Playing football is something many kids throughout America do, although just a few of them choose to dedicate their lives to the sport and get chosen to play in these 10 most valuable college football teams.
Regularly, kids start early and they get better and better with practice, often times playing in school teams. College scouts are always looking for new talent, trying to pick out the best of the best and lure them to their own teams, offering them scholarships. With so many kids dreaming of a free ride to the best colleges via one of these scholarships, it’s no wonder so many decide to pick up sports, trying to be the best at what they do. Alternatively, kids should also try out for these 15 Summer Programs for High School Students with Scholarships.
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Since American football has no minor league farm organization, college football is generally seen as the second tier of the sport. It’s actually extremely popular and many of the athletes that end up going pro, are picked up for the big league straight from these college teams. Regularly, the NFL holds its annual draft during spring, when 256 players are selected every year. The best of the best end up getting offered huge contracts.
For our list today we checked out Forbes‘ analysis on the value of the top college football teams across the United States. The values were reached by combining money generated from university value, revenue and expense data from annual financial reports, and the value to the local economy given by economic impact studies.
Without further ado, here are the 10 most valuable college football teams.
10. Auburn Tigers
Value – $89 million
The Tigers from Auburn University have been winning games left and right, impressing just the right people. The team competes in the Football Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association and the Western Division of the Southeastern Conference. They’ve been competing in intercollegiate football for over 120 years.
They’ve won 8 division titles, 12 Conference titles and became a national finalist in 2013.
Pat Sullivan, Bo Jackson and Cam Newton used to pay for the Auburn Tigers, while John Heisman used to coach the team before the 1900s.
Several of the players from the current team were listed among the best college football players this year, namely Braden Smith (number 80), Jarret Stidham (number 74), and Kamryn Pettway (number 48).
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9. Oklahoma Sooners
Value – $96 million
Over at the University of Oklahoma we find the Sooners, a team worth a lot of money. Just like the Tigers, the Sooners have been competing in college football since 1895.
The team has been quite prolific over the years, winning numerous bowl games, 41 conference championships, 7 Associated Press National Championships, as well as 7 national championships in football, the latest in 2000.
Among the team members that reached an MVP status over the years are Jammal Brown, Keith Jackson, Mark Clayton, Roy Williams, and Rocky Calmus, to name a few.
The team has plenty of good players, including Ogbonnia Okoronkwo, who ranks 88th on the Sports Illustrated list of the best players this year, as well as Jordan Thomas, ranking 64th, Mason Rudolph, ranking 34th, Orlando Brown, ranking 32nd.
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8. Alabama Crimson Tide
Value – $99 million
The football team from the University of Alabama is known for competing in the Football Bown Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association and the Western Division of the Southeastern Conference. The team has been competing since 1982 and has managed to win 16 national championships since.
Among the former players of this team, there are a few important names, including Mark Ingram and Derrick Henry, as well as A.J. McCarron and Jonathan Allen.
Alabama’s Crimson Tide has a lot of good players, ranking among the year’s best, including Da’Ron Payne (number 77), Jalen Hurts (number 75), Ronnie Harrison (number 68), Shaun Dion Hamilton (number 55), Jonah Williams (number 54), De’Shawn Hand (number 38), Bo Scarbrough (number 23), Calvin Ridley (number 20), Minkah Fitzpatrick (number 6).
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7. Ohio State Buckeyes
Value – $100 million
Representing Ohio State University, the Buckeyes have been in the game for a long time now. Over the years, they’ve managed to win the national championship eight times, as well as 37 conference championships and five division championship.
Among the team’s former players we can name Dallas Cowboys’ Ezekiel Elliot, Washington Redskins’ Evan Spencer, and Buffalo Bills’ Dan Herron.
The Ohio State Buckeyes has four players among the top ranking college football players this year – JT. Barrett (number 59), Tyquan Lewis (number 50), Billy Price (number 37), and Nick Bosa (number 35).
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6. Georgia Bulldogs
Value – $102 million
We are continuing our list of most valuable college football teams with the Georgia Bulldogs that have been around since 1892. In the years that passed, they’ve won five national championships. 14 conference championships and lots of other remarkable feats.
