's one of 4 SEC campuses I've not been to for an MSU game. May talk myself into making that trip this fall.

 

[patdog]

I'm surprised you still play any games there now. I can promise there's very few people at MSU or UM who miss the days we played in Jackson. And I'm pretty sure few Bama or Auburn fans miss Birmingham.

 

[$altyDawg]

Trying to knock off every SEC stadium

It's a fun journey. Enjoy!

 

[RPOdawg]

My group is staying at the Tennessean, which is downtown. I'd stay away from anything across the river and north Knoxville.

Any particular reason?

 

[NWADog]

You never know when Arkansas might relegate us back to War Memorial, though. Before 2015, we hadn't been to Fayetteville since 2003.

Fayetteville is a lot of fun. I would recommend a trip up here if you get a chance.

 

[DAWGS1.sixpack]

I’m doing NOLA and Auburn, would love to go back to Knoxville in October.
Weather should be perfect and hopefully we get a W.
Don’t know if the Fun Funds will be there for 3 road games tho.