Gustavus Adolphus College
True football fans will enjoy a trip to Hollingsworth Field in
St. Peter on the Gustavus Adolphus College campus. Hollingsworth Field has been called home by the Gusties for more than 100 years. Check out the “Goaline Club” just outside the west end zone, where a barbecue takes place under a tent each home game. The big news for Golden Gusties fans, however, is the new football stadium that is nearing completion and is expected to be ready for play this fall. The $6 million field will have several fan-friendly upgrades, but it will still carry the Hollingsworth name. A Division III team, Gustavus competes in the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.

NIACC
A quick trip over the border to Mason City, Iowa, will have you at Mohawk Stadium, which serves as the home football field for the North Iowa Area Community College Trojans and the Mason City High School Mohawks. The natural grass field has seating capacity for 4,000. NIACC competes in the Iowa Community College Athletic Conference. The Class 4A Mohawks are in the Central Iowa Metro League, so they play mostly teams from central Iowa.

Carleton College
Carleton College in Northfield is home to the 7,500-seat Laird Stadium, where the Spartans play their home games. The facility has a natural grass surface, which is pleasing to both players and fans. The stadium is one of the largest in Division III football and the biggest in the division west of the Mississippi. The place often hosts Division III track-and-field championships. The Spartans compete in the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.

High Schools
For fans looking for small-town high school football, three schools in a short distance of each other are classics. Lanesboro High School, Southland High School and Le Roy-Ostrander High School all have football in a more intimate setting. Lanesboro’s field lies in a valley, meaning fans take a steep drive down the road to get to the field. Southland in Adams, much like Lanesboro, is exciting because of the team’s enthusiastic fans. Fans stand near the sidelines or sit behind the end zones making for a special environment. Le Roy-Ostrander in Le Roy offers the feel of football’s past, with hedges just past the end zone and a wooden crow’s nest.

MSU-Mankato
Blakeslee Stadium on the campus of Minnesota State University, Mankato, has all the feel of a great college atmosphere with the ability to host an NFL game at the same time. With the Minnesota Vikings coming to town each summer since 1965 for training camp, 7,000-seat Blakeslee has the room to accommodate large crowds while still allowing fans to get close to the action and at the same time providing the players with quality field conditions.
The MSU Mavericks battle other NCAA Division II teams in the North Central Conference.
The field setup is fan friendly, where you can get up close. There isn’t a bad seat to be had. In addition to the main field there are practice fields available.

St. Olaf College
Across Northfield at Division III St. Olaf College, 5,000-seat Manitou Field is a great place to watch a football game and is just one part of an impressive athletic setup. Right next to it is Tom Porter Fieldhouse, home to the weightroom, lockers, classrooms and trainer’s facilities — all with a great view of the football field. The Oles compete in the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. Extra bleachers can help bring the capacity to 7,500 for big games, such as the cross-town contest with Carleton. St. Olaf won the rivalry game last fall.