ACC Gameday Experience: North Carolina

Published Aug. 14, 2012 3:50 p.m. ET

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Editor’s note: As we count down to the start of the college football season, FOX Sports Carolinas ranks the game-day experience around the Atlantic Coast Conference. We unveil the top choice on Tuesday, Aug. 21. (item rankings are based on a scale of 1 through 10):

6 – Kenan Stadium, North Carolina (63,000)

Beauty (9): Maybe the most beautiful setting in college football. Nestled among the pines, the walk up to Kenan is unmatched.

Tailgating (2): It’s spotted around with no huge areas that make tailgating at many schools so much fun. Much of its’ done at the hospital parking decks, which is not a good thing.

Buzz (6): With the stadium now fully enclosed, it can get loud. But with a lack of tailgating, the buzz must be created once people get into the stadium, as there’s not much of a buildup.

Fans (6): They are much more interested in football than a lot of rivals’ fans will ever say, a reason their stadium is bigger. But UNC fans have shown too much apathy over the last decade, and aren’t as likely to endure inclement weather as most bases.

History (7): This old place has housed some darn good teams and a ton of NFL players as well as hosted some of the most important ACC games ever, including the 1981 affair pitting No. 8 Clemson, which won the national title that season, took on No. 8 UNC, which finished in the top 10.

Remark: Great setting, very nice stadium, but it needs a new press box, luxury seats and to figure out how it will expand again, as the options might be limited.