The best possible thing for the upcoming College Football Playoff on January 12 would be for the contest between the Ohio State Buckeyes and Oregon Ducks to be a hotly-contended nail-biter of a game. TV ratings are already expected to be excellent, but for this inaugural run at a four-team tournament, nothing could do more good than a competitive title game. Whatever happens on the field, however, Ohio State is already essentially guaranteed to win the battle in the stands. On the one hand, Oregon comes from Nike’s backyard and serves as the merchandising giant’s playground for experimental uniforms. They also feature star quarterback Marcus Mariota, the 2014 Heisman Trophy winner, and arguably the most popular player in college football this season. On the other hand, there are only a handful of universities in college football with a fan base that can stand up to Ohio State’s, and no offense to Oregon, but they are not one of them. By nearly every measurable number possible, the Ohio State football program is among the most adored in the country. This past year they were second in the NCAA in home attendance with over 105,000 fans per game and posted the highest average total attendance in the nation (which includes away games) with 96,346 fans per game. The first number shows how voracious the fan base is in Columbus, but that second number proves that no fans travel quite so well as Ohio State fans. Previously, when Ohio State has competed for the National Championship, their fans have outnumbered opposing fans in the stadium by as much as 10-to-1, no matter where the game was located. For example, I attended the 2003 Fiesta Bowl and witnessed firsthand the sea of red blanketing the stands in Tempe, Arizona…
Continue Reading: Why Ohio State Making The College Football Championship Game Has Dallas Excited
