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FBS Schools by state and population

RUChoppin

RUChoppin

Heisman Winner
Dec 1, 2006
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Hillsborough, NJ
Per John's request, I'm creating this as its own thread (had previously been a couple of posts in the E. Michigan thread).

rufancoe00 had said that he was amazed that some states had so many schools, and nosoj had said that per capita having 8 schools in Ohio is not all that different from having 4 schools in Alabama.

This was really interesting to me, so I broke it down with number of FBS schools vs. population (using the 2015 population estimates from wikipedia).

State population / school
1. 9.0M - New Jersey (1 school)
2. 6.6M - New York (3 schools)
3. 6.1M - Missouri (1 school)
4. 5.8M - Wisconsin (1 school)
5. 5.6M - California (7 schools)
6. 5.5M - Minnesota (1 school)
7. 4.3M - Illinois (1 school)
8. 4.3M - Pennsylvania (3 schools)
9. 3.6M - Connecticut (1 school)
10. 3.6M - Washington (2 schools)
11. 3.4M - Arizona (2 schools)
12. 3.4M - Massachusetts (2 schools)
13. 3.0M - Maryland (2 schools)
14. 2.9M - Florida (7 schools)
15. 2.8M - Virginia (3 schools)
16. 2.6M - Georgia (4 schools)
17. 2.5M - South Carolina (2 schools)
18. 2.3M - Texas (12 schools)
19. 2.0M - Oregon (2 schools)
20. 2.0M - Michigan (5 schools)
21. 1.9M - Nebraska (1 school)
22. 1.8M - Colorado (3 schools)
23. 1.7M - Indiana (4 schools)
24. 1.7M - Tennessee (4 schools)
25. 1.6M - Iowa (2 schools)
26. 1.5M - Arkansas (2 schools)
27. 1.5M - Kentucky (3 schools)
28. 1.5M - Kansas (2 schools)
29. 1.5M - Ohio (8 schools)
30. 1.4M - Nevada (2 schools)
31. 1.4M - North Carolina (7 schools)
32. 1.4M - Hawaii (1 school)
33. 1.3M - Oklahoma (3 schools)
34. 1.2M - Alabama (4 schools)
35. 1.0M - New Mexico (2 schools)
36. 1.0M - Utah (3 schools)
37. 1.0M - Mississippi (3 schools)
38. 0.9M - Louisiana (5 schools)
39. 0.9M - West Virginia - (2 schools)
40. 0.8M - Idaho (2 schools)
41. 0.6M - Wyoming (1 school)

Highest number of schools (4 or more)
12 - Texas (2.3M/school)
8 - Ohio (1.5M/school)
7 - California (5.6M/school)
7 - Florida (2.9M/school)
7 - North Carolina (1.4M/school)
5 - Michigan (2.0M/school)
5 - Louisiana (0.9M/school)
4 - Georgia (2.6M/school)
4 - Indiana (1.7M/school)
4 - Tennessee (1.7M/school)
4 - Alabama (1.2M/school)

Overall averages:
- 41 states with 128 FBS programs (3.1 schools per state)
- 312M people in those 41 states (2.4M per school, per state, on average)


Looking at it just with P5 programs:

State population/P5 school (Top 20)
1. 19.8M - New York (1 school)
2. 11.6M - Ohio (1 school)
3. 9.8M - California (4 schools)
4. 9.0M - New Jersey (1 school)
5. 6.8M - Massachusetts (1 school)
6. 6.8M - Florida (3 schools)
7. 6.4M - Illinois (2 schools)
8. 6.4M - Pennsylvania (2 schools)
9. 6.1M - Missouri (1 school)
10. 6.0M - Maryland (1 school)
11. 5.8M - Wisconsin (1 school)
12. 5.5M - Texas (5 schools)
13. 5.5M - Minnesota (1 school)
14. 5.5M - Colorado (1 school)
15. 5.1M - Georgia (2 schools)
16. 5.0M - Michigan (2 schools)
17. 4.7M - Louisiana (1 school)
18. 4.2M - Virginia (2 schools)
19. 3.6M - Washington (2 schools)
20. 3.4M - Arizona (2 schools)

Overall averages:
- 35 states with 64 P5 programs (1.8 schools per state)
- 300M people in those 35 states (4.7M per school, per state, on average)
 
RUChoppin said:
Per John's request, I'm creating this as its own thread (had previously been a couple of posts in the E. Michigan thread).

rufancoe00 had said that he was amazed that some states had so many schools, and nosoj had said that per capita having 8 schools in Ohio is not all that different from having 4 schools in Alabama.

