Fansided

College football’s 15 most passionate and loyal fanbases

By John Buhler

Sep 10, 2016; Lincoln, NE, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers fans get ready for the game against the Wyoming Cowboys at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Thorson-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 10, 2016; Lincoln, NE, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers fans get ready for the game against the Wyoming Cowboys at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Thorson-USA TODAY Sports /
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Sep 1, 2016; Knoxville, TN, USA; Tennessee Volunteers fans during the game against the Appalachian State Mountaineers at Neyland Stadium. Tennessee won 20-13. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 1, 2016; Knoxville, TN, USA; Tennessee Volunteers fans during the game against the Appalachian State Mountaineers at Neyland Stadium. Tennessee won 20-13. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports /

14. Tennessee Volunteers

Are the Tennessee Volunteers finally back to national prominence? It’s been a long last decade for the Rocky Top faithful, but they’re still holding up their end of the bargain as one of the best fanbases in college football.

Tennessee is a traditional blue-blood that until the woeful Derek Dooley years had never been bad. The Volunteers saw waning success under former head coach Philip Fulmer and pulled the plug on his time in Knoxville at the end of the 2008 season.

Since then Tennessee has had three head coaches: one year of Lane Kiffin, three terrible years of Dooley, and now in the middle of year four with Butch Jones. Tennessee has not won the SEC East since 2007, but the Rocky Top faithful have been holding steady the entire time.

Neyland Stadium is one of the most difficult road environments in the SEC. The turf is out to wreck players’ sinew. The sea of orange on the banks of the Tennessee River is mesmerizing. Let’s not forget how loud it gets inside of this 102,455-seat football stadium.

Winning football might finally be back in the Smoky Mountains. The Volunteers have waited a long time for this season. You don’t know what you got until it’s gone, but Tennessee fans never left.

Next: 13. Iowa Hawkeyes

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