College Football’s top 25 most valuable programs. Where is Ohio State?
The Ohio State football program is continually noted as one of the most valuable in all of college football, There are times when OSU has been No.1 (depending on what year and publication), but almost always, it is considered to be among the top ten.
With such a large alumni base, fan following, and success on the field, it’s hard to find too many programs that are as valuable as the one sitting on the banks of the Olentangy River. We can almost never get enough of these types of rankings, and we’ve got another one thanks to information generated from Forbes for GoBankingRates.
Being a bit competitive, I have to admit that it’s a bit of a surprise to see some of these programs ahead of Ohio State, but all we can do is continue to see where these things go.
Here are the top 25 most valuable programs based on a three-year average in revenue. Some of that comes from media rights, some from massive fanbases, and others by winning on the field. Sometimes, it’s a combination of all three.
No. 25 - Clemson Tigers
Clemson wide receiver Justyn Ross(8) warms up before Clemson and Georgia played in the Duke’s Mayo Classic on Sep 4, 2021; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; at Bank of America Stadium.
Ncaa Football Georgia At Clemson. Credit: USA TODAY Sports
Three-year average revenue
$77 million
No. 24 - Ole Miss Rebels
Oct. 12, 2019; Columbia, MO, USA; A general view of a Mississippi Rebels helmet during the game against the Missouri Tigers at Memorial Stadium/Faurot Field. Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
Three-year average revenue
$84 million
No. 23 - Wisconsin Badgers
Bucky Badger does 65 pushups in front of the crowd during the University of Wisconsin 68-17 football game win over Bowling Green at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wisconsin, Saturday, September 20, 2014. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel photo by Rick Wood – JOURNALSENTINEL.COM
Three-year average revenue
$86 million
No. 22 - Michigan State Spartans
Michigan State’s new head football coach Mel Tucker is greeted by Sparty on Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2020, at the Capital Region International Airport in Lansing. Credit: USA TODAY Sports
Three-year average revenue
$87 million
No. 21 - Iowa Hawkeyes
Dec 27, 2019; San Diego, California, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes mascot Herky the Hawk gestures in the first half against the Southern California Trojans during the Holiday Bowl at SDCCU Stadium. Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Three-year average revenue
$89 million
No. 20 - Nebraska Cornhuskers
Dec 30, 2016; Nashville, TN, USA; The Nebraska Cornhuskers mascot and cheerleaders perform during a pep rally prior to the game against the Tennessee Volunteers at Nissan Stadium. Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports
Three-year average revenue
$91 million
No. 19 - Washington Huskies
Aug 31, 2019; Seattle, WA, USA; The Washington Huskies mascot, Harry the Husky, runs out of the tunnel before the start of a game against the Eastern Washington Eagles at Husky Stadium. Credit: Jennifer Buchanan-USA TODAY Sports
Three-year average revenue
$92 million
No. 18 - Southern California
Sep 7, 2019; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Southern California Trojans white horse mascot Traveller during the game against the Stanford Cardinal at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. USC defeated Stanford 45-20. Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Three-year average revenue
$93 million
No. 16 (tie) - Arkansas Razorbacks
AUBURN, AL – AUGUST 30: Arkansas Razorbacks mascot Big Red flexes during the game against the Auburn Tigers at Jordan Hare Stadium on August 30, 2014, in Auburn, Alabama. (Photo by Mike Zarrilli/Getty Images)
Three-year average revenue
$95 million
No. 16 (tie) - South Carolina Gamecocks
Sir Big Spur, the mascot of the University of South Carolina, wears a “Beat Tennessee” sticker before a game at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee on Saturday, October 26, 2019. Credit: USA TODAY Sports
Three-year average revenue
$95 million
No. 14 (tie) - Florida State Seminoles
Sep 28, 2019; Tallahassee, FL, USA; Florida State Seminoles symbols Osceola and Renegade during the game against the North Carolina State Wolfpack at Doak Campbell Stadium. Credit: Melina Myers-USA TODAY Sports
Three-year average revenue
$96 million
No. 14 (tie) - Oregon Ducks
Dec 6, 2019; Santa Clara, CA, USA; Oregon Ducks mascot Puddles poses with a rose during the Pac-12 Conference championship game against the Utah Utes at Levi’s Stadium. Oregon defeated Utah 37-15 to earn a Rose Bowl berth. Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Three-year average revenue
$96 million
No. 13 - Penn State Nittany Lions
Penn State fans cheer as their players leave the field after warmups before Saturday’s NCAA Division I football game against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Ohio Stadium in Columbus on October 30, 2021. Credit: USA TODAY Sports
Three-year average revenue
$104 million
No. 12 - Tennessee Volunteers
Dec 5, 2020; Knoxville, Tennessee, USA; Tennessee Volunteers mascot Smokey during the second half against the Florida Gators at Neyland Stadium. Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports
Three-year average revenue
$113 million
No. 11 - Louisiana State
Oct 6, 2018; Gainesville, FL, USA; A detailed view of LSU Tigers football helmets against the Florida Gators during the second half at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Three-year average revenue
$114 million
No. 9 - Auburn Tigers
Aug 31, 2019; Arlington, TX, USA; Auburn Tigers mascot Aubie the Tiger celebrates with cheerleaders after the victory against the Oregon Ducks at AT&T Stadium. Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
Three-year average revenue
$117 million
No. 9 - Florida Gators
Sep 28, 2019; Gainesville, FL, USA; Florida Gators mascot, Albert, cheers with fans during the second half against the Towson Tigers at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Three-year average revenue
$117 million
No. 8 - Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Dec 28, 2019; Orlando, Florida, USA; The Notre Dame Fighting Irish mascot celebrates the field goal against the Iowa State Cyclones during the first half at Camping World Stadium. Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports
Three-year average revenue
$120 million
No. 7 - Georgia Bulldogs
Nov. 15, 2014; Athens; Georgia mascot UGA IX is shown on the field during their win over the Auburn Tigers at Sanford Stadium. Georgia won 34-7. Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports
Three-year average revenue
$125 million
No. 6 - Oklahoma Sooners
ATLANTA, GEORGIA – DECEMBER 28: Oklahoma Sooners animal mascots Boomer and Sooner pulling Sooner Schooner Conestoga wagon on the field before the game against the LSU Tigers in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on December 28, 2019, in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Three-year average revenue
$129 million
No. 5 - Ohio State Buckeyes
Ohio State Buckeyes fans cheer before the start of an NCAA Division I football game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Akron Zips on Saturday, Sept. 25, 2021, at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio. Credit: USA TODAY Sports
Three-year average revenue
$132 million
No. 4 - Alabama Crimson Tide
Jan. 1, 2020; Orlando, Florida; Alabama Crimson Tide mascot Big Al entertains the fans before the game against the Michigan Wolverines at Camping World Stadium. Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports
Three-year average revenue
$134 million
No. 3 - Michigan Wolverines
Michigan marching band takes the field before the Northern Illinois game at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor on Saturday, Sept. 18, 2021. Credit: USA TODAY Sports
Three-year average revenue
$139 million
No. 1 (tie) - Texas A&M Aggies
Sept. 8, 2018; College Station, TX, USA; Texas A&M Aggies mascot Reveille runs onto the field before the game between the Texas A&M Aggies and the Clemson Tigers at Kyle Field. Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Three-year average revenue
$147 million
No. 1 (tie) - Texas Longhorns
Sep 21, 2019; Austin, TX, USA; Texas Longhorns fan poses with University of Texas logo on Bevo Boulevard before the game against the Oklahoma State Cowboys at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Credit: Scott Wachter-USA TODAY Sports
Three-year average revenue
$147 million
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