Road to College Football: Follow one fan’s journey to every FBS stadium

At just 21 years old, I stopped chasing a career coaching college football to pursue a career being a college football fan. Nearly 10,000 miles later, I’ve found myself in the best job on Earth.

Every sports fan has their own lifelong quest – to see every MLB field or NFL stadium, to go to as many Alabama home games as they can, or travel to catch an Indians Spring Training game every year. I decided to tackle a ludicrous quest of my own: to see a game played in every FBS college football stadium in the country.

All 130 of them.

My first experience at a college football game came my freshman year of college when my alma mater Bowling Green traveled to play Purdue in West Lafayette. My seats were three rows from the field, and I got a close-up view of Falcons running back Travis Greene running in the game-winning touchdown with nine seconds left.

Memorable as that was, I hold a more vivid picture of the sights and sounds than the highlights of the game. I more clearly remember the thick pines in the south end zone overlooking the dark brick buildings, the distinct piney smell in the stadium, the towering press box, and the nearly cloudless sky. That game in September changed my entire perspective on college football, and I deeply desired to replicate that experience.

Road to CFB provides a unique perspective of game day – not from the sidelines or the locker room, but from the bleachers and tailgate tents.

In the past two years, I’ve sat in stadiums as large as Michigan Stadium and as small as Yulman Stadium; I’ve been to the hills of Kentucky and the plains of Oklahoma; I’ve seen frigid, mid-week MACtion games and sweltering SEC showdowns.

One game, North Carolina beat Western Carolina 65-10. Another, Rice kicked a walk-off field goal against Prairie View A&M. Just weeks later, I saw Mississippi State upset No. 8 Auburn.  I’ve joined tailgates from LSU to Texas State and covered traditions as well-known as Bevo at Texas to the less-known, “Ay Ziggy Zoomba” and “Riff Ram.”

And yet, I still have over 100 more stadiums to attend.

Road to CFB is the journey to experience a game day at every FBS stadium. The goal is to recreate that feeling I had at Ross-Ade Stadium in 2015 for all fans of the league – to share the unrelenting excitement of the diehard fans with everyone. I will provide a collection of the best traditions, tailgates, and cultures so that the spirit of every school is captured accurately.

Road to CFB provides a unique perspective of game day – not from the sidelines or the locker room, but from the bleachers and tailgate tents.

Do you want to know what the best traditions are at each school? I got you covered. Want to know where the best eatery in town is? I’ll let you know. Into tailgates? Well, I’ll share with you who’s got the best ones. Road to CFB will ultimately serve as a complete guide to every game day in the nation.

Each school has a distinct culture hidden from television cameras and media coverage. When I arrived at Tulane, dripping rows of Spanish Moss and a massive party in the center of campus, courtesy of thousands of tailgating students, surprised me.

Hidden gems and little-known traditions are what drive me to continue my quest. I know that no two game days will be the same, and I am determined to capture the life of each one as accurately as possible.

My hope is that you will find the same joy that I did at Purdue. Whether it is re-kindling a passion for the sport or discovering a newfound love for the college spirit, Road to CFB will help you along the way.

Follow the progress of Road to CFB through my upcoming FanSided series, “Saturday Hangouts,” and “Game Days on the Road.” You can also find more through my Instagram page, @RoadtoCFB.