Home › Rankings
College football program rankings
All 68 Power 4 and Notre Dame programs ranked on seven categories: academics, on-field results, championships, spending efficiency, donor support, NCAA compliance and NFL players produced. Each category is scored 0–100 relative to the other 67 schools.
How the rankings work ↓ · Market tiers: National, Big, Medium and Small →
| # | School | Composite | Conference | Academics (15%) | On-field (20%) | Championships (10%) | Spending efficiency (10%) | Donor support (10%) | Compliance (25%) | Players produced (5%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Clemson | 87.4 | ACC | 92.9 | 84.3 | 98.5 | 92.6 | 65.9 | 88.2 | 89.7 |
| 2 | Texas | 76.9 | SEC | 41.4 | 90.3 | 83.8 | 47.1 | 93.4 | 88.2 | 85.3 |
| 3 | Georgia | 75.6 | SEC | 18.9 | 99.4 | 97.1 | 83.8 | 74.0 | 75.0 | 97.8 |
| 4 | Kansas State | 71.1 | Big 12 | 71.6 | 76.9 | 57.4 | 82.4 | 35.2 | 88.2 | 37.5 |
| 5 | Ohio State | 68.1 | Big Ten | 66.4 | 99.1 | 95.6 | 95.6 | 75.8 | 13.2 | 97.8 |
| 6 | Utah | 67.8 | Big 12 | 63.5 | 82.7 | 75.0 | 85.3 | 44.5 | 57.4 | 70.6 |
| 6 | Alabama | 67.8 | SEC | 75.3 | 93.8 | 100.0 | 91.2 | 69.1 | 13.2 | 100.0 |
| 8 | Notre Dame | 65.6 | Independent (football) | 92.4 | 95.3 | 66.9 | 63.2 | 63.2 | 22.8 | 86.8 |
| 9 | Washington | 65.2 | Big Ten | 60.6 | 75.9 | 85.3 | 32.4 | 46.2 | 69.1 | 80.9 |
| 10 | Texas Tech | 65.1 | Big 12 | 33.8 | 65.0 | 79.4 | 57.4 | 57.1 | 88.2 | 47.1 |
| 11 | Cincinnati | 64.5 | Big 12 | 84.1 | 53.4 | 25.7 | 100.0 | 6.4 | 88.2 | 53.7 |
| 12 | Oregon | 63.2 | Big Ten | 40.4 | 93.2 | 89.7 | 98.5 | 83.9 | 16.2 | 82.4 |
| 13 | Wake Forest | 62.9 | ACC | 92.7 | 42.2 | 25.7 | 38.2 | 77.9 | 88.2 | 23.5 |
| 14 | Oklahoma | 62.5 | SEC | 36.5 | 79.7 | 91.2 | 86.8 | 84.1 | 30.1 | 83.8 |
| 15 | SMU | 61.0 | ACC | 46.6 | 79.6 | 66.9 | 51.5 | 74.3 | 61.0 | 10.3 |
| 16 | Michigan | 60.5 | Big Ten | 65.0 | 95.9 | 88.2 | 72.1 | 74.0 | 1.5 | 95.6 |
| 17 | LSU | 59.8 | SEC | 11.0 | 73.9 | 93.4 | 80.9 | 69.8 | 44.9 | 94.1 |
| 18 | Duke | 59.5 | ACC | 84.8 | 39.4 | 57.4 | 16.2 | 61.8 | 88.2 | 7.4 |
| 19 | Penn State | 58.8 | Big Ten | 35.5 | 89.1 | 79.4 | 75.0 | 78.4 | 19.1 | 92.6 |
| 20 | NC State | 58.5 | ACC | 42.4 | 60.1 | 25.7 | 73.5 | 27.3 | 88.2 | 50.7 |
| 21 | Indiana | 58.3 | Big Ten | 58.1 | 54.1 | 93.4 | 11.8 | 56.0 | 73.5 | 27.2 |
| 22 | Northwestern | 57.9 | Big Ten | 96.1 | 6.8 | 25.7 | 41.2 | 98.5 | 88.2 | 13.2 |
| 23 | Minnesota | 57.5 | Big Ten | 58.8 | 58.5 | 25.7 | 30.9 | 42.7 | 88.2 | 41.9 |
| 24 | Wisconsin | 56.8 | Big Ten | 81.4 | 44.7 | 57.4 | 77.9 | 48.4 | 44.9 | 64.0 |
| 25 | Pittsburgh | 56.1 | ACC | 51.7 | 50.1 | 57.4 | 50.0 | 42.6 | 69.1 | 64.0 |
| 26 | Louisville | 55.7 | ACC | 64.9 | 71.0 | 25.7 | 67.6 | 19.8 | 63.2 | 37.5 |
| 27 | Texas A&M | 55.2 | SEC | 16.9 | 69.7 | 66.9 | 48.5 | 92.0 | 44.9 | 79.4 |
| 28 | Stanford | 54.8 | ACC | 75.7 | 1.5 | 72.8 | 61.8 | 88.2 | 61.0 | 56.6 |
