Boise’s video board will presumably be blue to make it invisible to opponents. (Idaho Statesman/MCT/Getty Images)

By Zac Ellis

Boise State is set to introduce some upgrades to its field and its stadium. Plans are underway to install a new video board at Bronco Stadium, and the field will feature a redesigned logo this season, the Idaho Statesman reports.

The proposed 60-by-33 foot video board will replace the existing structure installed in 2001. On Wednesday, the State Board of Education approved the school’s plans for the $2 million project, which will include room for ads and audio equipment, though a timeline has not yet been provided.

“We are constantly and aggressively looking for ways to enhance the fan experience at Bronco Stadium,” athletic director Mark Coyle said in a statement. “A new video board is a priority for us, and one of the first steps in moving in that direction is gaining approval from the State Board of Education. We appreciate the Board’s support as we move forward.”

A new midfield logo is also set for the Broncos’ trademark blue turf. It will not include the words “Boise State” in the design.

By Zac Ellis

New field design for Wyoming football: http://t.co/M752o1eXto—
Paul Lukas (@UniWatch) May 07, 2013

The Wyoming Cowboys will have a new field to show off this season.

The new rendition of Jonah Field, posted on Twitter by @UniWatch, features snow-capped mountains in the end zones. Visitors to War Memorial Stadium won’t be able to forget the field’s elevation, as the sidelines also read “7220 feet.” Better bring some extra oxygen to those Mountain West matchups.

University administrators are exploring options to expand Notre Dame Stadium. (Joe Robbins/Getty Images)

By Zac Ellis

Notre Dame Stadium could be set for a major facelift. University administrators are “exploring an innovative approach to campus planning that would take advantage of the central location of the football stadium,” the school announced on Thursday.

The plans would call for combining a student center, media center and classroom and conference center into the existing Notre Dame Stadium. “Inspired by the University’s campus master plan, we will study the possibility of accomplishing multiple objectives — namely, preserve the campus’ pedestrian character by taking advantage of a central location for needed facilities, retain the integrity of a legendary stadium, improve the visual attractiveness of the exterior stadium wall, and enhance the game-day experience for our football fans,” Rev. John I. Jenkins, C.S.C., Notre Dame’s president, said in a release.

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By Zac Ellis

Today’s news sure to raise some eyebrows comes courtesy of the NCAA, as it so often does. According to Jordan Moore, the director of social media for the USC athletic department, the NCAA has nixed the use of Twitter hashtags on college football fields.

Social media police: The NCAA has banned hashtags on college football fields.—
Jordan Moore (@MooreSports) May 01, 2013

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An announcement on major renovations to Kyle Field could come as early as Wednesday. (Bob Levey/Getty Images)

By Zac Ellis

Texas A&M’s Kyle Field might soon be among the largest venues in college football. The A&M System Board of Regents is slated to discuss potentially major renovations to Kyle Field at its meeting, and a decision could come as early as Wednesday, according to KBTX in College Station. The school has tentatively scheduled a press conference for 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday.

Reports put the stadium’s capacity at approximately 103,000 under the proposed renovations, which would make Kyle Field the SEC’s largest stadium, surpassing Tennessee’s Neyland Stadium (102,455). The Aggies’ home would rank as the third-largest stadium in the country, behind only Penn State’s Beaver Stadium (106,572) and Michigan’s Michigan Stadium (109,901).

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Executive director Bill Hancock (right) expects four teams in the playoff for at least 12 years. (AP)

By Zac Ellis

The newly named College Football Playoff might be the next big step in the sport, but many hope the upcoming postseason model will one day expand to include even more teams. It might be a while before that happens, though.

On Thursday at the BCS Meetings in Pasadena, Calif., executive director Bill Hancock said the playoff will remain at four teams for at least the duration of the 12-year deal, which goes into effect after the 2014 season.

