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The original was posted on /r/cfb by /u/crazygiraffe93 on 2025-12-17 12:43:23+00:00.

I’m a college football fan who’s really interested in geography and team fandom. I’m especially interested in in-state rivalries and how fans within different states cheer for those teams. I find states like Alabama and Mississippi that have two major teams really fascinating.

I’m trying to collect data on how fandom is broken down in different states and what regions in each state pull for each team. I’ve identified several states where there are two major in-state rivals that dominate the state’s fandom and I’m looking for feedback on my guesses. Once I get more information, I’m hoping to create some maps showing these (I know it’s been done before, but I want to take my own crack at it). Below are my educated guesses - feel free to provide any feedback or just discuss in general. I’m interested in your unbiased takes, your biased takes, commentary on the dynamic of each fanbase within the state - I’m very interested in this stuff and I’d like to learn as much as possible. I’m not including any lower level or out of state teams, as that kinda convolutes things.

  • Alabama - 60% Alabama, 40% Auburn
    • More Bama fans in western/northern Alabama, more Auburn fans in eastern/SE Alabama
    • Birmingham and Huntsville ~2/3 Bama, 1/3 Auburn
  • Mississippi - 55% Mississippi State, 45% Ole Miss
    • Slightly more MSU fans anywhere south of Starkville, Ole Miss territory in the northern part of the state especially near Memphis
    • Yes, I know there are a fair amount of LSU fans in the southern part of the state, but I’m just trying to compare the two in-state schools
  • South Carolina - 60% South Carolina, 40% Clemson
    • More Clemson fans in the Upstate, more Carolina fans in the Midlands and Lowcountry
    • Greenville ~2/3 Clemson, ~1/3 Carolina, Columbia 80-20 in favor of Carolina, Charleston 60-40 in favor of Carolina
  • Oklahoma - 75% Oklahoma, 25% Oklahoma State
    • The vast majority of the state could safely be called Sooner country, but Okie State maybe has some territory around Stillwater
    • OKC 80-20 in favor of OU, Tulsa 60-40 in favor of OU
  • Kansas - 60% Kansas, 40% Kansas State
    • I’m guessing most of Kansas is Jayhawk country with some K-State territory in Manhattan and rural areas to the west
    • KC suburbs 80-20 in favor of KU
  • Iowa - 60% Iowa, 40% Iowa State
    • Central Iowa slightly leans ISU and eastern Iowa heavily goes for Iowa
    • Des Moines 55-45 towards ISU
  • Michigan - 60% Michigan, 40% Michigan State
    • Most parts of the state go for Michigan and the areas around Lansing go for MSU
    • Detroit ~2/3 for Michigan, ~1/3 for MSU
  • Indiana - 50% Indiana, 30% Purdue, 20% Notre Dame
    • Northern Indiana heavily in favor of Notre Dame, central Indiana maybe 45% IU, 45% Purdue and 10% Notre Dame, southern Indiana 80% IU, 20% Purdue with virtually no Notre Dame presence
    • Indianapolis 50% IU, 40% Purdue, 10% Notre Dame
  • Washington - 75% Washington, 25% Washington State
    • Most of the state going for Washington, but WSU has a little territory on the eastern side of the state
    • Seattle 80-20 in favor of UW
  • Oregon - 75% Oregon, 25% Oregon State
    • Most of the state going for Oregon, with OSU having some territory directly around Corvallis
    • Portland 75-25 in favor of the Ducks