Favorite ACC road trips?

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Ramblin Buzz

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With the season upon us, I thought I'd see what you folks thought of the different ACC schools when you go see the Jackets play there. Here are my rankings:

1. North Carolina - I know many think Chapel Hill is overrated, but not me. Great stadium setting and lots of pretty women too
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2. Clemson - Great atmposphere and fans. I've never had any problems with CU fans, and actually enjoy their passion. Great tailgating here for sure.

3. Florida State - Beautiful stadium (and women too). The campus is a little overrated in my opinion, but a great atmosphere for a big game.

4. Virginia - UVa has done a great job renovating this stadium. Sitting in the upper deck gives a great view of the surrounding mountains and a great place to take in a game.

5. Wake Forest - It's off campus, but a quaint setting.

6. N.C. State - Well, nothing like seeing a game at the fairgrounds
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Maybe after the renovation this place will be first class, but all the trips I have been up there, it has been like a carnival.

7. Duke - Shhhhhh!! Be quiet!! You might disrupt the 50 students at the game (who are studying or camping out for hoops tickets 45 days in advance). This is a neat old stadium with zero atmosphere. It takes you back to football in the '30s.

8. Maryland - not rated (I haven't been there yet)
 
Last year I flew into Dulles and rented a car to drive to the UVA game. The road (us29?) takes you through the historic battlefields of civil war. On the eastern seaboard there is not a better drive.

I plan on doing it again in a couple of years.
 
I'm actually going to my first road game this year at Clemson. I am really looking forward to it. You can buy tickets right off their website.

Also, went to the ACC basketball tourney for the first time this year. Plan on going every year for the rest of my life. Simply the greatest sporting event I've ever been to (including the Final Four at the dome).
 
Interesting you picked UNC, and say that many think it's overrated.
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BTW, I agree with you. you're list is right on with mine EXCEPT I would put NCST ahead of Wake. Close call there though!!

On the GT fans thinking deal! hehe. I've read and read stuff like that on Hive. I'll tell you what. I love the Hive. Always have. Great place to find info. It's NOT a good population sensorship of GT Fans thinking. It's sorta in a world of it's own for a lack of better words in a lot of cases.

On Maryland, I don't know where to put them. Have only been there once, and it wasn't a good trip. Had nothing to do with UM. Just one of those road games where nothing went right. I'm not rating them either until I get a better feel when the trip is better.

I'd probably rate FSU higher, except I'm tired of going and getting beat. ARRRRRG. It's nice trip down to Tally. ACC is loaded with some special college campuses. We can rate the campuses later!!
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Like this topic!
 
I've only been to FSU, so I'll only comment on them. First of all, once you get away from the beaches, the state of Florida can be very overrated. There are some nice small towns in North Florida which remind me of South Georgia in their quaintness and respect for Southern heritage, but overall, the land is sandy, scrubby and full of brown grass. FSU's campus is like that. There are MANY more cool places to hang out before the game around BDS@HGF in Atlanta than there are around FSU in Tally. FSU has NOTHING that compares to the Varsity near it. The parking is better, but, still, you walk forever like anywhere else. 'Nole fans are a lot more laid back and sober than the SEC nuts I've encountered from UGA and LSU on gameday. Unlike the aforementioned, they do not appear to be fishin' for a fight.

As for the stadium, I understand what they're going for, but I just can't get into the pseudo-ole timey, Wrigley Field look. If you're going to go for the big industrial beams and the cramped, low head clearance feeling, you might as well get a REAL taste of the city in Atlanta at our place. The seating is as cramped as anywhere else, as they are obviously attempting to stuff as many people as possible into a confined space in order to maximize profits. I know I'm biased, but I'll take my crappy season seats in the old North endzone last year over season ticks on the 30 in Tally any day. I'll miss being able to walk under the stands to the concession area and watch the guys run onto the field up close, right as the band assembles beside me.

The only good thing about tripping to FSU was the nice drive in from the East. I stayed in a very nice hotel in Live Oak with an awesome outdoor jacuzzi the night before.
 
Bowl games are the best =)

Don't like Clemson as I almost got arrested there a few years ago. Couple of Clemson fans were drunk and just would not shut up. So my buddy stood up and told him how far he was going to kick their butts if they didn;t shut up. Needless to say the SC State Troopers present didn't appreciate it & they paid us a visit during halftime.

We never did see those Clemson fans again though guess they decided my friend meant it
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UNC & Chapel Hill in general are both way overrated. NCSU has a fantastic tailgating scene out at the fairgrounds. I've seen GT at NCSU play 4 - 5 times over the last decade or so. I've always had a good time.

Tailgating scenes:
Thumbs up: UVa, NCSU, Clemson
Ho-hum: UNC (nothing really to say positive or negative. Just kinda of boring to me), FSU (typically good fans, atmosphere is ?).
Thumbs Down: Wake, UMD, Duke

On the stadiums:
FSU's is overrated big time here. The facade appears nice, but once you get inside... it's a giant erector set gone amok inside. UVa really did a nice job with their stadium expansion, renovation. Can't wait to see what NC State's newly revised stadium looks like on 11/2.
 
