College football fandom could hit milestone
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College football's top tier is on track to set an attendance record of 39 million this season.
Why it matters: Total attendance at Football Bowl Subdivision games last season was just a few big games short of California's population.
Pre-pandemic crowds are back (up 3.7 million since 2021) across FBS games, and then some, according to NCAA data.
- College football attendance at all levels nearly hit 50 million in 2024.
Catch up quick: Attendance at 28 stadiums averaged at least 100% of their listed capacities in 2025, according to D1.ticker.
- Michigan led the nation, averaging 110,842 fans per home game, or 103% of "The Big House's" capacity.
Zoom in: The University of South Florida averaged 33,194 fans per home game in 2025 — about half of Raymond James Stadium's listed 65,657-seat capacity, up 5.6% from 2024.
Yes, but: The FBS expanded from 120 teams in 2009 to 136 teams in 2025, contributing to the attendance increase.
- Average attendance remains roughly 5,000 below the peak during the 2005–2011 seasons.
What's next: Week 1 will give 2026's attendance numbers an early jolt: Ten of the nation's 11 largest stadiums will host games — easily bringing more than 1 million fans through just those schools' turnstiles.