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SEC Sells: College Football Teams with the Best Home Game Turnouts, Ranked
By Tyler Hakes
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The south really loves college football. Like, a lot.
We wanted to look at just how much they love their teams by doing an analysis of how many people actually attend the games of each team in the FBS. To do so, we compiled data on every NCAA Division I FBS football program in the country. We found the conference, the stadium, and the stadium’s capacity. Then we matched it up against average home game attendance for each team. From there we could see which schools are selling out the house, and which ones are just barely filling seats.
Bragging rights, in this case, might not be quite as glamorous as actually winning a title. But filling seats is what keeps the program running, and no one likes to go to games that look more like a ghost town than a televised football game.
Plus, with the CFB season about to kick off, what makes for a better bit of extra smack talk than, “Oh yeah? Well, at least our team can fill a stadium!”?
Let’s dig in.
NCAA Conferences, Ranked by Home Game Attendance
All told, it’s not a huge surprise that the SEC came out on top. Their average attendance was over 95% for home games, across all teams. But it’s worth noting that they did have a bit of help from the fact that many of their teams reported an average crowd larger than the stadium’s listed capacity. Even so, it’s not likely that any of the other conferences would have caught up with the SEC.
The Big 12, Big Ten, and Pac-12 all made a good showing–between 87 and 92% average attendance–but the ACC lags behind with just 81% attendance, behind the average of the four remaining Independent schools.
SEC Teams, Ranked by Average Home Game Attendance vs Capacity
Big 12 Teams, Ranked by Average Home Game Attendance vs Capacity
Big Ten Teams, Ranked by Average Home Game Attendance vs Capacity
Pac-12 Teams, Ranked by Average Home Game Attendance vs Capacity
ACC Teams, Ranked by Average Home Game Attendance vs Capacity
American Conference Teams, Ranked by Average Home Game Attendance vs Capacity
Conference USA Teams, Ranked by Average Home Game Attendance vs Capacity
Mountain West Teams, Ranked by Average Home Game Attendance vs Capacity
Sun Belt Teams, Ranked by Average Home Game Attendance vs Capacity
MAC Teams, Ranked by Average Home Game Attendance vs Capacity
Independent Teams, Ranked by Average Home Game Attendance vs Capacity
All Colleges, Ranked by Average Home Game Attendance (Total)
For the final list, here are all of the FBS teams. This time, they’re sorted not by attendance as a percentage of total capacity, but by sheer volume of fans in attendance. The Big Ten takes the cake there, with the two largest stadiums.
| College | Conference | Stadium Name | Capacity | Avg Attendance (2015) | Avg Attendance % Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michigan | Big Ten | Michigan Stadium | 107601 | 110168 | 102.39% |
| Ohio State | Big Ten | Ohio Stadium | 104944 | 107244 | 102.19% |
| Texas A&M | SEC | Kyle Field | 102733 | 103622 | 100.87% |
| Louisiana State | SEC | Tiger Stadium | 102321 | 102004 | 99.69% |
| Alabama | SEC | Bryant-Denny Stadium | 101821 | 101112 | 99.30% |
| Tennessee | SEC | Neyland Stadium | 102455 | 100584 | 98.17% |
| Penn State | Big Ten | Beaver Stadium | 106572 | 99799 | 93.64% |
| Georgia | SEC | Sanford Stadium | 92746 | 92746 | 100.00% |
| Florida | SEC | Ben Hill Griffin Stadium | 88548 | 90065 | 101.71% |
| Texas | Big 12 | Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium | 100119 | 90035 | 89.93% |
| Nebraska | Big Ten | Memorial Stadium | 87000 | 89998 | 103.45% |
| Auburn | SEC | Jordan-Hare Stadium | 87451 | 87451 | 100.00% |
| Oklahoma | Big 12 | Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium | 83489 | 85357 | 102.24% |
| Clemson | ACC | Memorial Stadium (SC) | 81500 | 84038 | 103.11% |
| Notre Dame | Independent | Notre Dame Stadium | 80795 | 80795 | 100.00% |
| South Carolina | SEC | Williams-Brice Stadium | 80250 | 78822 | 98.22% |
| Wisconsin | Big Ten | Camp Randall Stadium | 80321 | 78014 | 97.13% |
