Bowl-bound football players' academic success reaches new high
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Bowl-bound football players are set to graduate at their highest rate ever this year, according to an annual report from The Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport (TIDES).
By the numbers: For this season's 82 bowl-bound teams, the overall Graduation Success Rate (GSR) is 83% — the highest mark TIDES has ever recorded and a nearly 18% increase for 2008.
How it works: GSR measures how many scholarship athletes graduate within six years of enrollment. If players leave via transfer or the draft, they aren't counted as long as they were academically eligible when they departed.
Between the lines: The four CFP teams represent some of the best and worst marks among all bowl game participants.
- Michigan is tied for fourth (94% GSR).
- Ohio State (86%) is above average.
- TCU (74%) ranks in the bottom 20.
- Georgia (54%) ranks dead last.
The big picture: The upward trajectory of this critical statistic is no accident. In 2004, the NCAA created the Academic Progress Rate, meant to hold teams accountable for their players' success in the classroom.
- Teams are penalized with the loss of up to 10% of their scholarships and postseason ineligibility if their APR score falls below a certain threshold; namely, if their expected graduation rate dips below 50%.
- It appears to be working: Athletes' graduation rates have steadily increased while rates for non-athletes have stayed relatively static, per TIDES' reports.