The team produced plenty of notable players, including Jarvis Jones (Arizona Cardinals), Bacarri Rambo (Miami Dolphins), Justin Houston (Kansas City Chiefs), and Drew Butler (former Arizona Cardinals).
Currently, there are two players activating with the Georgia Bulldogs that appear on a list of the top ranking players from SI – Nick Chubb, number 66, and Trenton Thompson, number 62.
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5. Michigan Wolverines
Value – $105 million
Over at the University of Michigan, you’ll find the wolverines, a team that started competing back in 1879. The Wolverines hold the record for most wins in college football history with over 935 of them, and it managed to win the national championship 11 times, with the last being in 1997.
Among the Michigan Wolverines players who went on and became MVPs are Jabrill Peppers from the Cleveland Browns, Jehu Chesson from the Kansas City Chiefs, and Jake Ryan from the Green Bay Packers.
Currently, the Michigan Wolverines are the home of several of the top ranking players of 2017 according to Sports Illustrated, namely Maurice Hurst (number 71) and Rashan Gary (number 22).
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4. LSU Tigers
Value – $111 million
The Tigers from the Louisiana State University come up next on our list of the most valuable college football teams. Also known as the Fighting Tigers, the team has managed to score 772 victories by the end of last year’s season. Over the years, they’ve managed to win the National Championship three times, with the most recent achievement in 2007.
Among the Tigers that went on to the NFL we can name Malachi Dupre from the Green Bay Packers, Jamal Adams from the New York Jets, Jarvis Landry from the Miami Dolphins, Super Bowl winners Spencer Ware and Tharold Simon from the Seattle Seahawks, and Super Bowl winner Berkevious Mingo from the Cleveland Browns, to name a few.
The LSU Tigers is home to one of the top ranking players for 2017 – Derrius Guice, who ranks 17th in a chart published by Sports Illustrated, as well as Arden Key, ranking 7th.
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3. Tennesse Volunteers
Value – $121 million
The Tennessee Volunteers, that ranks 3rd on the list of most valuable college football teams also called the Volts, has been around since 1891. The team has managed to win the National Championship 6 times, although the latest win was in 1998 under coach Phillip Fulmer.
Over the years, they’ve managed to produce a lot of big names, including the famous Peyton Manning who retired from the Broncos a couple of years ago and won the Super Bowl twice, Pittsburgh Steelers’ Super Bowl winner Cedrick Wilson, and Reggie White, retired player from the Carolina Panthers, who won the Super Bowl with the Green Bay Packers.
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2. Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Value – $127 million
Up next on our list of most valuable college football teams is the Fighting Irish football team from the University of Notre Dame in Indiana. With 13 national championships won, this is one of the most successful programs in college sports across the United States.
Many NFL pro players have come from this particular college team, including New York Giants’ Ishaq Williams, Dallas Cowboys’ Jaylon Smith, and Seattle Seahawks’ C. J. Prosise. Several former players have also gone to win the Super Bowl, including Justin Tuck, Joe Montana, Eric Dorsey, and Mark Bavaro.
According to a recently published report by Sports Illustrated, Notre Dame’s football team is home to several of this year’s top players, including Equanimeous St. Brown (number 85), Mike McGlinchey (number 47), and Quenton Nelson (number 27).
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1. Texas Longhorns
Value – $152 million
Finally, at the top of the list we find the Texas Longhorns. With a history dating back to 1893, the Texas Longhorns is one of the most highly regarded college sports programs in the United States, winning 9 national championships.
There are currently over 20 former Longhorns playing in various NFL teams, including Kenny Vaccaro from the New Orleans Saints, Earl Thomas from the Seattle Seahawks, Jordan Hicks from the Philadelphia Eagles, Jamaal Charles from the Denver Broncos, and Sam Acho from the Chicago Bears.
A report from Business Insider, in which they calculated the Fair Market Value of college football players at the 20 most profitable programs, reveals that the average college football player at the University of Texas is worth $671,173 per year, nearly $50,000 over the previous year. This is more than $130,000 ahead of any other school, with the second place being taken by the University of Alabama, where an athlete is worth $536,485. The University of Tennessee wraps up the top 3, with an average value of $521,854.
The team is home to one player ranked among the best this year, namely, Malik Jefferson, who landed on number 40, as well as Connor William, number 8.
Overall, these have been the most valuable college football teams.
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