| Southern California | Pac 12 | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum | 93607 | 75358 | 80.50% |
| Michigan State | Big Ten | Spartan Stadium | 75005 | 74661 | 99.54% |
| Florida State | ACC | Bobby Bowden Field at Doak Campbell Stadium | 79560 | 73219 | 92.03% |
| Arkansas | SEC | Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium, Frank Broyles Field | 72000 | 67326 | 93.51% |
| UCLA | Pac 12 | Rose Bowl | 92542 | 66858 | 72.25% |
| Missouri | SEC | Faurot Field | 71168 | 65120 | 91.50% |
| Iowa | Big Ten | Kinnick Stadium | 70585 | 63142 | 89.46% |
| Washington | Pac 12 | Husky Stadium | 70500 | 61919 | 87.83% |
| Mississippi State | SEC | Davis Wade Stadium | 61337 | 61784 | 100.73% |
| Kentucky | SEC | Commonwealth Stadium | 61000 | 61295 | 100.48% |
| Virginia Tech | ACC | Lane Stadium | 66233 | 60824 | 91.83% |
| Mississippi | SEC | Vaught-Hemingway Stadium | 64038 | 60479 | 94.44% |
| BYU | Independent | LaVell Edwards Stadium | 63725 | 58532 | 91.85% |
| Oklahoma State | Big 12 | Boone Pickens Stadium | 60218 | 57668 | 95.77% |
| Oregon | Pac 12 | Autzen Stadium | 54000 | 57631 | 106.72% |
| North Carolina State | ACC | Carter-Finley Stadium | 57583 | 56988 | 98.97% |
| Iowa State | Big 12 | Jack Trice Stadium | 61500 | 56519 | 91.90% |
| Texas Tech | Big 12 | Jones AT&T Stadium | 60862 | 56340 | 92.57% |
| West Virginia | Big 12 | Mountaineer Field at Milan Puskar Stadium | 60000 | 54826 | 91.38% |
| Kansas State | Big 12 | Bill Snyder Family Football Stadium | 53000 | 53100 | 100.19% |
| Arizona State | Pac 12 | Sun Devil Stadium, Frank Kush Field | 71706 | 52712 | 73.51% |
| Minnesota | Big Ten | TCF Bank Stadium | 52525 | 52355 | 99.68% |
| Arizona | Pac 12 | Arizona Stadium | 56029 | 51393 | 91.73% |
| Georgia Tech | ACC | Bobby Dodd Stadium at Historic Grant Field | 55000 | 50707 | 92.19% |
| Stanford | Pac 12 | Stanford Stadium | 50424 | 49917 | 98.99% |
| North Carolina | ACC | Kenan Memorial Stadium | 62980 | 49643 | 78.82% |
| Louisville | ACC | Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium | 55000 | 49069 | 89.22% |
| California | Pac 12 | California Memorial Stadium | 62717 | 48800 | 77.81% |
| Pittsburgh | ACC | Heinz Field | 68400 | 48150 | 70.39% |
| Rutgers | Big Ten | High Point Solutions Stadium | 52454 | 47723 | 90.98% |
| Miami (FL) | ACC | Hard Rock Stadium | 65326 | 47561 | 72.81% |
| TCU | Big 12 | Amon G. Carter Stadium | 45000 | 46767 | 103.93% |
| Utah | Pac 12 | Rice-Eccles Stadium | 45807 | 46533 | 101.58% |
| Baylor | Big 12 | McLane Stadium | 45140 | 46160 | 102.26% |
| Maryland | Big Ten | Maryland Stadium | 51802 | 44341 | 85.60% |
| Indiana | Big Ten | Memorial Stadium (IN) | 52959 | 44314 | 83.68% |
| Temple | American | Lincoln Financial Field | 68532 | 44159 | 64.44% |
| Memphis | American | Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium | 62380 | 43802 | 70.22% |
| Virginia | ACC | Scott Stadium | 61500 | 43285 | 70.38% |
| East Carolina | American | Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium | 50000 | 43274 | 86.55% |
| Illinois | Big Ten | Memorial Stadium (IL) | 60670 | 41342 | 68.14% |
| Colorado | Pac 12 | Folsom Field | 50183 | 39389 | 78.49% |
| Purdue | Big Ten | Ross-Ade Stadium | 57236 | 37508 | 65.53% |
| Cincinnati | American | Nippert Stadium | 40000 | 37096 | 92.74% |
| Oregon State | Pac 12 | Reser Stadium | 45674 | 36079 | 78.99% |
| Houston | American | John O’Quinn Field at TDECU Stadium | 40000 | 33980 | 84.95% |
| Boise State | Mountain West | Albertsons Stadium | 37000 | 33612 | 90.84% |
| Northwestern | Big Ten | Ryan Field | 47130 | 33366 | 70.80% |
| Navy | American | Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium | 34000 | 32338 | 95.11% |
| Vanderbilt | SEC | Vanderbilt Stadium | 40350 | 32134 | 79.64% |
| Syracuse | ACC | Carrier Dome | 49250 | 32102 | 65.18% |
| Army | Independent | Blaik Field at Michie Stadium | 38000 | 30991 | 81.56% |
| Boston College | ACC | Alumni Stadium | 44500 | 30205 | 67.88% |
| Central Florida | American | Bright House Networks Stadium | 45301 | 30065 | 66.37% |
| Washington State | Pac 12 | Martin Stadium | 32248 | 29407 | 91.19% |
