College football is a beloved and integral part of American culture. From the iconic bands and cheerleaders to the roar of the crowd and the thrill of the game, college football stadiums are the epicenters of excitement and tradition. These venues serve as the home field for college football teams and are often filled with passionate fans, cheering on their favorite team to victory. However, as the years go on and technology advances, some of these historic venues have been replaced with newer, more modern stadiums. In this article, we take a look at some of the top college football stadiums that have been demolished, exploring their rich histories and the memories they have left behind. These stadiums will always hold a special place in the hearts of college football fans. Without further ado, here are some of the top college football stadiums that have been demolished:
Aztec Bowl
The Aztec Bowl was a football stadium located in San Diego, California, and served as the home of the San Diego State University (SDSU) Aztecs football team until its relocation to Qualcomm Stadium (also known as SDCCU Stadium) in 1967. The stadium, which was completed in 1936 at a cost of $500,000, had a capacity of up to 12,592 spectators and was officially opened on October 3, 1936, in front of a crowd of 7,500 people. Originally intended to be enlarged to accommodate 45,000 spectators, the Aztec Bowl underwent a single expansion in 1948. The Aztec Bowl was a unique stadium with several notable features. It was the only college football stadium located south of Palo Alto, California, and it was equipped with one of the finest electric time clocks on the Pacific coast. In addition, the press box at the Aztec Bowl was considered the finest of any college stadium. The Aztec Bowl was home to many memorable moments in college football history. The SDSU Aztecs played their first game at the stadium on October 3, 1936, and defeated Occidental College by a score of 7-0. The Aztecs went on to have a successful season, finishing with a record of 6-1-1 and claiming the Southern California Conference championship. In 1997, the Aztec Bowl was partially torn down to make way for the construction of the Viejas Arena, a basketball arena that now sits on the site of the former football stadium. The old concrete bleachers of the Aztec Bowl were not demolished and remain at the current location of the arena.
Miami Orange Bowl
Located in the Little Havana neighborhood of Miami, Florida, the Miami Orange Bowl was a beloved and historic college football stadium. It served as the home field for the Miami Hurricanes from 1937 to 2007 and for the Miami Dolphins for their first 21 seasons. In 2007, the Orange Bowl also served as the temporary home of the FIU Golden Panthers while their on-campus stadium underwent expansion. Originally called Burdine Stadium when it opened in 1937, the Orange Bowl was renamed in 1959 after the college football bowl game played there each year from 1938 to 1996. It was also the occasional home of the Minor League Baseball Miami Marlins from 1956 to 1960. Despite efforts to renovate the stadium, the University of Miami ultimately decided to move to Dolphin Stadium (now known as Hard Rock Stadium) for the 2008 season. This decision was met with backlash from many Hurricanes fans who preferred to keep the Orange Bowl as the team’s home field. In 2008, the Orange Bowl was demolished and replaced with LoanDepot Park, the home field of the Miami Marlins. While the stadium may no longer stand, it will always be remembered as a landmark in the history of college football and a beloved symbol of the Miami Hurricanes.
Georgia Dome
The Georgia Dome was a former domed stadium located in Atlanta, Georgia. It served as the home of the Atlanta Falcons football team and the Georgia State University Panthers football team and was a major venue for college and professional sports in the southeastern United States. The Georgia Dome hosted various college football bowl games, including the Peach Bowl and the Celebration Bowl, as well as the SEC Championship Game. It was also the site of two Super Bowls (XXVIII and XXXIV) and several soccer matches. During its 25 years of operation, the Georgia Dome hosted over 1,400 events and was visited by over 37 million people. It was the second-largest covered stadium in the world when it opened in 1992, with a seating capacity of over 70,000. The Georgia Dome was the only stadium in the United States to host the Olympics, Super Bowl, and Final Four and was a well-known and respected venue for college and professional sports. In 2017, Mercedes-Benz Stadium was built adjacent to the Georgia Dome, and Georgia Dome was demolished later that year. The Georgia Dome will be remembered as a significant and historic college football stadium.
San Diego Stadium
San Diego Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium located in San Diego, California. It was built in 1967 and was originally known as San Diego Stadium. In 1981, it was renamed Jack Murphy Stadium after a local sports journalist, and it was later known as Qualcomm Stadium from 1997 to 2017. The naming rights to the stadium were purchased by San Diego County Credit Union in 2017, and it was renamed SDCCU Stadium. The stadium served as the home of the San Diego State University Aztecs football team and hosted a number of college football bowl games, including the Holiday Bowl and the Poinsettia Bowl. The Holiday Bowl, which was held annually in December, featured the Western Athletic Conference champion (at the time, the Aztecs had just joined this conference) against a nationally ranked opponent. The Poinsettia Bowl, which was organized by the same committee as the Holiday Bowl, was played at the stadium from 2005 until its discontinuation after the 2016 edition. In addition to college football, the stadium was also the home of the San Diego Chargers football team and hosted three Super Bowls: XXII in 1988, XXXII in 1998, and XXXVII in 2003. In June 2020, the city of San Diego approved the sale of the stadium to San Diego State University, and in August 2020, the university officially took control of the facility. The stadium was demolished in 2021 and new stadium named Snapdragon Stadium was built on the site in 2022. San Diego Stadium, which was known for its iconic design and rich history, will be remembered as a major part of San Diego’s sports legacy.
The Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome
The Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, commonly known as the Metrodome, was a domed sports stadium located in downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota. It served as the home field for the Minnesota Golden Gophers football team from 1982 to 2008, the Minnesota Vikings from 1982 to 2013, the Minnesota Twins from 1982 to 2009, and the Minnesota Timberwolves for their 1989-90 inaugural season. The Metrodome also hosted the Minnesota Strikers of the North American Soccer League in 1984 and was the occasional home of the Golden Gophers baseball team from 1985 to 2010 and their full-time home in 2012. The Metrodome was unique in its design, featuring a self-supported fiberglass fabric roof that was inflated by air pressure. It was the third major sports facility to have this feature, following the Pontiac Silverdome and the Carrier Dome. The Metrodome was also the inspiration for the Tokyo Dome in Japan and was the only facility to have hosted a Super Bowl, World Series, MLB All-Star Game, and NCAA Division I Basketball Final Four. Nicknamed “The Dome,” “The Thunderdome,” “The Homer Dome,” and “The Technodome,” the Metrodome was the home field for the Minnesota Golden Gophers for 27 seasons, during which time the team had a record of 87-80-2. The Metrodome was demolished in 2014 to make way for the construction of the U.S. Bank Stadium.
Memorial Stadium (Baltimore)
Memorial Stadium was a college football stadium located in College Park, Maryland. Completed in 1950 at a cost of $6.5 million, the stadium was designed to seat 31,000 and host both football and baseball games. It consisted of a single, horseshoe-shaped deck with an open end facing north and was the home field for the Maryland Terrapins from 1950 to 2002. Throughout its 52 years of operation, Memorial Stadium played host to numerous memorable college football moments, including games against opponents such as Clemson and Penn State. In 1988, the stadium even served as the Navy’s “home” venue for their annual football game against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. The stadium was also used for high school football games and other events. Despite its history and importance to the University of Maryland’s athletics program, Memorial Stadium eventually fell into disrepair and it was decided that it would be more cost-effective to build a new facility rather than renovate the old one. In 2002, the stadium was demolished to make way for the construction of the new Maryland Stadium. While it may no longer stand, Memorial Stadium remains an important part of the university’s history and will always be remembered as the former home of the Maryland Terrapins and other teams that called it home.
Cardinal Stadium
Cardinal Stadium was the home of the University of Louisville football team from 1957 to 1997. Located on the grounds of the Kentucky Exposition Center in Louisville, Kentucky, the multi-purpose stadium also hosted various other sporting events and concerts throughout the years. The stadium saw many memorable moments in its time as the home of the Louisville football team, including conference championships and bowl game appearances. In 1998, the university’s football team moved to a new on-campus stadium, and Cardinal Stadium was largely unused until its demolition in 2019. Despite its history as a college football venue, the stadium ultimately could not stand the test of time and was demolished to make way for new developments.
Archbold Stadium
Archbold Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium in Syracuse, New York that served as the home of the Syracuse Orangemen football team from 1907 until 1980. The stadium was named after John D. Archbold, who donated $600,000 towards its construction. It was built entirely of concrete and seated over 25,000 spectators. The Orangemen had a successful run at Archbold Stadium, achieving a home record of 61-10-6 from 1915 to 1927 and a 47-6 record from 1958 to 1968. The stadium was occasionally used to host minor league baseball games and other events, but its primary function was as a college football venue. In the 1970s, stricter fire codes forced a reduction in capacity and the university decided to build a new stadium, the Carrier Dome, on the site of Archbold Stadium. The final football game at Archbold Stadium was played on November 11, 1978, with the Orangemen defeating the Navy 20-17.
Nebraska Field
Nebraska Field was a college football stadium located on the campus of the University of Nebraska in Lincoln, Nebraska. It served as the home venue for the Nebraska Cornhuskers football team and other university and state events from 1909 to 1922. With a capacity of around 16,000, Nebraska Field saw many memorable moments in its time as the home of the Cornhuskers, including conference championships and numerous victories. In 1923, the university constructed Memorial Stadium on the site of Nebraska Field, which still stand today. Nebraska Field was known for its wooden grandstand on its south sideline and bleachers along both sides and was the site of the largest margin of victory in Nebraska football history, a 119-0 victory over Haskell in 1910. The final game at Nebraska Field was a 14-6 victory over Notre Dame on November 30, 1922.
Creighton Stadium
Creighton Stadium was a college football stadium located on the campus of Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska. From 1925 to 1942, it was the home field for the Creighton Bluejays football team, a member of the Missouri Valley Conference. The stadium was shaped like an oval and featured a larger grandstand on the south sideline with a single level and a press box, while the north grandstand had a second deck. Lights were added to the stadium after several seasons, and the football field had an east-west alignment with an elevation of approximately 1,050 feet above sea level. During its time as a college football venue, Creighton Stadium saw its share of memorable moments on the field. However, the program was eventually suspended due to World War II, and the final varsity game was played at home against Tulsa on November 21, 1942. Despite the suspension of the football program, the stadium continued to be used for track competitions. Unfortunately, Creighton Stadium was eventually demolished in the 1960s. The site where it once stood is now occupied by the Criss research buildings of the Creighton University School of Medicine. While it may no longer be standing, Creighton Stadium remains an important part of the university’s history and will always be remembered as a beloved college football venue.
