There were some surprises in these preseason rankings as we learn the 10 college football teams that had the most spring game attendees.
What good is the college football spring scrimmage? For fans, it’s not that always much fun, except for those taking an intense interest in position battles and depth chart questions, but it’s still an oasis of football in the desert of the long offseason. And it’s vital for coaches to get an important early scouting report on where their teams stand. Now, as most schools have put a bow on spring practice, it’s time to see what schools had the most interest from fans.
The confines of the house Knute Rockne built welcomed a total of 37,128 fans for the Fighting Irish spring football scrimmage, the most in the last two decades. Marcus Freeman enters his third year as head coach, with Mike Denbrock in as offensive coordinator, and a promising preview of things to come on that side of the ball.
40,000 Longhorn faithful piled into Austin to watch as Arch Manning put on a show, hitting more than 350 passing yards and three touchdowns, including a 75-yard bomb early in the scrimmage. Manning arrived at Texas as the consensus No. 1 player in the nation and is still waiting his turn behind Quinn Ewers, who sits at QB1 for a very promising team entering a critical Year 1 in the SEC.
Likewise for the Sooners, who look forward to a very difficult schedule in their SEC debut and with questions on the offensive line. OU saw 45,861 fans on site for the spring game, hoping to see some cohesion in the front five as quarterback Jackson Arnold looks ahead to his first full season as starter after Dillon Gabriel’s transfer.
Death Valley saw 47,000 fans to get an updated look at a Tigers team that has been excluded from College Football Playoff contention the last three years. But this year finds Clemson as the presumptive ACC title favorite and likely to get back into an expanded playoff. That is, if Garrett Riley can get more out of this offense.
Billy Napier enters a pressure-filled season and so far he’s still getting support from Gator fans, 48,000 of whom made their way to The Swamp to watch the debut of five-star quarterback prospect DJ Lagway. It was worthwhile, as Lagway hit two touchdowns in the scrimmage, and while it’s a sure thing he’ll be QB2 behind Graham Mertz, Florida fans should see a bright future at the position.
55,101 fans were present at Sanford Stadium to watch the team that remains college football’s odds-on favorite to win the national title. Georgia faces a far tougher schedule this year than last, including road games against Texas and Alabama. But the Bulldogs have the personnel on both sides of the ball to stay in the race from start to finish.
It’s not often we’ve seen the Cornhuskers this high on many rankings recently, but the optimism around Lincoln in palable after the arrival of five-star quarterback recruit Dylan Raiola, the one-time Georgia commit. Raiola led multiple scoring drives and posted 200 yards passing in his spring debut, all in front of 60,452 fans at Memorial Stadium.
After playing third-fiddle to Ohio State and Michigan in the Big Ten recently, the Nittany Lions have a shot to take a giant leap forward in the expanded playoff era. In front of 67,000 fans, Penn State got an early look at OSU transfer wideout Julian Fleming, a much-needed piece in a passing offense that flailed a year ago.
There’s always intense interest around Alabama, and even more so amid what feels like the most consequential coaching changeover in college football history. Consensus GOAT Nick Saban is out, and Kalen DeBoer is in, making his Bama debut in front of 72,358 Crimson Tide faithful.
80,012 clad in scarlet and gray filled the Horseshoe eager to get a preview of the other odds-on favorite to win the natty. Ryan Day oversaw a ton of positive roster change this offseason. Veteran quarterback Will Howard, 2-time SEC rushing leader Quinshon Judkins at tailback, and former 5-star Alabama safety Caleb Downs highlight a huge transfer haul. That’s in addition to key defensive talent electing to return to Columbus to make a title run. And get back at Michigan.
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