Autzen is the loudest stadium in the Big Ten

Question

In the Ohio State vs. Oregon game, the stadium reached up to 127 decibels, one of the top five highest recorded volumes in college football. The stadium is designed with a convex shape, so the crowd's cheers bounce right back down to the field. College football show host and avid Penn State fan Josh Pate said that it’s the loudest stadium within the Big Ten. He has been on the field at stadiums to experience it firsthand, and it’s incomparable.

Comments

This is super interesting! I liked how you included that the stadium is shaped to maximize the sound, which is a main reason as to why it got so loud. Go Ducks!

---

Your understanding of the architectural design of the stadium really boosts the credibility of your fact checking. It really puts it into perspective how the audience can perceive the volume to be the loudest in the nation, when really our stadium is just designed to enhance the experience.

---

I love how you added not only a credible link, but your own understanding as to why that evidence makes sense!

---

I thought you did a great job on this fact check. You added some very insightful information and then added data to back the claim. I also thought it was really interesting to hear that another teams fan Josh Pate agreed and said that when he was at Autzen stadium was the loudest in the big ten. I also thought it was great you added some information on the architecture of the stadium. Great job on this, and Go Ducks!

---

In the Ohio State vs. Oregon game, the stadium reached up to 127 decibels, one of the top five highest recorded volumes in college football. College football analyst Josh Pate has recently emphasized the exceptional noise levels at Oregon's Autzen Stadium, asserting that it stands as the loudest venue in the Big Ten Conference. Drawing from his extensive experience attending games nationwide, Pate remarked, "Autzen is the loudest stadium in the Big Ten." So I would say that Auzten stadium is the loudest stadium in the big 10.
 
Sources; Ohio State vs. Oregon: What to know about Autzen Stadium in ...The Columbus Dispatchhttps://www.dispatch.com › sports › college › 2024/10/12

CBS Sports - News, Live Scores, Schedules, Fantasy Games, Video ...CBS Sportshttps://www.cbssports.com

---

My instinct is to trust the reporting that Sports Illustrated does on sports, but the article written there left me with a few questions. What makes me skeptical about this statement is that this SI article and every other article I found stating the same decibel level is that no one claims where they got this information from, when it was recorded, and what the method of decibel recording was done to obtain this information. I do not know if this information is true; it's not necessarily something important to lie about, but the lack of evidence makes me question if it is possibly exaggerated or not.

---

https://www.si.com/college/2014/09/05/stadium-spotlight-autzen-stadium-oregon

---

This in fact is a true statement

---

This in fact is a true statement, Auzten stadium when it had the highest attendance game went on to be the most record-breaking in Auzten stadium history reaching 127 decibels. Even though it doesn’t hold the most people, because of the way the stadium was built it keeps noise trapped inside of the stadium therefore making it louder. Also according to Sport illustrated that the shape makes it like a double-sided Ampitheater, and the being close together creates more room for people to be loud.
https://www.si.com/college/2014/09/05/stadium-spotlight-autzen-stadium-oregon

---

I can stand by this fact of Autzen being the loudest Big 10 Stadium. According to Sports Illustrated Autzen Stadium had 60,129 in attendance the most its ever gotten. Most of the top Big 10 schools hold about 100,000 fans. The difference from Autzen and those other stadiums is the size. Autzen is built much smaller and compacted than other stadiums so when it gets loud you can hear all the noise. Josh Pate said "Ohio state vs Oregon in Autzen was the loudest game I experienced this season".
https://www.si.com/college/2014/09/05/stadium-spotlight-autzen-stadium-oregon

Answer 1

This statement is true. After doing some research Autzen Stadium took the lead for loudest in the big ten against Ohio State with a level of 127 decibels. One of the architects of the Autzen remodel, Christopher Mitchell, says "the simplicity of the potato chip-style bowl really lends to a roaring ambiance". Due to the stadium being small in size holding around 60,000 attendees, there is no wasted space allowing noise to come from every direction. According to Mark Lantz article on ranking top ten loudest college football stadiums, Autzen is ranked at number two with LSU holding the number one spot. However, with LSU not being in the big ten, Oregon steps in to take that number one spot. 

https://www.si.com/college/2014/09/05/stadium-spotlight-autzen-stadium-oregon#:~:text=“It%20is%20like%20a%20double,All%20the%20energy%20is%20concentrated.”&text=With%20just%20one%20deck%20that,of%20glassed%2Din%20luxury%20seating 

https://www.si.com/college/oregon/football/ranking-top-10-loudest-college-football-stadiums-oregon-ducks-autzen-stadium-too-low-lsu-tigers-penn-state 

Answer 2

This claim is true. While some debate whether Autzen Stadium is the loudest in the Big Ten, the evidence to support its reputation is unavoidable. While the stadium might not be the biggest, it is the architectural design that allows it to be the loudest stadium. Any sound louder than 120 decibels can be damaging to our ears and the Ohio State game this year was not the first time it exceeded that level. While the term "loudest" can be subjective, it is hard to argue against the facts.

https://www.collegetransitions.com/blog/best-loudest-college-football-stadiums/?utm_source