| 29 | Illinois | 54.4 | Big Ten | 31.9 | 52.5 | 25.7 | 19.1 | 80.0 | 88.2 | 37.5 |
| 30 | USC | 53.6 | Big Ten | 35.5 | 66.5 | 57.4 | 70.6 | 74.3 | 33.1 | 75.0 |
| 31 | Florida State | 53.0 | ACC | 47.1 | 49.3 | 86.8 | 52.9 | 70.9 | 36.0 | 66.9 |
| 32 | Auburn | 52.4 | SEC | 63.5 | 32.8 | 82.4 | 17.6 | 54.1 | 57.4 | 77.9 |
| 33 | BYU | 52.0 | Big 12 | 26.7 | 74.1 | 25.7 | 94.1 | 3.7 | 69.1 | 19.9 |
| 34 | Florida | 50.5 | SEC | 38.5 | 41.0 | 76.5 | 55.9 | 59.4 | 41.2 | 91.2 |
| 35 | Virginia Tech | 49.5 | ACC | 39.7 | 16.8 | 72.8 | 69.1 | 49.8 | 64.7 | 47.1 |
| 36 | Iowa | 49.2 | Big Ten | 36.7 | 78.2 | 25.7 | 64.7 | 52.4 | 30.1 | 76.5 |
| 37 | Miami | 47.6 | ACC | 50.8 | 68.5 | 66.9 | 39.7 | 30.9 | 22.8 | 88.2 |
| 38 | Ole Miss | 47.4 | SEC | 30.2 | 89.4 | 66.9 | 42.6 | 55.7 | 9.6 | 73.5 |
| 38 | Boston College | 47.4 | ACC | 84.8 | 6.8 | 25.7 | 33.8 | 7.4 | 88.2 | 44.1 |
| 40 | Oklahoma State | 46.8 | Big 12 | 63.7 | 30.6 | 25.7 | 88.2 | 82.9 | 27.9 | 41.9 |
| 41 | Arkansas | 46.5 | SEC | 47.3 | 25.7 | 25.7 | 4.4 | 45.4 | 88.2 | 47.1 |
| 42 | North Carolina | 45.0 | ACC | 70.8 | 36.4 | 25.7 | 54.4 | 41.8 | 39.0 | 58.8 |
| 43 | Tennessee | 44.5 | SEC | 22.1 | 84.7 | 66.9 | 25.0 | 84.6 | 2.9 | 72.1 |
| 44 | Missouri | 44.0 | SEC | 37.5 | 67.5 | 25.7 | 76.5 | 63.4 | 13.2 | 56.6 |
| 45 | Kansas | 42.6 | Big 12 | 39.7 | 16.3 | 25.7 | 1.5 | 63.0 | 88.2 | 2.9 |
| 45 | Iowa State | 42.6 | Big 12 | 81.1 | 60.7 | 25.7 | 27.9 | 39.4 | 22.8 | 23.5 |
| 47 | West Virginia | 42.5 | Big 12 | 55.9 | 25.3 | 25.7 | 79.4 | 20.2 | 54.4 | 16.2 |
| 48 | Vanderbilt | 42.4 | SEC | 73.8 | 9.6 | 25.7 | 2.9 | 23.5 | 88.2 | 1.5 |
| 49 | Houston | 42.2 | Big 12 | 16.7 | 43.2 | 25.7 | 97.1 | 21.0 | 50.7 | 37.5 |
| 50 | TCU | 42.1 | Big 12 | 8.1 | 65.4 | 25.7 | 66.2 | 36.8 | 39.0 | 61.0 |
| 51 | Virginia | 41.7 | ACC | 70.6 | 18.7 | 25.7 | 13.2 | 67.8 | 57.4 | 5.1 |
| 51 | Arizona | 41.7 | Big 12 | 51.2 | 25.0 | 25.7 | 22.1 | 39.2 | 69.1 | 19.9 |
| 53 | Purdue | 39.4 | Big Ten | 31.4 | 8.5 | 25.7 | 10.3 | 40.1 | 88.2 | 27.2 |
| 54 | UCLA | 39.1 | Big Ten | 36.8 | 43.2 | 25.7 | 20.6 | 22.4 | 50.7 | 69.1 |
| 55 | Georgia Tech | 38.9 | ACC | 64.0 | 25.9 | 51.5 | 45.6 | 39.3 | 33.1 | 5.1 |
| 56 | UCF | 37.5 | Big 12 | 44.4 | 36.8 | 25.7 | 89.7 | 19.4 | 26.5 | 30.9 |
| 57 | Maryland | 36.8 | Big Ten | 23.3 | 26.9 | 25.7 | 23.5 | 13.2 | 69.1 | 50.7 |
| 58 | Kentucky | 36.3 | SEC | 23.5 | 43.7 | 25.7 | 29.4 | 46.7 | 36.0 | 61.0 |
| 59 | Colorado | 35.3 | Big 12 | 36.3 | 2.9 | 25.7 | 7.4 | 13.7 | 88.2 | 16.2 |
| 60 | Michigan State | 35.1 | Big Ten | 28.4 | 19.6 | 57.4 | 60.3 | 74.1 | 17.6 | 30.9 |
| 61 | South Carolina | 34.7 | SEC | 55.4 | 46.9 | 25.7 | 35.3 | 43.7 | 5.9 | 66.9 |
| 62 | Mississippi State | 34.1 | SEC | 68.9 | 21.6 | 25.7 | 58.8 | 42.1 | 9.6 | 53.7 |
| 63 | Baylor | 33.2 | Big 12 | 64.0 | 45.9 | 57.4 | 44.1 | 3.7 | 4.4 | 23.5 |
| 64 | Syracuse | 32.9 | ACC | 30.1 | 22.0 | 25.7 | 8.8 | 51.5 | 52.9 | 10.3 |
