Columbus, Ohio- If your a college football fan then you know what this place is and a visit to “The Horseshoe” is a must. The school is in the Big 10 conference and is consistently a nationally ranked football program and somehow always seems to be in the hunt for a national title.

The Pageantry- For the past 35 years My father and I have the tradition of packing up the car and heading to a different university for a game every year. The game itself is of little consequence. It is about the drive and once you get there it is about the college, the band, the traditions and the experience. My father and I paid a visit to the “Horseshoe” in late November of 2013. It was bitter cold, in fact it snowed 10” by the end of the game and his souvenir cup of Pepsi was frozen solid by half time. The place was still electric and the fans were at a fever pitch. We had to walk a million miles to the stadium and sought refuge in some random building. As it turned out the band was warming up with a little pregame show for the alumni. After it was over we marched with the band, as if we were in it, all the way into the stadium and up to our seats. I have found that with all things, if you simply act like you are supposed to be there and show no fear than no one questions you…..write this down. That is what it is all about for me and what a magnificent place to do it, The Ohio State!

Even in winter 90,000 plus showed up ready to cheer, there is never a bad time to come here.

The Tailgate and walk to stadium-There are officially 13 designated tailgate lots surrounding the stadium (see map below). The more you pay the closer you get and the closer you get the more energizing the crowds become. I think the drinks are a little colder and sweeter as you approach the stadium in those closer lots but there is no way to verify this. The campus is immaculate and include wide clean sidewalks and walk across new suspension bridge. The Ohio people are warm, cheery folks which adds to the experience. This should be at the top of your list of places to watch a game and experience what college football is.

The Horseshoe- The stadium itself is historic, beautiful and modern. The “shoe” has a capacity of 104,944 although the record was a game in 2016 against rival Michigan where 110,045 fans piled in.

Parking Lot and Stadium Map- This is the official map from the university website. https://ohiostatebuckeyes.com/tickets/football-tickets/