Peden Stadium: Difference between revisions

| opened = October 5, 1929<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.databasefootball.com/College/teams/teamyear.htm?TeamID=76&Season=1929 |title=ArchivedOhio copyBobcats 1929 Season Schedule - databaseFootball.com/College |access-date=2011-10-10 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121019070824/http://www.databasefootball.com/College/teams/teamyear.htm?TeamID=76&Season=1929 |archive-date=2012-10-19 }}</ref>

| seating_capacity = 2725,000210|

'''Peden Stadium''', also known as '''Frank Solich Field at Peden Stadium''' since August 2022,<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Ohio Football Field to be Named Frank Solich Field at Peden Stadium |url=https://ohiobobcats.com/news/2022/8/18/ohio-football-field-to-be-named-frank-solich-field-at-peden-stadium.aspx |access-date=2022-09-06 |website=Ohio University |date=18 August 2022 |language=en}}</ref> is an [[American football]] stadium on the campus of [[Ohio University]] in [[Athens, Ohio]]. Situated on the banks of the [[Hocking River]] with a seated capacity of 2725,000210,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.ohio.edu/athens/bldgs/stadium.html |website=Ohio.edu |access-date=3 March 2021|title=Building Directory}}</ref> Peden Stadium has been the home of the [[Ohio Bobcats football|Ohio Bobcats Football]] team since 1929. ItAn example of early 20th Century sports venues, it is the oldest college football venue in the [[Mid-American Conference]], the third oldest in Ohio, and the 29th oldest college stadium in the nation.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-03-29 |title=The 32 oldest on-campus college football stadiums in America |url=https://ugawire.usatoday.com/2020/03/29/the-32-oldest-on-campus-college-football-stadiums-in-america-uga-georgia-sanford-duke-lsu-ole-miss-michigan-mississippi-unc-illinois-harvard-yale-cfb-texas-washington-oklahoma-ohio-state-tennessee-ney/ |access-date=2022-09-07 |website=University of Georgia Wire |language=en-US}}</ref>

In 2009, in anticipation of the 75th anniversary of its construction in 2011, after a suggestion by Alumnus Michael Msssa, Peden Stadium was officially designated an Ohio Historical Site, and an historical marker erected in Drew Park.<ref name=":1" />

In August 2022, the University announced that the Board of Trustees agreed to name the football field in Peden Stadium for former head coach <dfn>[[Frank Solich]], who served as the head coach for the football program from 2005-21 and earned the title of Winningest Coach in the [[Mid-American Conference]] with a 115-82 overall record.</dfn><ref name=":0" /> Through [[2022 Ohio Bobcats football team|2022]] Ohio remained unbeaten on the new field.

Some of the most extensive renovations, though, occurred after the 2000 football season. This $2.8 million project removed the track, lowered the stadium's playing surface by {{convert|10|ft|m}}, and increased the [[seating capacity]] to its current mark of 2824,000 with the addition of lower-level, bleacher-back seats collectively called the Phillips Club, plus added capacity of the Sook Center on game days. Also during this renovation, permanent seating for the marching band, [[The Ohio University Marching 110]], was created in the north end zone and Victory Hill, a grass berm for overflow seating, was added to the south end of the field. In 2002, the natural grass playing surface at the stadium was replaced with [[FieldTurf]], and in 2017, an updated video [[scoreboard]] was added to the south end zone. Following the completion of the 2004 season, the stadium underwent another large project that renovated/expanded the stadium's athletic training facilities, added a large team auditorium, improved position meeting rooms, expanded the recruiting lounge, and enlarged office space for the football coaches. In 2009, the Marching 110's former permanent location in the north end zone was transformed into "Touchdown Club" donor seating, and the band returned to their former location in the general admission seating by the student section. The most recent update occurred in 2022, where new field turf was installed over the summer.

| 2 || October 13, 2012 || 25,542<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ohiobobcats.com/sports/m-footbl/recaps/101312aah.html |title=ArchivedOhio copy34, Akron 28 - Postgame Notes |access-date=2013-09-18 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150908002541/http://www.ohiobobcats.com/sports/m-footbl/recaps/101312aah.html |archive-date=2015-09-08 }}</ref> || Ohio 34 - Akron 28

| 3 || September 20, 2014 || 25,211<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ohiobobcats.com/sports/m-footbl/recaps/092014aaa.html |title=Archived@OhioFootball copyVictorious in Home Opener |access-date=2014-09-21 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304130847/http://www.ohiobobcats.com/sports/m-footbl/recaps/092014aaa.html |archive-date=2016-03-04 }}</ref> || Ohio 36 - Idaho 24

| 4 || September 12, 2015 || 25,210<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ohiobobcats.com/sports/m-footbl/recaps/091513aaa.html |title=ArchivedBobcats copyRetain Bell, Defeat Rival Marshall, 34-31 |access-date=2013-09-18 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150906034410/http://www.ohiobobcats.com/sports/m-footbl/recaps/091513aaa.html |archive-date=2015-09-06 }}</ref> || Ohio 21 - Marshall 10

| 5 || October 10, 2015 || 25,086<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ohiobobcats.com/sports/m-footbl/stats/2015-2016/ohiofb6.html |title=Archived copy |access-date=2015-10-10 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160112143416/http://www.ohiobobcats.com/sports/m-footbl/stats/2015-2016/ohiofb6.html |archive-date=2016-01-12 }}</ref> || Ohio 2434 - Miami (Ohio) 3

File:CFB150 Anniversary Game.jpg|Peden Stadium Hosted [[2019 Miami RedHawks football team|Miami]] in College Football's 150th Anniversary Game on Wed. Nov. 6, 2019<ref>{{Cite web|last=Bender|first=Bill|title=CFB 150: College football celebrates 150th anniversary in style at Ohio-Miami|url=https://www.sportingnews.com/us/ncaa-football/news/cfb-150-college-football-150th-anniversary-ohio-miami/1q4rc4ghbfaec1m64vy2f3pw20|access-date=2022-05-21|website=The Sporting News|date=6 November 2019 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Miami tops Ohio 24-21, takes control in MAC East|url=https://www.espn.com/college-football/recap?gameId=401119298|access-date=2022-05-21|website=ESPN|language=en}}</ref>

File:Completed Sook Center.jpg|thumb|alt=Completed Sook Center|Sook Center from the Field side prior to a game on Sept 3, 2022