| 65 | Arizona State | 32.2 | Big 12 | 31.1 | 37.5 | 79.4 | 36.8 | 32.6 | 7.4 | 33.8 |
| 66 | California | 30.5 | ACC | 45.6 | 20.0 | 25.7 | 14.7 | 13.2 | 44.9 | 30.9 |
| 67 | Nebraska | 29.8 | Big Ten | 44.6 | 21.9 | 25.7 | 26.5 | 55.1 | 22.8 | 16.2 |
| 68 | Rutgers | 27.5 | Big Ten | 39.2 | 15.9 | 25.7 | 5.9 | 12.8 | 48.5 | 10.3 |
How the rankings work
Every measure is turned into a percentile among the 68 schools (0 to 100, ties averaged). Each category score is the average of its measures' percentiles, and the composite is the weighted average of the seven categories.
- Academics (15%): football Graduation Success Rate (2018 cohort), football Federal Graduation Rate and multi-year APR, equal thirds. Source: NCAA GSR search and APR search.
- On-field (20%): win % 2021–2025 (60%) and average end-of-season Elo rating 2021–2025 (40%). Source: CollegeFootballData.com game results.
- Championships (10%): points for national titles (10), playoff appearances (4) and conference championship game wins (3). Seasons 2016–2025 count fully, 2007–2015 count half. Only conference title games are counted, so Notre Dame, as an independent, can't earn those points.
- Spending efficiency (10%): wins per season above or below what each school's football spending predicts, 2007–2024. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education EADA spending and regular-season records; see Does money buy wins?
- Donor support (10%): average donor contributions FY2021–25 from the Knight-Newhouse database (70%) plus documented major athletics gifts (30%) from our Top donors page. The 15 private schools without Knight-Newhouse data are scored on documented gifts only, and undisclosed gift amounts count as $0.
- Compliance (25%): official NCAA infractions cases, Division I, 2011–2026, from the NCAA Legislative Services Database (LSDBi). Football cases score more than non-football cases; postseason bans, probation and show-cause orders add points; older cases count less. Fewer points means a higher score. Where a case page's penalty summary contradicted its structured data, we used the summary, and cases with no level listed were checked against NCAA public decisions.
- Players produced (5%): NFL draft picks, 2017–2026 drafts. Source: nflverse draft data.
Notes
- Off-field conduct is not scored separately. No official national database ties court cases to a school's players, and state court records can't be gathered evenly, so its weight moved to compliance.
- Penn State: its 2012 NCAA consent decree is counted as a major football case with penalties as originally imposed (NCAA, 2012). Most of those sanctions were rescinded in 2014–15 (2014, 2015).
- Community service is excluded because there's no consistent public data.
- Percentiles are relative to these 68 schools only, and they can exaggerate small gaps. The rankings measure what is documented; schools that disclose more, especially about donors, can benefit.
- Spot an error? Email [email protected].