Ohio college football fans have a lot to celebrate, according to recent data.
The Buckeye State has enjoyed continuous college football success over the previous 10 years, according to BetOhio.com. The website compiled a list ranking the top states in which to be a college football fan using criteria including attendance, recruiting, win percentages and playoff appearances and championships.
Ohio ranked third place out of 41 states with at least one FBS team, based on the overall excellence of the state's college football programs. Ohio ranked first out of all states in the CFP playoffs appearances category. Ohio also turned in strong scores for the attendance and recruiting categories. Alabama was first overall and South Carolina came in second on the list.
"Thanks to the Buckeyes' 2014 CFP championship and CFP appearances in 2018, 2019 and 2020, combined with the Bearcats' CFP appearance in 2021, the Buckeye State is a heady challenger for the top state in which to be a collegiate fan," the website noted.
Ohio could be looking to move up the rankings after the strong seasons that several of the state's teams had in 2022. Ohio State football went 11-1; they take on Georgia in the Peach Bowl on Dec. 31 for a chance to move on to the CFP championship game. The Cincinnati Bearcats went 9-4 and got a bowl game.
To expand fandom a bit, in basketball, Ohio State is ranked No. 15 (Net rankings), Kent State is currently ranked No. 25 and Dayton always manages to make some noise during March Madness.
Sports betting in Ohio becomes legal on Jan. 1, giving the state's college football fans the opportunity to win big by betting on their home teams.
