Larger than life: The history of the biggest college football stadiums in the country

Every fall, fans flock to their favorite team’s stadium (or maybe to a rival’s) to enjoy the gameday atmosphere that only college football can provide. With the number of people who pack the seats and the energy that blasts from the field to the top of the nosebleeds, you wouldn’t be wrong in believing these stadiums were built for the sole purpose of battling on the gridiron. While each school’s stadium has its own vibe and charming qualities, the ones included in this slideshow feel like pigskin palaces, true embodiments of the excitement and intensity of collegiate sports.

Click the photos above to get a glimpse of how these enormous stadiums have developed over the years, and to see what makes them so awesome and formidable.