The Big Ten is full of iconic stadiums and venues. It also can boast about having three of the top five capacity stadiums in the country with Michigan Stadium (1), Beaver Stadium (2), and Ohio Stadium (4). But simply having a slew of fans doesn’t always equate to being a tough place to play. The team you go against has a lot to do with it, but also the environment and rabidness of the fans in attendance as well.
Meyer has coached in the MAC with Bowling Green, out West at Utah, in the SEC, and in the Big Ten. That means he’s been all around this great country of ours and into several college football atmosphere and venues. But there’s one place Meyer says is the toughest place to take a team into that he’s ever coached.
“I give credit to — I told James franklin this — that (Beaver Stadium) became the most difficult place I’ve ever coached in my career,” Meyer said. “When I first got there, what was it, 2012 I believe we played at Penn State, it was really good. And obviously the team got really good the last few years with Saquon Barkley and the talent they had on the team.”
“I mean that was as loud as I have ever heard. And we had street fight games with them every game. You know I always try to throw a number of points — I don’t really share with my team or the coaches — but in my mind, that is a 10 point differential when you play in that kind of game … I think Penn State’s a different animal.”
Meyer said that Wisconsin and Michigan are close, but they just don’t compare to trying to waltz into a whiteout in Happy Valley and not encounter a significant challenge.
Watch the entire exchange between Meyer and BTN’s Gerry DiNardo during the latest installment of Urban Analysis to watch and listen for yourself.
Could no fans in the stands mean as much as a 10-point swing?@CoachUrbanMeyer thinks it's possible at a place like @PennStateFball, which is the "most difficult place" he's coached in his career.
Full Urban Analysis with @gerrydinardo ➡️ https://t.co/UNaXleZIsB pic.twitter.com/xslyi22Bsg
— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) September 28, 2020
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