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College FootballCollege football is one of the most popular sports in the United States, drawing over 30 million fans in stadiums each season and generating billions in annual revenue through ticket sales, media rights, and merchandising.
Since the first game about 150 years ago, the elite level of the sport has grown to 136 teams in Division I FBS (that is, the Football Bowl Subdivision)—essentially college football's top league. College football generates major revenue for universities, with total FBS operating revenues amounting to over $11.8B in 2024.
The athletes are amateurs, enrolled as students at their universities while on the football team. College football blends school spirit, deep-rooted rivalries, and regional pride with high-stakes competition and shapes the culture and economies of college towns across the United States.Explore College Football
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Gatorade was first designed for college football players in Florida heatTo help replenish crucial chemicals football players were losing fast to their profuse sweat in southern heat, researchers at the University of Florida developed a drink blended with salts and sugars that were easy to absorb. The drink, Gatorade, took its name from the school's mascot. HISTORYThe Shutdown Fullcast tells college football’s weirdest and wildest storiesThe Shutdown Fullcast is a college football podcast covering everything from bizarre games and strange traditions to tangents about mascots and university town food. SouthBoundThe 2007 college football season was one of the wildest in historyIn 2007, a record number of top-ranked teams fell, including 41-point underdog Stanford stunning USC. Upsets scrambled the rankings weekly, producing an unpredictable and memorable season. YouTubeTailgating is a cornerstone of college football culture Hours before kickoff, fans gather in stadium parking lots and nearby lawns to grill, share drinks, and celebrate. 247SportsAuburn’s “Kick Six” in 2013 is one of college football’s most unforgettable finishesIn the 2013 Iron Bowl, Auburn’s Chris Davis returned a missed Alabama field goal 109 yards for a touchdown as time expired—securing a 34–28 win and instantly etching the play into college football lore. Secret BaseCollege football weekends deliver major economic boosts to local communitiesHome games draw tens of thousands of fans who spend on hotels, restaurants, and entertainment—injecting millions into local economies and making football Saturdays vital for many college towns’ businesses and seasonal revenue. The Heisman Trophy has honored college football’s top player since 1935Awarded annually to the most outstanding player in college football, the Heisman Trophy has become iconic for its storied history, memorable acceptance speeches, and the success of many winners who went on to NFL stardom. HeismanCollege football rivalry trophies range from historic prizes to bizarre odditiesFrom the Paul Bunyan Trophy and the Golden Hat to the Old Brass Spittoon and the Bronze Pig, rivalry games feature prizes that mix tradition, regional pride, and a dash of eccentricity. NFL.com“Dotting the i” in Script Ohio is one of college football’s most famous band traditionsPerformed by The Ohio State University Marching Band since 1936, Script Ohio culminates with a sousaphone player ceremonially dotting the “i”—a revered honor that’s become an iconic symbol of Buckeye football Saturdays. YouTubeCollege football is deeply rooted in tradition on and off the fieldFrom marching bands and fight songs to rivalries and pregame rituals, college football’s pageantry binds generations of fans—making tradition as much a part of the sport’s identity as the games themselves. Paul VarnellThe College Football Playoff expanded to 12 teams in 2024Beginning with the 2024 season, the playoff grew from four to 12 teams—adding first-round games on campus and aiming to give more programs a shot at the national title. Ohio State defeated Notre Dame in the championship to become the first-ever 12-team playoff champions. ESPN College FootballThe College Football Playoff included four teams each year from its inception in 2014 to 2023Replacing the BCS, the four-team College Football Playoff matched semifinal winners for the national title—delivering dramatic upsets, dynastic runs, and some of the sport’s most memorable games over its first decade. YouTubeFrustrations with the BCS system led to the creation of the College Football Playoff Controversial rankings, disputed championship matchups, and calls for a fairer path to the title pushed college football to replace the BCS with a four-team playoff in 2014. YouTubeBefore the BCS and Playoff systems, polls often sparked controversy over college football championsFor decades, national titles were awarded by polls like the AP and Coaches’ rankings—leading to split championships, heated debates, and disputed claims whenever top teams finished with identical records. ESPN.comTelevision transformed college football into a national spectacleThe rise of televised games in the mid-20th century expanded college football’s reach far beyond campus stadiums—turning regional rivalries into national events, boosting revenue, and cementing the sport as a Saturday tradition across the country. Wronged SportsThe Rose Bowl was first played in 1902 and was the first postseason college football gameHeld annually in Pasadena, California, the Rose Bowl is known as the “Granddaddy of Them All,” pairing top teams in a historic stadium and coinciding with the famed Rose Parade each New Year’s Day. The Library of CongressCollege football bowl games boast some of sports’ most absurd namesFrom the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl to the Pop-Tarts Bowl, college football’s postseason is filled with quirky, sponsor-driven names. FiveThirtyEightThe first college football game was played in 1869 between Rutgers and PrincetonOn November 6, 1869, Rutgers defeated Princeton 6–4 in what is considered the first college football game. Played under soccer-like rules, it marked the birth of a sport that would evolve into American football. YouTubeCollege football generates over $11B annually—but many programs run at a lossDespite total revenues surpassing $11.5B in 2024, college football’s high operating costs—$14.5B in the same year—mean only a handful of top programs turn large profits, while most run at a loss. Knight Commission Ranking the highest college football coach salariesSee the pay received by notable college football coaches in the US. Topping the list is Georgia’s Kirby Smart, with a total pay of over $13M. Smart is followed by Clemson’s Dabo Swinney, Texas’ Steve Sarkisian, and USC’s Lincoln Riley. Scroll through the list of 134 names with the lowest displayed salary of $376,000. USA TODAYJohn Riddell’s first helmet was adopted by college football teams in 1939The early days of football were violent and there was little protection for players, especially their heads. When deaths became commonplace, John Riddell set out to invent a better way to protect football players. Eventually, the technology from Riddell’s helmets ended up on WWII battlefields. Riddell SportsBlue-chip ratio in college football, only teams that sign the best recruits can ever win a national championshipThis year’s national champion will come from one of these 15 teams. 