Built in 1923, the stadium was originally named for the college's first president, William Aaron Brandenburg.

In 1987, it was renamed for Carnie Smith who led the school to NAIA National Football Championships in 1957 and 1961.

Unlike most Division II stadiums, there is an auxiliary game clock installed in the north end zone, meaning teams driving in that direction no longer need to turn around to the main scoreboard in the south end.

During the 2012 football season, the Gorillas packed more than 10,000 or more fans into Carnie Smith Stadium three times, including a season-high 11,910 fans for Homecoming on Oct. 20 – the largest home crowd in school history.

[2] The stadium has been the home to numerous Kansas State High School Activities Association state championship games, home games for Pittsburg High School and St. Mary's Colgan High School, and is currently in the rotation for the Kansas Shrine Bowl all-star game with Emporia, Wichita and Hays.