College football returned in a big way in the SEC, with seven of the conference’s 14 teams playing their first games before crowds of at least 75,000 excitable fans and two – Tennessee and Texas A&M – featuring more than 100,000 in attendance.

The Aggies drew top billing at Kyle Field by packing in an official crowd of 100,443 to watch them edge visiting UCLA in overtime, 31-24. There were also more than a few anxious moments on Thursday night for the 100,074 gathered at Neyland Stadium as the Vols needed overtime to escape 20-13 Appalachian State, 20-13.

A record crowd of 75,405 made their way to the Georgia Dome for Saturday’s Chick-Fil-A Kickoff Game between North Carolina and Georgia, and they were rewarded with a gem of a contest that saw Bulldogs tailback Nick Chubb stamp his return from last year’s gruesome knee injury with a 222-yard, two-touchdown effort to lead the Dawgs to a 33-24 decision over the Tar Heels.

Conversely, however, there was a decided lack of excitement in Nashville on Thursday evening, as just 30,304 bothered to attend the South Carolina/Vanderbilt tilt at Vanderbilt Stadium. The Gamecocks won that game 13-10.

You can expect another big fan gathering in Orlando tonight, as No. 11 Ole Miss and No. 4 Florida State meet at the Citrus Bowl to close a memorable college football weekend.

Attendance Game Date Venue
100,443 UCLA at Texas A&M Sept. 3 Kyle Field
100,074 Appalachian State at Tennessee Sept. 1 Neyland Stadium
88,121 UMass at Florida Sept. 3 Ben Hill Griffin Stadium/Steve Spurrier Field
87,451 Clemson at Auburn Sept. 3 Jordan-Hare Stadium
81,359 Southern California vs. Alabama Sept. 3 AT&T Stadium
77,823 LSU vs. Wisconsin Sept. 3 Lambeau Field
75,405 North Carolina vs. Georgia Sept. 3 The Georgia Dome
69,132 Louisiana Tech at Arkansas Sept. 3 Razorback Stadium
60,125 Missouri at West Virginia Sept. 3 Milan Puskar Stadium
57,230 Southern Miss at Kentucky Sept. 3 Commonwealth Stadium
57,075 South Alabama at Mississippi State Sept. 3 Davis Wade Stadium
30,304 South Carolina at Vanderbilt Sept. 1 Vanderbilt Stadium