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Josh Pate Didn’t Hesitate When Naming the Toughest Place To Play in College Football

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Matt De Lima | Last updated Jun 27, 2025 1:13 PM ET

One of the most impressive and intimidating parts of college football is the intensity brought by fans to create a special stadium atmosphere. From Virginia Tech's "Enter Sandman" entrance to the deafening intensity of LSU's Tiger Stadium and the massive fan capacity at Penn State's Beaver Stadium, the sport has numerous examples of fan bases that challenge the fortitude of visiting teams.

On Friday, Tennessee football shared a quote from college football analyst Josh Pate, who explained why Neyland Stadium, home of the Volunteers, is the toughest place to play in college football.

"Neyland Stadium is the toughest place to play in college football ... I've never been in an avalanche before, but I would imagine Tennessee taking the lead on you in the fourth quarter and Rocky Top blaring, that's what an avalanche of orange feels like."

⚠️ Brace yourselves ⚠️ pic.twitter.com/XdoxIGdumF
— Tennessee Football (@Vol_Football) June 27, 2025

In EA Sports' College Football 26 video game, Tennessee is slotted at 12th in the toughest places to play rankings. So, Neyland Stadium is in the mix regarding the loudest or most challenging stadiums for opposing teams to play in.

During Pate's latest episode of the "College Football Show," he waxed poetic about Tennessee's stadium.

“I got all the respect in the world for the folks at EA, but to have Tennessee outside the top 10 of toughest places to play in college football is evidence of drug use. Not only is Tennessee in the top 10, but Neyland Stadium is the toughest place to play in college football. Don’t start with me. You can argue with this wall over here. I’ve been there for the best of it,” said Pate.

The Volunteers begin the season in Week 1 with a home matchup against the Syracuse Orange on Aug. 30 at noon ET.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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