Fans cheer during a game between the Texas A&M Aggies and the Sam Houston State Bearkats during the first half at Kyle Field on September 03, 2022 in College Station, Texas. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)
The Miami sports fan has a bad wrap nationally. The Marlins are routinely at the bottom of MLB's attendance numbers, the Dolphins fan base doesn't show unless the team is good, and the same is said for the Miami Hurricanes. Saturday the Canes welcome in Texas A&M in the return game of their home-and-home. Texas A&M got the best of The U last season in a tightly contested matchup the Aggies won. This is arguably Miami's biggest home game of the season. They host Clemson later in the season, but they lost to Duke. Canes fans should be chomping at the bit to pack Hard Rock Stadium. That's not happening though. In fact, the school announced this week that they are running a BOGO on tickets for the A&M game.
This is a bad look for any program. But this is the same program that gave away free tickets with purchase of a Whopper in the 80's. Texas A&M's fanbase is one of the more rabid ones in college football. Some have even gone as far as to call them a cult. I'm not saying that, but some are. A&M had an announced attendance of 97,560 for their home opener against New Mexico State. Miami drew just over 49,000 for their home opener against Miami of Ohio. Aggies fans got word of the BOGO sale for one of the biggest games of the weekend and did not pull any punches.
I took a look at the rest of the Publix ad. Looks like the Boars Head FireSmith Chicken Whole Sub is on sale, too.
Consider this a public service announcement for all of the seniors in high-school. Our friends over at niche.com have published a list of the top 50 party schools in the US. Among the 50 biggest party schools are four schools in the state of Florida. Including one school cracking the top-3. Alumni of these schools will most likely wear this as a badge of honor. Obviously I would not choose a school based solely on the party atmosphere. But if you're looking for that party atmosphere, or maybe not, then this list can help sway your decision in one way or the other. I'm not entirely sure how niche.com came up with the list, but if you click the link you can see most schools have well over 3,000 reviews left by current and former students.
There are a few schools that didn't make the list that seemed odd to me. UCF in Orlando, Arizona State in Tempe, and East Carolina in Greenville just to name a few. The first two seem to be because they are in larger metro areas and maybe the actual college party scene isn't as great as the overall party scene. However I have been to Greenville and know the Pirates know how to Party. I've taken the niche.com list and added a new component; PICTURES. Some of these school's party scenes are directly tied to the great athletics the schools offer. Others let the partying stand on their own. So with out further adieu, I present the top 50 party schools in the country.
50. LSU
LSU makes the list based off night games in Death Valley alone. That crowd is insane.
49. Texas Southern University
Not gonna lie, this one surprised me. Never really heard of Texas Southern as a party school, but here they are at number 49.
48. Texas Tech University
The Red Raiders will be upset they're this low. There's nothing else to do in Lubbock other than party.
47. North Carolina A&T University
Yeah... that looks like they know how to party.
46. Temple University
Makes sense with the Philly party scene. They've also had students in Antarctica on Antarctica. However you say it- they've done it.
45. University of Massachusetts Amherst
Not going to lie... this one surprised me too. Amherst?
44. College of Charleston
Charleston is a great town. It definitely has parts of it that feel like you're in a small college town. But it also has parts that have the southern charm of a small town. Great food, great music, and great drinks.
43. University of Pennsylvania
Another school located in the heart of Philadelphia. It's surprising to see an Ivy League school and partying associated with each other. But good on you Penn students.
42. University of Arizona
Bear Down Wildcats! Great weather, good sports, and plenty of fun to be had for students in Tucson.
41. Washington State University
The fact is there isn't a ton to do in Pullman Washington. You've got to find something to do and partying seems to be it for Cougars students.
40. University of Florida
Great weather, great college town, and a historically great athletic department (although it might be down right now).
39. Lehigh University
Lehigh is an excellent academic school with a great party scene as well.
38. University of CIncinnati
Cincinnati is a big metro area, so I knew there would be plenty of bars and restaurants. But the students at UC know how to party with the best of them.
37. University at Albany, SUNY
I get it. It's below 40 degrees for most of the year so you got to figure out a way to stay warm. What better way then pack a frat house and let the liquid flow.
