30 bucket list items college football fans need to experience

TAMPA, FL - JANUARY 09: Linebacker Ben Boulware #10 of the Clemson Tigers celebrates after defeating the Alabama Crimson Tide 35-31 to win the 2017 College Football Playoff National Championship Game at Raymond James Stadium on January 9, 2017 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) /

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AIR FORCE ACADEMY, CO – NOVEMBER 11: The Air Force fighterplanes fly-by for the national anthem before the game between the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the Air Force Falcons on November 11, 2006 at Falcon Stadium on the Air Force Academy near Colorado Springs, Colorado. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images) /

22. Falcon Stadium, Air Force

Because of the expansiveness of the western United States, and the fact that most college football programs between Texas and the West Coast don’t play in Power Five conferences, many college football fans overlook some of the greatest venues in the sport. Watching an Air Force Falcons game at Falcon Stadium should be on every fan’s college football bucket list.

Located more than 6,621 feet above sea level, Falcon Stadium is one of the highest in the nation. Surrounded by the Rocky Mountains, it is also offers one of the most beautiful sights in the sport. Add the traditional flyovers by Air Force aircraft, and the aura surrounding the United States Air Force Academy as one of the three service academies that compete for the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy, and it’s an awe-inspiring experience.

There’s also a pretty good chance the football will be fun to watch as well. Air Force has a 373-311-12 record since the program began in 1955, and the Falcons have qualified for 26 bowl games in their history. Air Force has finished in the Top 25 of the AP Poll six times, as high as No. 6 in 1958, and climbing as high as No. 4 during a 12-1 1985 season. For the best possible experience, schedule a trip to see the Falcons host Army or Navy.

When visiting Colorado Springs, fans can cross a few other items off their non-college football bucket list. Among the most popular things to do is ride the cog railway at Pike’s Peak – a “fourteener” that stands 14,115 feet high – and the highest summit in the Rocky Mountains’ southern Front Range. The train is just 12 miles from downtown Colorado Springs, and goes to the summit in summer.

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