247SportsPaul Robeson was the Harlem Renaissance's chief renaissance manRobeson played many roles throughout his life: He was an All-American football player who was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame, earned a law degree while playing in the NFL, starred in numerous films and Broadway shows, and became an outspoken advocate for labor and civil rights. His vocal criticism of US involvement in the Korean War led to his passport being voided and a protracted struggle with the US government. Rutgers UniversityHow Indiana went from all-time loser to a perfect championship seasonason The Indiana Hoosiers at one point in history had the most losses of any college football team going back to the 19th century. In January 2026, the team flipped the script by winning the college football championship over Miami and erasing its losing past for good. Read the history here. ESPNTexas’ 1,600-pound longhorn mascot Bevo charged at Georgia’s Uga, a small bulldog, at the Sugar Bowl During a pregame photo op at the 2019 Sugar Bowl, Bevo broke through a barrier and charged toward Uga, creating a chaotic scene that instantly became one of college football’s most viral mascot moments. Luckily, Bevo was stopped before reaching Uga. ESPN.comThe Pop-Tarts Bowl ends with its mascot being eaten by the winning teamIn one of college football’s quirkiest traditions, the Pop-Tarts Bowl concludes with the victorious players taking bites out of the giant Pop-Tart mascot. ESPNESPN’s College GameDay show has been a Saturday staple since 1987Debuting in 1987, College GameDay has become college football’s premier pregame show—broadcasting live from campuses nationwide, featuring spirited fan signs, and setting the stage for the day’s biggest matchups. The RingerThe FCS is Division I’s second tier with its own playoff systemThe Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) features 128 Division I programs that offer fewer scholarships than the FBS. Instead of bowl games, the FCS crowns its champion through a 24-team playoff each season. Fear The FCSTexas beat USC in the 2006 Rose Bowl to win the national championshipIn a matchup of undefeated powerhouses, Vince Young led Texas to a 41–38 victory over USC—capping what is widely regarded as the greatest college football game in history. ESPN College FootballThe Alabama–Auburn rivalry, known as the Iron Bowl, began in 1893First played in Birmingham in 1893, the Iron Bowl has become one of college football’s most heated rivalries, with bragging rights, SEC championships, and national title implications fueling decades of fierce competition. ESPN College FootballThe SEC is a powerhouse conference with 16 teams and a rich Southern football traditionFormed in 1933 after splitting from the Southern Conference, the Southeastern Conference began with 13 schools. It has since grown to 16 members, defining college football with numerous national championships and rabid regional rivalries. YouTubeTeddy Roosevelt’s intervention helped save a brutal early version of footballIn 1905, President Theodore Roosevelt pressured college leaders to reform football amid public outrage over 18 player deaths. His push led to rule changes—like the forward pass—that reduced violence and ensured the sport’s survival. HISTORYWalter Camp shaped the rules that transformed football into the modern gameKnown as the “Father of American Football,” Walter Camp introduced key innovations in the 1880s—such as the line of scrimmage, the system of downs, and the snap—that distinguished football from rugby and defined its modern structure. Fox NewsAn estimated 49 million people played fantasy football in 2022The number, estimated by the Fantasy Sports and Gaming Association, has grown exponentially since the start of the century. While fantasy sports in general are popular, football is the most popular, with an estimated 79% of fantasy participants playing fantasy football. Fantasy Sports & Gaming AssociationThe government has said Title IX does not protect transgender athletes or apply to athlete payIn early 2025, President Donald Trump signed an executive order banning transgender women from college athletics, suggesting the move was in line with Title IX compliance. A week later, the Department of Education said Title IX does not require equitable distribution of name, image, and likeness payments to athletes. Both instances reverse former President Joe Biden’s interpretations of the law. ESPN.comSome opponents of Title IX wanted exemptions for revenue-producing sportsOne of the main arguments against Title IX was that it would unfairly punish revenue-generating sports like football and men’s basketball. Senator John Tower (R-TX) proposed exempting those sports from Title IX’s reach. His amendment failed, but the push for a similar modification to the law continued through the decades. The New York TimesSimulate the distribution of dark matter within a galaxyBy modifying the dark matter density at different distances from the center of a simulated galaxy, you can plot the resulting orbital speed of stars. Preset data enables you to replicate astrophysicists' work in determining the dark matter concentration that best fits observed structures. Foothill CollegeThanksgiving's connection to football began in 1876 It all started with a match between Princeton and Yale in 1876, attended by fewer than 1,000 fans. That competition spawned an annual tradition attracting millions of viewers across college and professional teams. History
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