This was really interesting to me, so I broke it down with number of FBS schools vs. population (using the 2015 population estimates from wikipedia).

State population / school
1. 9.0M - New Jersey (1 school)
2. 6.6M - New York (3 schools)
3. 6.1M - Missouri (1 school)
4. 5.8M - Wisconsin (1 school)
5. 5.6M - California (7 schools)
6. 5.5M - Minnesota (1 school)
7. 4.3M - Illinois (1 school)
8. 4.3M - Pennsylvania (3 schools)
9. 3.6M - Connecticut (1 school)
10. 3.6M - Washington (2 schools)
11. 3.4M - Arizona (2 schools)
12. 3.4M - Massachusetts (2 schools)
13. 3.0M - Maryland (2 schools)
14. 2.9M - Florida (7 schools)
15. 2.8M - Virginia (3 schools)
16. 2.6M - Georgia (4 schools)
17. 2.5M - South Carolina (2 schools)
18. 2.3M - Texas (12 schools)
19. 2.0M - Oregon (2 schools)
20. 2.0M - Michigan (5 schools)
21. 1.9M - Nebraska (1 school)
22. 1.8M - Colorado (3 schools)
23. 1.7M - Indiana (4 schools)
24. 1.7M - Tennessee (4 schools)
25. 1.6M - Iowa (2 schools)
26. 1.5M - Arkansas (2 schools)
27. 1.5M - Kentucky (3 schools)
28. 1.5M - Kansas (2 schools)
29. 1.5M - Ohio (8 schools)
30. 1.4M - Nevada (2 schools)
31. 1.4M - North Carolina (7 schools)
32. 1.4M - Hawaii (1 school)
33. 1.3M - Oklahoma (3 schools)
34. 1.2M - Alabama (4 schools)
35. 1.0M - New Mexico (2 schools)
36. 1.0M - Utah (3 schools)
37. 1.0M - Mississippi (3 schools)
38. 0.9M - Louisiana (5 schools)
39. 0.9M - West Virginia - (2 schools)
40. 0.8M - Idaho (2 schools)
41. 0.6M - Wyoming (1 school)

Highest number of schools (4 or more)
12 - Texas (2.3M/school)
8 - Ohio (1.5M/school)
7 - California (5.6M/school)
7 - Florida (2.9M/school)
7 - North Carolina (1.4M/school)
5 - Michigan (2.0M/school)
5 - Louisiana (0.9M/school)
4 - Georgia (2.6M/school)
4 - Indiana (1.7M/school)
4 - Tennessee (1.7M/school)
4 - Alabama (1.2M/school)

Overall averages:
- 41 states with 128 FBS programs (3.1 schools per state)
- 312M people in those 41 states (2.4M per school, per state, on average)


Looking at it just with P5 programs:

State population/P5 school (Top 20)
1. 19.8M - New York (1 school)
2. 11.6M - Ohio (1 school)
3. 9.8M - California (4 schools)
4. 9.0M - New Jersey (1 school)
5. 6.8M - Massachusetts (1 school)
6. 6.8M - Florida (3 schools)
7. 6.4M - Illinois (2 schools)
8. 6.4M - Pennsylvania (2 schools)
9. 6.1M - Missouri (1 school)
10. 6.0M - Maryland (1 school)
11. 5.8M - Wisconsin (1 school)
12. 5.5M - Texas (5 schools)
13. 5.5M - Minnesota (1 school)
14. 5.5M - Colorado (1 school)
15. 5.1M - Georgia (2 schools)
16. 5.0M - Michigan (2 schools)
17. 4.7M - Louisiana (1 school)
18. 4.2M - Virginia (2 schools)
19. 3.6M - Washington (2 schools)
20. 3.4M - Arizona (2 schools)

Overall averages:
- 35 states with 64 P5 programs (1.8 schools per state)
- 300M people in those 35 states (4.7M per school, per state, on average)
Click to expand...
Was really curious about this myself.
 
