Voting in this round is now closed. Click here to vote in the semifinal round.
After more than 23,000 votes were cast in round one of the College Facility Playoff, we roll on to the quarterfinals.
Round one saw some significant upsets as Tennessee's #VolNation showed up in huge numbers to ensure Neyland Stadium knocked off top-seeded Tiger Stadium. Also, Ohio State may have beaten Michigan on the field this year, but that wasn't the case in our contest. Let's see what the quarterfinal round has in store for us.
Voting in this round closes at 11:59 p.m. central time on Tuesday night.
New to the College Facility Playoff? Here's a refresher on our criteria.
Capacity 100,000+ Region:
(8) Tennessee's Neyland Stadium vs. (4) Bryant-Denny Stadium
Image via tennesseefund.org.
Neyland Stadium
Opened: 1921
Last Renovated: 2004-2010 (three phases)
Renovation Cost: $136.4 million
Capacity: 102,455
Thoughts from the Committee: One of college football's most iconic venues has received some major upgrades in recent years, most notably to its aging infrastructure, but no amount of money can change one of the stadium's best features, its location. The stadium sits along the banks of the Tennessee River where the "Vol Navy" tailgates via boat before games.
Bryant-Denny Stadium
Opened: 1929
Last Renovated: 2010
Renovation Cost: $65 million
Capacity: 101,821
Thoughts from the Committee: You name it, Bryant-Denny has it. Size? A capacity over 100,000. Amenities? 157 skyboxes and four large video boards. Winning tradition? A winning percentage of 83 percent all-time at the stadium. Bama's facility might be as difficult to beat in this tournament as Nick Saban's team will be in the College Football Playoff.
{module CFB Playoff - Quarterfinal 1}
(3) Texas A&M's Kyle Field vs. (7) Michigan Stadium
Image via 12thman.com
Kyle Field
Opened: 1927
Last Renovated: 2013-2015
Renovation Cost: $450 million
Capacity: 102,512
Thoughts from the Committee: To put Kyle Field's current $450 million renovation and expansion in context, consider this: Two of the newest and nicest stadiums in college football, Minnesota's TCF Bank Stadium (opened in 2009) and Baylor's McLane Stadium (opened this year and in our playoff field), combined only cost about $100 million more than Kyle Field's renovation. That's a long way of saying Kyle Field, already considered one of the best venues in college football before the reno, is now off the charts.
Image via mgoblue.com
Michigan Stadium
Opened: 1927
Last Renovated: 2010
Renovation Cost: $226 million
Capacity: 109,901
Thoughts from the Committee: It's the largest stadium in the U.S. (third largest in the world), recently received a $226 million renovation, has all the modern amenities (including lights), and is still seeded seventh? Tough crowd.
{module CFB Playoff - Quarterfinal 2}
Sub-100,000 Capacity Region
(1) Clemson's Memorial Stadium vs. (5) Washington's Husky Stadium
Image via clemsontigers.com
Memorial Stadium
Opened: 1942
Last Renovated: Currently
Renovation Cost: N/A
Capacity: 81,500
Thoughts from the Committee: Clemson's "Death Valley" has the tradition and game day atmosphere to rival any in college football. "When Clemson players rub that rock and run down the hill, it's the most exciting 25 seconds in college football," says Brent Musberger. But the stadium itself is impressive too with plans to get even better. The school is currently improving the stadium's "WestZone," adding a new tower with a glass window embellished with a tiger paw. The north side's suites and club seats will also be revamped.
Image via shutterstock.com
Husky Stadium
Opened: 1920
Last Renovated: 2012
Renovation Cost: $280 million
Capacity: 70,138
Thoughts from the Committee: Once crumbling and dilapidated, a massive renovation has given Husky Stadium the infrastructure and amenities to match its stunning waterfront location. The entire lower bowl and the upper deck on the stadium's south side is brand new, the track surrounding the stadium is gone, the fans are closer to the action, coaches have new offices and the players have a new locker room. Husky Stadium was always a recognizable venue due its location and design, but now it is truly one of the best in college football.
{module CFB Playoff - Quarterfinal 3}
Quarterfinal voting has closed. All votes cast on December 17th will not be counted.
(3) Baylor's McLane Stadium vs. (2) Georgia's Sanford Stadium
Image via Populous
McLane Stadium
Opened: 2014
Last Renovated: N/A
Construction Cost: $266 million
Capacity: 45,140
Thoughts from the Committee: Baylor's sparkling new home which sits along the banks of the Brazos River has several unique distinctions among stadiums in our field. It's the newest, the most technologically advanced, but also the smallest. The pedestrian access, especially the footbridge connecting it to campus (featured in this Athletic Business article) is another great touch. The Bears went undefeated at home and hosted ESPN's College GameDay for the first time in their first season in the stadium.
Image via pinterest.com
Sanford Stadium
Opened: 1929
Last Renovated: 2003-2004
Renovation Cost: $33 million
Capacity: 92,746
Thoughts from the Committee: Rising from the middle of one of America's most scenic college campuses sits Sanford Stadium. We could go on about the 27 new SkySuites, the 92,746 fans all in red or the tasteful expansions throughout the years, but really, taking in a game "Between the Hedges" on a Saturday afternoon is the quintessential college football experience. As Fran Tarkenton once said, "There is no place in the world precisely like the grass that grows between the hedges in Athens, Georgia."
{module CFB Playoff - Quarterfinal 4}
Voting in this round closes at 11:59 p.m. (central time) on Tuesday.