Hancock: "We know people are going to want eight [teams], and some are going to want 16, or 32. But it’s going to be four, for 12 years."—
Stewart Mandel (@slmandel) April 25, 2013

The current plan will pit four teams, as chosen by a selection committee, in two semifinal bowl games to earn a berth in the new College Football Championship Game, which replaces the BCS National Championship Game. The first title game in the new playoff format will take place at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas on Jan. 12, 2015.

Can you spot the stadium in this photo? (HoustonFootballStadium.com)

By Holly Anderson

The Houston Cougars’ football stadium is currently a big pile of concrete scheduled to be operational in time for the 2014 season. Houston has seven home games scheduled for 2013, four of which will be played in Reliant Stadium, three of which the Texans aren’t accommodating. That leaves the Cougars … where?

Working with the Houston Texans and Reliant Stadium, we have finalized the logistics of four games and have confirmed they will be played in Reliant Stadium – Aug. 30 vs. Southern, Sept. 21 vs. Rice, Oct. 19 vs. BYU and Oct. 31 vs. USF.

We continue to work around the clock with Reliant Stadium, the NFL and other entities to finalize the location for our three remaining home games – Oct. 12 vs. Memphis, Nov. 23 vs. Cincinnati and Nov. 29 vs. SMU.

Venue options abound in the area. In addition to the Cougars, Houston is home to the MLS’ Dynamo and the Rice Owls, both of which could be potential replacement home game sites, a UH spokesman said. But where would be the fun in any of that, really? Our suggestions for the Cougars’ dates with Memphis, Cincinnati and SMU:

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The Cardinal applauds the possibility of a Louisville-Notre Dame game in 2014. (Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

By Zac Ellis

Right on the heels of Thursday’s news that Notre Dame and NBC have extended their television partnership through the 2025 season, reports have surfaced surrounding a potential big-time opponent for the Fighting Irish in 2014.

According to Brian Hamilton of the Chicago Tribune, Notre Dame is set to face off against Louisville during the 2014 season.

And, talking down-the-line schedules, #NBC exec Jon Miller mentioned that #NotreDame will play #Louisville in yet-to-be-released 2014 slate.

— Brian Hamilton (@ChiTribHamilton) April 18, 2013

Louisville and Notre Dame are each coming off successful 2012 campaigns. The Irish reached the BCS national championship game for the first time since 1988, while the Cardinals upset heavily favored Florida in the Sugar Bowl. If both programs stay the course, their reported 2014 meeting could shape up as a Top 25 clash.

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Michigan led the nation last season by averaging 112,252 fans per home game. (Scott W. Grau/Icon SMI)

By Zac Ellis

Michigan’s home-field advantage was the best in college football in 2012, according to at least one list of rankings. Michigan Stadium, also known as “The Big House,” topped StadiumJourney.com’s rundown of the best college stadiums from last season. The Wolverines led the nation in average attendance with an astounding 112,252 fans per game while finishing 6-0 and outscoring visiting opponents 231-96 at home.

The outlet determined its rankings based on several factors, including a team’s win/loss record, average attendance, attendance as a percentage of capacity and points scored/allowed at home. Florida’s Ben Hill Griffin Stadium finished second, while Ohio State’s Ohio Stadium, Nebraska’s Memorial Stadium and South Carolina’s Williams-Brice Stadium rounded out the top five.

You can find the complete rankings here, but here is the rest of the top 10:

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You may recall, back in February, the announcement that the GEO Group, a prison corporation, had donated several million dollars to Florida Atlantic University and would be granted naming rights to the Owls’ stadium. Much consternation ensued. The GEO Group scrambled to defend itself against repeated and varied reports of inmate abuse. A nickname was coined:

Unless I hear a better idea from #FAU fans, I feel good about "Owlcatraz". #Owls—
Ken LaVicka (@KLV760) February 19, 2013

The school being Florida Atlantic, we kinda forgot about it for a little bit. Folks in Boca Raton, not so much. Protests against the sponsorship continued, and the GEO Group has withdrawn its donation:

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