36. University of Kansas
This was the scene after Kansas won the basketball national championship in 2022. Any student base that can create a scene like this has to know a thing or two about partying at an elite level.
35. James Madison University
JMU has been on the party scene for years. The campus is less than 100 miles from Washington DC, but still remote enough to have the college town feel.
34. Southern Methodist University
Located in the heart of Dallas, SMU offers the big city lifestyle to their students. It's a good academic school too.
33. University of Oklahoma
It's Oklahoma. They care about football entirely too much, and I mean that as a complement. Look at the student section for home games.
32. University of Michigan- Ann Arbor
From where I sit, Michigan is the best combination of elite academic school, great sports, and located in a metro while holding onto the college town feel in the country. I'm kind of surprised they aren't higher on this list.
31. Vanderbilt University
I mean it's located in Nashville. It's one of the best cities in the world in terms of live music and bars. Another spectacular academic school, they've got one of the best party scenes in the world just minutes from campus.
30. University of Delaware
All I knew about UD was the football helmets are very similar to Michigan's, and Joe Flacco went there. But know I know they can party with the best of them too.
29. Clark Atlanta University
CAU was founded in just 1988, but like athletics there are inherent advantages based on your location. Being in Atlanta they have a huge advantage just because of their location.
28. University of Dayton
There's a theme that schools in Ohio know what they're doing when it comes to partying. The Flyers need to cut back on burning couches in the street if they plan on having a place to crash later.
27. University of Miami
This one was easy to see coming. They're in one of the best vacation cities in the world. They've got a very good athletic department along with the biggest concerts and professional sporting events in the world. OH yeah- I almost forgot South Beach. It ain't a college town, but they know how to party in Miami.
26. University of South Carolina
SEC baby. It just means more.
25. University of Colorado Boulder
Sure it gets a little cold in the winter. But the weather from April through October is beautiful. Boulder is one of the more underrated college towns in the West.
24. Rutgers University- New Brunswick
Any student section that shows up in these numbers to support a well below average athletic department knows what they're doing. Also being in New Jersey, they need to lift their spirits somehow.
23. University of Virginia
The Hoos students are not just Brainiac's. They know what they're doing with a red solo cup in their hands.
22. THE Ohio State University
O-H! Great tradition and Columbus has some of the best pizza.
21. University of Texas - Austin
The ol' "Hook 'em Horns" UT has quite a tradition.
20. Michigan State University
The Ferris Buehler reference in the video is nice. MSU seems to always be the little brother to Big Blue. Nice to see them up on this list.
19. Florida A & M University
Another Florida school. You're gonna see that a lot.
18. San Diego State University
They had a good run this year. Amazing place to be.
17. University Of Iowa
Since we're talking basketball... You can actually get a really good burrito in that town, too.
16. Indiana University
Food truck Mondays? Genius. It's no wonder Craig holds them in such high regard.
15. Miami University
The original Miami. In Ohio. Awesome place to party.
14. Ohio University
Another Ohio party school, just up the road from Miami. Great bars within walking distance of the dorms.
13. University of Mississippi
Ole Miss.
12. Penn State
It gets weird in the Big 10. Penn State knows how to throw down.
11. West Virginia University
WVU just missed the Top 10. Next year - right?
10. University of Illinois
Orange! Not much else to do in Illinois but party.
9. University of Southern California
USC is always in the Top 10. Pretty solid football team this year, too.
8. Syracuse University
Orange Nation takes the 8 spot. The 'cuse gets it done.
7. University of Georgia
That video made me ready for next season. How many nattys they gonna win?
6. University of Wisconsin
Another entry from the Big 10. When it gets that cold what else you gonna do?
5. Howard University
Starting off the Top 5 with Howard U. Solid entry.
4. The University of Alabama
Big Al making memes. Lot of tradition, and lots of partying.
3. Florida State University
Our top Florida entry at number 3. The bar scene around the campus is in-sane. Love the old feel of the place.
2. Tulane University
It's a party school IN a party town. Of course that's gonna happen.
1. University of California - Santa Barbara
UCSB takes the top spot. Tupac said it best - California knows how to party.
Find the full list here: Niche
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