Originally posted by ConyersJacket:
Also, went to the ACC basketball tourney for the first time this year. Plan on going every year for the rest of my life. Simply the greatest sporting event I've ever been to (including the Final Four at the dome).
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<font size="2" face="Arial, Verdana, Sans-Serif">Me too. I went to Charlotte last year for the ACC tourney and had a blast. It was my first trip ever to the ACC hoops tournament. The energy from the crowd is simply incredible and is very similar to a bowl game. I loved it when a favored team is on the ropes. When NC State finished off UMD in the semi's in was amazing! I hope to get to Greensboro this year. You guys who haven't made it to the ACC tourney, you should plan to make it at least once in your life. It's worth the trip.
 
GSUJACKET...

Those SC Troopers probably did have a word with them. We were not intoxicated at that point (we were later in the day after the game) and that's probably what saved our hides from being escorted out.

Anyway Clemson does have a beautiful campus... one that everyone should see.
 
I agree with UNC--it will probably be the only road trip I make this year. Been there once--as nice to see Dez score twice on Dre Bly. Such a pleasant stadium--not too big--maybe it's the colors that make is suttle.

Haven't been to Maryland, WF or UVA, but FSU and Clemson are definietly the loudest from the size. I tend to "hate" FSU less--Clemson seems like a deathzone. Been to Wade Wallace (Duke) once--last year. Weather was awful and that's how we played--dropped 2 easy TD passes, but still won by about 20 or so. I really think we brought more fans than Duke AND it was there Homecoming.

NC State is another I like, but will be much different after their renovation.
 
Well goin back a while it has to be SMU (the Cotton Bowl) and the fair grounds in the background.
 
I went to Clemson in 1973, a game we lost that we should have won. Stadiums OK.

Went to Duke game in late 70's. I love the old stadium. It is great. But the fans were comatose even back then. Not many Tech fans either. We lost by the way. Sucked.

Went to WF for 97 game I think it was. Groves Stadium like a high school game in Atlanta area. We pulled this one out after struggling early.

Has anyone seen the old stadium at Oglethorpe University in Atlanta? They haven't played football there in umpteen years but the stadium is still there (or was) and it is really beautiful, granite I believe. Harkens back to the golden age of college football.
 
Originally posted by ramblinwise1:

Has anyone seen the old stadium at Oglethorpe University in Atlanta? They haven't played football there in umpteen years but the stadium is still there (or was) and it is really beautiful, granite I believe. Harkens back to the golden age of college football.
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<font size="2" face="Arial, Verdana, Sans-Serif">Is that the same as their baseball stadium? Oglethorpe has an awesome campus. I used their library to study for the bar exam
 
I have a fondness for Carter-Finley. I grew up in Raleigh and we had season tix to the State games. In 1966, I saw the first game in C-F (against South Carolina). The second game was against Florida and a QB named Spurrier. IIRC, Florida won but it was pretty close. Of course we also played the gators that year - in the Orange Bowl.
 
Easiest trip: Climpsun by far...or by near.
Favorite trips to CU: 1985 win; 1989 when Tech beat them at their homecoming; a very tense 1991 game where GT had TD called back on penalty in the loss; Thursday night ESPN game in 1998; "the catch" in 2000; and hopefully a big win in 2002.

Most interesting to go to for the first time: Maryland. Not a bad setting, but their newer upper deck makes it look more "big time". (Got to see some historic family landmarks in the Washington and Annapolis areas while visiting UMd as well as for the Navy games, so that was a definite plus for me.)

Most interesting for the history of the campus: Virginia. No explanation necessary; also, their expanded stadium is pretty, but the canned music sucks. Added bonus in 2001 was watching Coldbeer in downtown C-ville. (One man, who definitely had a grasp for the obvious said, "He's been drinking Bloody Marys" ...as if the big cup in his hand didn't give it away! LOL)

Most overrated: North Carolina. Don't see the appeal in Chapel Hill. I guess they had a good PR campaign. It isn't bad, but fails to live up to the image created. I liked the smallish feeling of Kenan Stadium before it was expanded, but it still has a cozy feel there.

Most like a high school game: Wake Forest. Being the son of a Baptist minister, I almost felt guilty enjoying frosty adult beverages on their campus (almost!), and wondered if they were having Vacation Bible School with all the kids running around the end zone hill.

Least favorite since I've been there so many times: FSU. I grew up partly in southwest Georgia near Tallahassee, it's no biggie to me--except that I can stay at my sister's family's house for free! (In high school, my best friend and I would check to see if FSU had a game that Sat. night and we'd buy tickets at the stadium for most every game, including FSU-UF games in the late 70's. The first FSU game I went to in the mid-late 70's had less than 40,000 in attendance.)

