Given the extreme zeal of Penn State football fans, I really thought they would win the national college football spirit competition that completed today. (By the way, today is national wear your school colors day, it’s big on social media). Penn State football fans finished second; to the Iowa Hawkeyes! However, both beat Alabama, as Crimson Tide fans took third.
Savor it Big Ten. You don’t beat ‘Bama or the SEC very much on a national scale.
The fan base triumph does reflect the dominance of the Big Ten in attendance. Of course, it helps that three of the nation’s four biggest stadiums are in the league.
Then again you don’t build/expand your stadium in the first place unless you have that demand, like Penn State football does.
The Collegiate Licensing Company and NCAA Football launched the College Colors Day Spirit Cup, a web-based rivalry competition featuring 165 colleges and universities. Clemson took fourth and TCU fifth.
Iowa mobilized its fan base with e-mail blasts to its alumni, fans, and students and an aggressive social media campaign through the Iowa Athletic Department Facebook and Twitter profiles. It was also announced who took first place in each conference. Obviously, you know from the top 5 who took the ACC, Big Ten, SEC and Big 12. However, the Pac 12 winner was shocking: Washington State.
In order to determine which school has the most loyal fan base, 190 million fans visited facebook.com/collegecolorsday to pledge for their favorite school. And Herky got it done.
I really thought Penn State football was going to win this one.
Paul M. Banks is the owner of The Sports Bank.net, an affiliate of Fox Sports. An analyst for 95.7 The Fan, he also writes on Chicago sports media for Chicago Now. President Obama follows him on Twitter (@paulmbanks)