| San Diego State | Mountain West | Qualcomm Stadium | 70561 | 29066 | 41.19% |
| Fresno State | Mountain West | Bulldog Stadium | 41031 | 29036 | 70.77% |
| Southern Mississippi | Conference USA | M. M. Roberts Stadium | 36000 | 28335 | 78.71% |
| Connecticut | American | Rentschler Field | 40000 | 28224 | 70.56% |
| Kansas | Big 12 | Memorial Stadium | 50071 | 27282 | 54.49% |
| Wake Forest | ACC | BB&T Field | 31500 | 26674 | 84.68% |
| South Florida | American | Raymond James Stadium | 65890 | 26578 | 40.34% |
| Duke | ACC | Wallace Wade Stadium | 40000 | 26427 | 66.07% |
| Marshall | Conference USA | Joan C. Edwards Stadium | 38019 | 26322 | 69.23% |
| Air Force | Mountain West | Falcon Stadium | 46692 | 26026 | 55.74% |
| Colorado State | Mountain West | Sonny Lubick Field at Hughes Stadium | 34400 | 24917 | 72.43% |
| New Mexico | Mountain West | University Stadium | 39224 | 23528 | 59.98% |
| Hawaii | Mountain West | Aloha Stadium | 50000 | 23433 | 46.87% |
| UTEP | Conference USA | Sun Bowl Stadium | 51500 | 23212 | 45.07% |
| Arkansas State | Sun Belt | Centennial Bank Stadium | 30964 | 23007 | 74.30% |
| Tulane | American | Benson Field at Yulman Stadium | 30000 | 22930 | 76.43% |
| Nevada | Mountain West | Mackay Stadium | 30000 | 22170 | 73.90% |
| Louisiana-Lafayette | Sun Belt | Cajun Field | 36900 | 21596 | 58.53% |
| Appalachian State | Sun Belt | Kidd Brewer Stadium | 24050 | 21459 | 89.23% |
| Utah State | Mountain West | Romney Stadium | 25513 | 21362 | 83.73% |
| Ohio | MAC | Peden Stadium | 24000 | 21323 | 88.85% |
| Southern Methodist | American | Gerald J. Ford Stadium | 32000 | 21043 | 65.76% |
| Louisiana Tech | Conference USA | Joe Aillet Stadium | 28019 | 20977 | 74.87% |
| Toledo | MAC | Glass Bowl | 26248 | 20842 | 79.40% |
| Georgia Southern | Sun Belt | Paulson Stadium | 25000 | 20780 | 83.12% |
| Old Dominion | Conference USA | Foreman Field | 20118 | 20118 | 100.00% |
| Tulsa | American | Skelly Field at H. A. Chapman Stadium | 30000 | 19622 | 65.41% |
| Bowling Green | MAC | Doyt Perry Stadium | 24000 | 19608 | 81.70% |
| Western Michigan | MAC | Waldo Stadium | 30200 | 19441 | 64.37% |
| Troy | Sun Belt | Veterans Memorial Stadium | 30000 | 19399 | 64.66% |
| Nevada-Las Vegas | Mountain West | Sam Boyd Stadium | 40000 | 19371 | 48.43% |
| Rice | Conference USA | Rice Stadium | 47000 | 19339 | 41.15% |
| Buffalo | MAC | UB Stadium | 33500 | 18457 | 55.10% |
| Akron | MAC | Summa Field at InfoCision Stadium | 30000 | 18098 | 60.33% |
| Wyoming | Mountain West | War Memorial Stadium | 29181 | 18060 | 61.89% |
| Western Kentucky | Conference USA | Houchens Industries-L. T. Smith Stadium | 22000 | 17960 | 81.64% |
| Florida Atlantic | Conference USA | FAU Stadium | 30000 | 17617 | 58.72% |
| New Mexico State | Sun Belt | Aggie Memorial Stadium | 30343 | 17486 | 57.63% |
| Middle Tennessee State | Conference USA | Johnny “Red” Floyd Stadium | 31000 | 17210 | 55.52% |
| South Alabama | Sun Belt | Ladd Peebles Stadium | 33471 | 16039 | 47.92% |
| Miami (OH) | MAC | Yager Stadium | 24286 | 15707 | 64.68% |
| Central Michigan | MAC | Kelly/Shorts Stadium | 45000 | 15672 | 34.83% |
| Florida International | Conference USA | FIU Stadium | 23500 | 15381 | 65.45% |
| San Jose State | Mountain West | Spartan Stadium | 30456 | 15312 | 50.28% |
| Northern Illinois | MAC | Huskie Stadium | 23595 | 13942 | 59.09% |
| North Texas | Conference USA | Apogee Stadium | 30850 | 13631 | 44.18% |
| Kent State | MAC | Dix Stadium | 25000 | 12561 | 50.24% |
| Louisiana-Monroe | Sun Belt | Malone Stadium | 30427 | 11732 | 38.56% |
| Idaho | Sun Belt | Kibbie Dome | 16000 | 11653 | 72.83% |
| Massachusetts | Independent | McGuirk Alumni Stadium / Gillette Stadium | 17000 | 11124 | 65.44% |
| Georgia State | Sun Belt | Georgia Dome | 28155 | 10347 | 36.75% |
| Ball State | MAC | Scheumann Stadium | 22500 | 7974 | 35.44% |
Notes and sources:
Home game attendance data via NCAA statistics
University of Alabama-Birmingham (UAB) was excluded from the list as their attendance data was not included in the NCAA statistics
All stadium, conference, and capacity data was manually researched and compiled
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