Answer 3

Super fun and interesting claim! After doing some further research, in the case of the Oregon vs. Ohio State game, this claim is true. At this game there was record attendance of 60,129 and a "top-five highest-ever recorder level of 127 decibels", which is extremely loud. Coming from another Sports Illustrated article, it turns out Autzen's architecture also plays a role in its amplitude. Autzen itself is shaped like an amphitheater, amplifying the noise coming from the attendees. More specifically the article states, "With just one deck that flows freely, the seats and noise created from the wild Ducks fans doesn’t get broken up by structure and rings of glassed-in luxury seating. Add in a suite building on the north side with a flat, solid surface and a roof on the south side both bouncing sound back toward the field." These designs help concentrate sound back in toward the bowl. Although historically stadiums have reached higher decibels, we would be lying if we said Autzen was quiet.

https://www.si.com/college/2014/09/05/stadium-spotlight-autzen-stadium-oregon#:~:text=%E2%80%9CIt%20is%20like%20a%20double,All%20the%20energy%20is%20concentrated.%E2%80%9D&text=With%20just%20one%20deck%20that,of%20glassed%2Din%20luxury%20seating 

Answer 4

Yes, it is true that Autzen Stadium has earned the top spot as the loudest stadium in the Big Ten Conference. While the stadium doesn't have the largest fan capacity out of all the teams in the league, its sunken and compact design makes for a bubble of noise which powers the sheer amount of noise. Sports Illustrated dives into the architecture of the stadium and mentions "Compared to other Big Ten stadiums, Ducks fans are extremely close to the field in Autzen Stadium". Having the field be in close proximity to its fans makes for a powerful environment. This stadium fits 60,000 fans and according to an article published by the Register-Guard, the stadium noise level has reached 127.2 decibels which is louder than a jet taking off. Recently Ohio State quarterback Will Howard, among other Big Ten players, has revealed in a Sports Illustrated article that Autzen Stadium "is the loudest stadium he's ever played in". The combination of the stadium's design and fan culture has created the loudest recorded stadium in the Big Ten conference. 

Sources: https://www.registerguard.com/story/sports/college/football/2025/01/15/louder-than-a-jet-what-makes-autzen-stadium-challenging-for-opponents/77590441007/

https://www.si.com/college/oregon/football/oregon-ducks-autzen-stadium-earning-reputation-big-ten-loudest-college-football-hostile-dan-lanning-eugene

https://www.si.com/college/oregon/football/oregon-ducks-football-ohio-state-will-howard-autzen-stadium-loudest-dan-lanning-ryan-day-college-football-playoff-national-champions#:~:text=Ohio%20State

Answer 5

According to the article from The Register-Guard, Autzen stadium is one of the loudest venues in the Big Ten. During the Oregon VS. Ohio State game the venue reached a volume of 127 decibels, which is more than a jet during takeoff. Although Autzen is smaller than many of the other Big Ten stadiums, the unique design is able to amplify the crowd noise, giving it an intense atmosphere. There are sources that suggest that it is the loudest stadium in the BIg Ten, despite it having fewer seats compared to stadiums like Michigan or Ohio State’s, This aligns with the claims about its volume.

Sources: https://www.registerguard.com/story/sports/college/football/2025/01/15/louder-than-a-jet-what-makes-autzen-stadium-challenging-for-opponents/77590441007/

Answer 6

I believe that this is true. Even though Autzen stadium only holds around 60,000 people the decibels of sound recorded were record setting and made autzen the loudest in the big 10. Ohio state was shocked by the level of noise during the game and its evident that its due to the loudness of the stadium. 

https://www.registerguard.com/story/sports/college/football/2025/01/15/louder-than-a-jet-what-makes-autzen-stadium-challenging-for-opponents/77590441007/#

Answer 7

this is true as a recruit coming to the games and going to many other college football games Autzen stadium was easily the loudest stadium out of all of them. Looking at their entire season they won every came at home with teams talking about how loud it is. not only that but the stadium is built to keep the noise in. 

https://www.si.com/college/oregon/football/ranking-top-10-loudest-college-football-stadiums-oregon-ducks-autzen-stadium-too-low-lsu-tigers-penn-state

Answer 8

This claim is true. In 2024 Autzen stadium topped out at 127 decibels against Ohio State. This takes the #1 spot with Penn State's Beaver stadium coming in 2nd, topping out at 122 decibels. Autzen stadium almost has a case for being the loudest stadium in the nation, coming up short with LSU's Tiger stadium hitting a whopping 130 decibels. 

Source: https://www.dispatch.com/story/sports/college/2024/10/12/autzen-stadium-oregon-capacity-decibels-location-ohio-state/75606287007/

Answer 9

This is definitely true we put up 127 decibles and i've been to many different college games. The ohio state vs oregon game at autzen was definitely the loudest.

Answer 10

I think that people who see Autzen as the loudest stadium in the Big10 is exaggerating. Oregons stadium is known as on elf the smallest stadiums in the Big10. The stadium has a capacity of about 60,000 fans and with rivals such as Ohio state, Michigan and penn state; The Oregon stadium is far behind being that Ohio state and penn state hold as much as at least almost half as much as Autzen. However, on a per-person basis; Autzen Stadium is in a league of its own with a top-five highest-ever recorded level of 127 decibels in college football. The stadium has a shape that reflects the sound of the loud noise right back to the stadium. https://www.si.com/college/oregon/football/oregon-ducks-ohio-state-deafening-autzen-stadium-breaks-attendance-record-tez-johnson-dan-lanning-ryan-day#:~:text=However%252C%2520on%2520a%2520per%252Dperson,127%2520decibels%2520in%2520college%2520football.&text=%E2%80%9CThis%2520place%2520is%2520so%2520special.