I'am curious as to what exactly can be gleaned from these #'s?
Other than ratios of pop vs #of schools.
 
Well, I'd imagine that the majority of a school's fanbase would reside within their home state... and if you can generate some sort of "state pride" in a school, you may be able to generate higher dollars for the program. That could be through sales of merchandise, sales (and pricing) of season tickets, ratings on television, etc.

If this is true, we'd be in a fairly decent position - can we monetize our state population footprint in any way? Clearly "THE Ohio State University" has done a spectacular job of that. Now, interestingly, the four schools in the two states at the very top of the "people per FBS school" list (Rutgers, Syracuse, Buffalo, Army) haven't really been able to capitalize on that. In the case of the NY schools, Buffalo and Syracuse are fairly remote, and Army is less of a "state" pride thing than a "national" pride thing. We don't have those types of challenges, but we still haven't been able to really rally the state around its lone FBS college football program.

This gets into the "pro market" argument territory - but there's certainly a high potential for us in terms of tapping into our state population, IF we can generate some sort of state pride/engagement in Rutgers.

That may be grasping, a bit, though.
 
The head scratcher for NJ is that not only does it sit high on those lists, but also on lists tracking number of D1 and NFL players. The talent is here, Rutgers is centrally located, and all a coach has to do is pull a bit more of that talent onto the Banks. It's one of those things whereby when a coach finally takes Rutgers into the upper echelon of college teams, people will start saying, "Of course they are in the top 25. They are situated in a highly populated area that plays great football, and they are the only team in the state."
 
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RUChoppin said:
Per John's request, I'm creating this as its own thread (had previously been a couple of posts in the E. Michigan thread).

rufancoe00 had said that he was amazed that some states had so many schools, and nosoj had said that per capita having 8 schools in Ohio is not all that different from having 4 schools in Alabama.

This was really interesting to me, so I broke it down with number of FBS schools vs. population (using the 2015 population estimates from wikipedia).

State population / school
1. 9.0M - New Jersey (1 school)
2. 6.6M - New York (3 schools)
3. 6.1M - Missouri (1 school)
4. 5.8M - Wisconsin (1 school)
5. 5.6M - California (7 schools)
6. 5.5M - Minnesota (1 school)
7. 4.3M - Illinois (1 school)
8. 4.3M - Pennsylvania (3 schools)
9. 3.6M - Connecticut (1 school)
10. 3.6M - Washington (2 schools)
11. 3.4M - Arizona (2 schools)
12. 3.4M - Massachusetts (2 schools)
13. 3.0M - Maryland (2 schools)
14. 2.9M - Florida (7 schools)
15. 2.8M - Virginia (3 schools)
16. 2.6M - Georgia (4 schools)
17. 2.5M - South Carolina (2 schools)
18. 2.3M - Texas (12 schools)
19. 2.0M - Oregon (2 schools)
20. 2.0M - Michigan (5 schools)
21. 1.9M - Nebraska (1 school)
22. 1.8M - Colorado (3 schools)
23. 1.7M - Indiana (4 schools)
24. 1.7M - Tennessee (4 schools)
25. 1.6M - Iowa (2 schools)
26. 1.5M - Arkansas (2 schools)
27. 1.5M - Kentucky (3 schools)
28. 1.5M - Kansas (2 schools)
29. 1.5M - Ohio (8 schools)
30. 1.4M - Nevada (2 schools)
31. 1.4M - North Carolina (7 schools)
32. 1.4M - Hawaii (1 school)
33. 1.3M - Oklahoma (3 schools)
34. 1.2M - Alabama (4 schools)
35. 1.0M - New Mexico (2 schools)
36. 1.0M - Utah (3 schools)
37. 1.0M - Mississippi (3 schools)
38. 0.9M - Louisiana (5 schools)
39. 0.9M - West Virginia - (2 schools)
40. 0.8M - Idaho (2 schools)
41. 0.6M - Wyoming (1 school)