Generally uappealing atmostphere: NC State at the Fairgrounds. Parking in a field with the general population going to the fair was kinda odd (same as at USC-East in Columbia), but it was really odd exiting Wade Avenue (coming from Hayes-Barton area of Raleigh), crossing the median and going thru a hole in the fence for stadium and fairgrounds traffic. Carter-Finley Stadium is (was?) dull looking, and their "howl" over the PA sounds more like a ghost than a wolf. We've had several "Barney and Gomer" sightings there. Looking forward to improvements at Carter-Finley.

Least appealing overall: Duke. No explanation necessary--but I keep going back. Maybe they should field a team in arena football and play the games at Cameron while they're awaiting basketball season.
 
I like Clemson, I guess because of strong family connections. The first college football game I ever attended was a Clemson UVA game. I have found the fans to be courteous to apposing fans, even obnoxious UGA fans. I have not had the problems with drunks that you have had, Beesnut (This is a plus when your dad is a tea totaling Baptist preacher)

S.C. is quicker in there enforcement of public drunkenness laws. The same officers that spoke to you had some words with those drunk fans I bet!
 
I haven't been on a ton of road trips but I have made it to some of the more recent bowl games.

1) Gator Bowl - Notre Dame - man the atmosphere for this game rocked. I was in the endzone that Joe Ham caught his touchdown pass in and that got things going right. Unfortunately the Miami game was not the same type of atmosphere.

2) UMD - did this one the year the game was played at the Ravens new stadium. Had an amazing time tailgating before and after the game. Really loved the Maryland fans telling us before the game about how we should just wait till Basketball as they had this kid Steve Francis that was going to be all world.

3) Duke - This really reminded me of some of my High School football games down in Columbus, GA. If any of you have ever been to Memorial Stadium in C-town you might understand. There was a good Tech crowd and the weather was incredible.

A bunch of us were all set to take a van down to Tally last year but with the game being postponed that unfortunately didn't happen. Hopefully I'll make that game next year.
 
UVa, Clemson, and NC State are the best

UNC, Duke, and Maryland are OK

FSU and Wake are not good
 
I am almost getting to the point where road games are a lot more fun to go to than home games (not that home games are bad). The comraderie amoung Tech fans at an away tailgate is great, plus it's nice to see a different atmosphere from time to time.

I've been to Wake, Clemson, & F$U twice each, and to UVA & Duke once.

FSU: I had a lot of fun at the F$U game last year even though we lost. The tailgating before and after the game was so much fun. The inside of the stadium looked fine to me, but the outside was hideous, and they had no restrooms near our section!
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Duke: Duke fans should be concerned about their future because the majority of the fans in the stands are old. They need to get some younger fan support if they want to sustain any future football support. I enjoyed getting a ride from our tailgate to the entrance of the stadium in the "Duke Mobile" What was really sad was the cheerleaders were cheering to empty sections. The atmosphere has potential at Duke, but unfortunatly I don't think that anyone cares up in Durham.

Wake Forest: We like to lump Wake and Duke together, but Wake Forest is at least trying to drum up fan support for their program and field a competitive team. They have such a small fan base, they have no reason but to have a high school-like stadium. We were able to have a prime tailgate spot there.

Clemson: I've had nothing but positive experiences at Clemson. The people I encountered were very friendly, and were willing to help point me in the right direction to look for my cousin's company's tailgate area. Even after the 2000 game, the fans were gracious and not combative (at least where I was). The only problem is you need to bring your binoculars when going here.

Virgina: Nice campus, great tailgating, and a well-done stadium. Even though we lost last year, I really enjoyed myself, especially with hanging out with everyone from our tailgating group. One amusing moment was seeing a UVA tailgating group who raised the American and UVA flags on their flagpole while playing their silly fight song on their car radio, and the reverence that they treated it with.

I have never been to Maryland, UNC, or NC State, but that will change this year.

As for out of conference, I would not object if the ACC were to add Navy to the conference. I went to Annapolis in 1999 & 2001, and thouroughly enjoyed it! SWMBO & I will be staying there when we go up to Maryland.
 
I really enjoy the trip to Climpsun every other year. The first GT @ CU game for me was the '87 loss, but two years later in '89, I witnessed the spectacular 30-14 GT win in Death Valley live. Their scoreboard kept flashing "GT for Homecoming?" during the game. I'll never forget the ride home after the game on I-85. We stopped at a rest area to relieve ourself, and a drunken GT fan had pissed all over himself. GT was a heavy underdog, and I was almost excited about the victory as he was.
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I've been to every GT @ CU game since. The '91 loss, 9-7, where Sisson missed a last second field goal, the '93 loss, 16-13, when our kicker missed three chip shot field goals, the '94 loss, 20-10, GT had a long bomb TD pass called back(O'Leary's first game after Lewis was fired), the '96 loss, 28-25, when O'Leary called for a long, last minute FG attempt on 4th and 2 which failed(GT's season went kaput after that game), finally a win at Climpsun in '98 on a Thurday night, 24-21, and I was there in '00 on a Saturday night for the 31-28 win and "the catch", but we were in the opposite end-zone. We got our tickets ordered for this year at Climpsun.
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Also, I traveled to Duke for the first time last year. We went to Wake Forest in '97 and '99.
 
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