Highest number of schools (4 or more)
12 - Texas (2.3M/school)
8 - Ohio (1.5M/school)
7 - California (5.6M/school)
7 - Florida (2.9M/school)
7 - North Carolina (1.4M/school)
5 - Michigan (2.0M/school)
5 - Louisiana (0.9M/school)
4 - Georgia (2.6M/school)
4 - Indiana (1.7M/school)
4 - Tennessee (1.7M/school)
4 - Alabama (1.2M/school)

Overall averages:
- 41 states with 128 FBS programs (3.1 schools per state)
- 312M people in those 41 states (2.4M per school, per state, on average)


Looking at it just with P5 programs:

State population/P5 school (Top 20)
1. 19.8M - New York (1 school)
2. 11.6M - Ohio (1 school)
3. 9.8M - California (4 schools)
4. 9.0M - New Jersey (1 school)
5. 6.8M - Massachusetts (1 school)
6. 6.8M - Florida (3 schools)
7. 6.4M - Illinois (2 schools)
8. 6.4M - Pennsylvania (2 schools)
9. 6.1M - Missouri (1 school)
10. 6.0M - Maryland (1 school)
11. 5.8M - Wisconsin (1 school)
12. 5.5M - Texas (5 schools)
13. 5.5M - Minnesota (1 school)
14. 5.5M - Colorado (1 school)
15. 5.1M - Georgia (2 schools)
16. 5.0M - Michigan (2 schools)
17. 4.7M - Louisiana (1 school)
18. 4.2M - Virginia (2 schools)
19. 3.6M - Washington (2 schools)
20. 3.4M - Arizona (2 schools)

Overall averages:
- 35 states with 64 P5 programs (1.8 schools per state)
- 300M people in those 35 states (4.7M per school, per state, on average)
Click to expand...
Also, just across the border we have the biggest city in USA and 5th biggest city.
 
RUinPinehurst said:
Ahhh. Got it. Thanks.
Click to expand...

Another way to look at it is by biggest states, and number of programs:

1. 39.1M - California - 7 FBS (4 P5)
2. 27.5M - Texas - 12 FBS (5 P5)
3. 20.1M - Florida - 7 FBS (3 P5)
4. 19.8M - New York - 3 FBS (1 P5)
5. 12.9M - Illinois - 3 FBS (2 P5)
6. 12.8M - Pennsylvania - 3 FBS (2 P5)
7. 11.6M - Ohio - 8 FBS (1 P5)
8. 10.2M - Georgia - 4 FBS (2 P5)
9. 10.0M - North Carolina - 7 FBS (4 P5)
10. 9.9M - Michigan - 5 FBS (2 P5)
11. 9.0M - New Jersey - 1 FBS (1 P5)
12. 8.4M - Virginia - 3 FBS (2 P5)
13. 7.2M - Washington - 2 FBS (2 P5)
14. 6.8M - Arizona - 2 FBS (2 P5)
15. 6.8M - Massachusetts - 2 FBS (1 P5)

Of the 15 most populous states, NJ is the only one that supports just 1 FBS program. It is one of just 3 that support just 1 P5 program (NY, NJ, MA)

Note on NC: It had 9,525,692 people in the 2010 census, but I am using 2015 estimated numbers from wiki, which puts it at 10,042,802 (5.4% growth over 5 years).
 
Also interesting, if you look at the Big Ten footprint demographics and Delany's comments about population shifts away from the Midwest.

In 1990, after PA St was invited to the conference, the 8 Big Ten states comprised 24.5% of the overall US population.
In 2015, those same 8 states make up just 21.2% of the overall US population (a 13.5% reduction in the share of the US pop over 25 years).

Adding in the three expansion states (NE, NJ, MD) brought the footprint to 26.5% of the overall US population.
 
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